A NEW hospital building is the chosen option for the future for Ilkley's Coronation Hospital - but some campaigners still have concerns.

Hospital owner Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) this week agreed to pursue plans to create a new hospital building on the current Coronation Hospital site. The option - backed by many of the Ilkley residents consulted - has long stood out as the PCT's favoured option.

Although full details of the cost, exact design and timescale for the new hospital are yet to go before Trust bosses as a final proposal, members agreed on Tuesday to proceed with work looking into consultation Option One. The other possible option, the refurbishment of the existing building, will not be pursued.

An original third option to close the hospital and move all services to the Airedale Hospital, Steeton, was rejected after strong opposition in a pre-consultation period.

PCT chairman and Wharfedale resident Liz Wolstenholme, thanked Ilkley people for their contribution to the recently-ended public consultation process.

She said: "I'm appreciative of the people of Ilkley for the time and consideration they've given to the issue. I hope you feel we were listening in that process and I hope that the people of Ilkley and the Wharfe Valley will help us with the difficult decisions we will have to make."

Ilkley parish councillor Mike Gibbons said he would wait with interest to see the final details of the plan.

"I welcome the ongoing involvement and investigations into Option One, which is what appears to be most people's preferred option," he said. "The prospect of a purpose-built unit situated on Springs Lane is going to be welcome to most people in the area."

But some of the many who fought to keep Ilkley's current hospital services firmly in the town are still seeking reassurance.

Former parish councillor Barbara Cussons is afraid there could be problems with selling off the land to a developer who will then build the new hospital on part of the site and lease the land to the PCT.

Mrs Cussons, who attended Tuesday's PCT meeting, says the new build might be unrealistic in business terms.

"Everyone knows it is better to own than rent," said Mrs Cussons. "Is it really going to be beneficial to rent back our 'own' land and reconstructed building