Health chiefs have hailed the new Wharfedale Hospital as a "cause for celebration" as the long-running battle for modern facilities in Otley finally draws to a close.

At a meeting of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust board yesterday, bosses said the new hospital was just the beginning of improvements, although planning permission has yet to be confirmed.

Presenting details at the existing Newall Carr Road hospital, project manager Kevin Westwood said the design would allow patients to move around with ease.

"They can go and have a blood test or X-ray within a minimum walking distance," he said. "Nothing in the building is particularly far from anywhere else."

The three-storey hospital will house additional endoscopy facilities, surgical and day surgery wards and a 'one-stop shop' for outpatients and diagnosis.

Two medical wards will include six single rooms and four-bedded bays with en-suite bathrooms.

The hospital will also develop a booked admissions system, so patients can be informed of their next appointment as they leave, and better links with primary care. A total of 200 parking spaces have been allocated for hospital staff and visitors.

Councillors are expected to make a final decision on the planning application in the next two weeks.