Plans to replace Bingley Health Centre and the town's 'outdated' hospital with a £10 million primary care centre have received a major boost.

Health bosses have approved the business case for the centre, which will bring a host of healthcare services to the town.

Airedale Primary Care Trust is currently negotiating the purchase of a site near Bingley centre, but has declined to reveal the exact location because of "commercial sensitivities".

The trust said the centre - expected to open in autumn 2008 - will bring high quality health, social care and voluntary sector services under one roof to serve people in Bingley, Shipley and Keighley.

Primary health care staff, local GPs and practice staff are drawing up details of the plans, including the health services to be provided and the design of the new building.

A trust spokesman said it needed new premises at a new site to provide enough space for current health services in the area and to improve and expand them.

The new facility will incorporate the two practices at Bingley Health Centre alongside Springfield Surgery, Bingley, and Priesthorpe Medical Centre.

The facility will give Bingley a new minor injuries centre with x-ray and ultrasound capabilities and a pharmacy.

It will also include nursing, mental health and counselling services, a children's centre incorporating antenatal care, health visiting and social services working as one team, along with all the services currently provided at Bingley Hospital and Bingley Health Centre.

These include podiatry, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

The centre will also allow for more GP specialists in areas such as ear nose and throat, diabetes, cardiology, musculo-skeletal medicine, chronic pain service, gynaecology, sexual health and drug misuse, and expanded outpatient services, provided by Airedale General Hospital.

The centre will be completed by new primary care training facilities, a community cafe and additional space for health promotion activities.

Georgina Haslam, chairman of Airedale PCT and a Bingley GP, described the centre as a "community hospital for the 21st century".

She said: "This is a really exciting development which will be at the forefront of health care models promoted by the Government in the latest White Paper on improving community care.

"The people of Bingley will be relieved to learn that after several years of planning this scheme it has now been given the go-ahead. In the future we will be providing care for people without the need to travel."

Shipley MP Philip Davies said: "What people want is the best possible health care at the most convenient location. If that is what this eventually delivers then that's fine.

"As far as I'm concerned, the benefits of having a modern, high facility-quality would outweigh concerns about location."