a senior health boss is warning against selling off High Royds Hospital because the future location of a new Wharfedale Hospital is still hanging in the balance.

The Menston-based psychiatric hospital, which is due to close in the summer of 2002, is being cited as an alternative Wharfedale Hospital site instead of land next to Garnett's paper mill in Otley.

Graham Hoult, who has just been appointed as the temporary locality development officer at Leeds North West Primary Care Group, is holding a meeting on the future of High Royds next Tuesday.

The Environment Agency has already objected to the outline plans to build the hospital on the mill site because they say it is a flood plain, and Mr Hoult claims the site is also contaminated and would require an expensive clean-up operation.

He said: "It is well known within health circles that the site is

contaminated."

Last week Wharfedale Newspapers revealed that hospital chiefs are looking at ways to combat the threat of flooding either by investing in an embankment for the access road to go on, or by raising it, each would add to the overall cost of the project.

In addition, it is understood that the owners of the site are still looking at proposals to build houses on the site, despite being refused outline permission by a Government planning inspector in January.

Graham Hoult, whose role will involve looking at how primary health care should be developed within the Wharfedale region, said he believed it would be unwise to sell off High Royds Hospital before establishing whether part of the site could be used for the new community hospital.

Mr Hoult, who is also the chairman of Guiseley and Menston Greenbelt Action Group, is holding a meeting with local residents on Tuesday, April 18, at 7pm at Guiseley Baptist Church on Oxford Road.

He said: "If we can't use the Garnetts site and High Royds is sold off, we could be left with nowhere else to build the Wharfedale Hospital."

The Environment Agency was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, Leeds Health Authority announced they will be giving Otley residents a chance to have their say on the new hospital.

An exhibition at the Civic Centre started yesterday showing artists' impressions of the new hospital and services proposed for inclusion. Public information leaflets and consultation documents are available for people to take away. The Civic Centre is open from 9am to 4.30pm and from 6.30pm until late.

Radio Aire personnel will also distribute public leaflets and information on the proposed services at the new hospital around Otley Market Square during April 20, 21 and 22.

Otley and Wharfedale Labour Party has also arranged for a public consultation session on the proposed service changes to Wharfedale Hospital to be held in the Labour Rooms, Walkergate, Otley (11am-1pm) on Saturday.

l At a meeting between health chiefs and Otley Town Council, councillors listened to a presentation on health proposals across the city - and then raised concerns about the lack of surgery facilities in the proposed new hospital.

Councillors will give their official response to the proposals at a meeting next week.

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