Residents have their say on new hospital plans

Hundreds of people have shared their views on plans for a new hospital in West Yorkshire, with a consultation deadline looming.

The development at Airedale General Hospital, near Keighley, would be 10 storeys high and cost up to £1.5bn, with trust leaders calling it a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to transform healthcare.

More than 1,200 people have completed a survey sharing their thoughts on the proposals, with the window for feedback shutting on Friday.

Speaking at a community roadshow in Skipton, Helen Wallbank, 73, said: "I just hope it starts on time, while I am still around to get the facilities."

The first outline plans for the new hospital were shared in early June.

According to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, its catchment area stretches "as far as the Yorkshire Dales and the National Park in North Yorkshire, reaching areas of North Bradford and Guiseley in West Yorkshire and extending into Colne and Pendle in the East of Lancashire".

Caroline Smith, 72, attended the roadshow at Skipton Morrisons on Monday to learn more about the plans and said she was glad to have had the chance to ask questions.

Discussing a lack of focus on building accessibility for those with mobility requirements, she said: "Why do they not get a focus group together at the very early stages of design and listen?

"The whole thing about the minor detail or minute detail, it is not minor to me."

The hospital is one of 16 NHS projects in the first wave of the New Hospital Programme.

The trust has been gathering the views of patients, visitors, staff and local residents about the proposed design and how it meets the needs of local communities.

Bob Davidson, 73, said: "It is good to be talked to.

"I would be keen for them to sort out some plans so that you can walk from the station, because driving there is fine but the car park is going to have limited capability.

"I would prefer to get a train and walk, but at the moment it's very tricky."

Bob was told the trust was aware of an appetite for more sustainable travel options and that they were in discussion.

The hospital is one of seven in England prioritised for a rebuild due to the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which was found to be unstable and prone to collapsing.

The new hospital would be built on a car park at the rear of the estate, which would allow existing services to keep running, according to the plans.

The development would include 508 overnight hospital beds and 73 day beds, all of which would be in single, private, en-suite rooms.

This is a slight increase on the existing hospital where there are 486 overnight beds and 63 day beds.

Helen uses the current hospital regularly due to her diabetes and said she felt more optimistic about the plans now that she had asked questions about it.

"I thought they were trying to squeeze everything in again into that small site, but now I know it is going up that is good," she said.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "Getting out into our local communities to hear their thoughts on the new hospital has been really helpful and we've been delighted by the positive response we've had to the plans."

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