PROPOSALS to close Ilkley's Coronation Hospital have hit a snag with the news that alternative treatment space for services has disappeared.

Local health service bosses were hoping to move some of the services from Coronation Hospital to an empty unit at the Springs Medical Centre.

But it was revealed this week that the owners of the centre have let the empty unit to a private health business.

The loss of the unit was one of the reasons why health bosses decided this week to delay their final plans for the hospital's future.

The closures of Ilkley, Skipton and Bingley hospitals are being considered by the Airedale NHS Trust and the Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) in a bid to cut an estimated £2.8 million budget deficit.

Campaigners fighting against the proposed closures had been waiting for consultation papers giving details this week at a meeting of the PCT board.

But at the last minute, the PCT announced that the consultation had been delayed, leaving patients and health workers unsure what would happen in the future.

Kevin Ellis the PCT chief executive, explained the delay: "We were hoping to launch the consultation before the meeting.

"There have been a number of issues raised which have delayed that consultation. We still haven't agreed on the options that are available.

"We are still in discussion with the Airedale Trust about what options we wanted to put forward. We were hoping to use part of the present GP practice building but they let that to a private company so it is not available to the NHS."

Mr Ellis also said that the trust bosses had been doing more intensive work on the planned budget for the next few years.

Asked if he could give a date for when the hospital proposals would be published, Mr Ellis said: "It is difficult at this point to specify a date. Both organisations are in agreement that we have got to get this right.

"I would be loathe to set a definite date but I think it is likely to before the end of the financial year. As soon as the decision is made I would like to call a board meeting."

Before the meeting, Bob Allen, the chief executive of the Airedale NHS Trust said: "We need to find a good long-term solution and for this reason our discussions are continuing."

More than 10,000 signatures have been collected in Ilkley from people wanting to register their opposition to the closure plan. The petition was passed on to the Health Minister by Ilkley Labour MP Ann Cryer, who is supporting the campaign.

The loss of the empty unit at the medical centre will force trust bosses to look elsewhere for alternative venues for the Coronation's services.

Wendy Ribband, the practice manager for the Ilkley Moor Medical Practice, one of two based at the Springs Lane site, said they had recently learned that the space had been let to a chiropractor business.

Ilkley Parish and District Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said that moving Coronation Hospital services to the medical centre had been a non-starter in the first place because there was not enough space.

"They were always told that there wasn't enough space in the medical centre," said Coun Hawkesworth.

And she wondered whether the latest delay to the publications of the plans was due to trust managers having second thoughts about their unpopular plans.

She said: "It shows there are very big questions and gaps in the plans. It suggest they are having a re-think.

"I would hope that the consultation in this case means they are going to listen to what all the people are saying."