Airedale Hospital staff 'truly delighted' with rebuild pledge

Keighley's Airedale Hospital currently experiences more than 200 leaks a year due to building deterioration, the Department of Health said

Staff at a West Yorkshire hospital built more than half a century ago say they are "truly delighted" at a government pledge to rebuild it.

The health secretary named Airedale General Hospital in Keighley as one of five sites being added to the government's New Hospital Programme.

It was built with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in the late 1960s and is facing "severe structural problems".

"This is the news that we have been waiting for," its NHS trust said.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the hospital, which opened in 1970 and is so run-down it experiences "more than 200 leaks a year", would be rebuilt by 2030.

The lightweight concrete used in roofs, floors and walls was found to have a lifespan of 30 years, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said, with warnings it should be replaced as soon as possible.

Andrew Gold, chair of the trust, said: "Being included is tremendous news, providing a major boost to the local community and securing the future of high-quality healthcare provision on the Steeton site.

"We are excited to use the opportunity to transform healthcare for the population we serve and look forward to firming up plans as more information becomes available."

The government said its £20bn New Hospital Programme would see 40 new hospitals built by 2030, although this includes new-builds and existing sites undergoing major refurbishment.

A recent BBC investigation found work was yet to start on 33 of them.

The new hospital in Keighley would be built on the current site and would make use of "a range of sustainable technologies", its trust said.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Foluke Ajayi previously called the current Airedale Hospital building "unfit for purpose"

"We are truly delighted to hear the announcement that we have been accepted," said trust chief executive Foluke Ajayi.

"I know I speak for all our incredible staff, patients, governors, volunteers and wider supporters when I say that this is the news that we have been waiting for."

Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, called the announcement "one of the most significant investments announced for our community in decades".

"A new Airedale Hospital will make an unprecedented difference to the lives of so many across our community for generations to come," he said.