Hundreds of people have shared their support for plans for key work needed to prepare for the new Airedale General Hospital.
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust asked members of the public and staff for feedback about initial plans to get the site ready, ahead of developing the plans for the actual hospital.
The plans include building a new multi-storey car park with more than 1,200 spaces, including electric vehicle charging points and areas for motorbikes and bicycles. A new access road from Skipton Road has been proposed to help improve traffic flow, along with clear routes for pedestrians and improved access to the hospital.
The project also includes an electricity substation to power the new hospital and a plan to move the nursery to another location on the hospital site. The Trust aims to make the site environmentally friendly, with solar panels on the car park, new trees and wildflower meadows for local wildlife.
Members of the public were invited to attend a series of roadshows in November and December 2024, where they could come and ask questions and share their views. An exhibition of the plans was displayed at Airedale General Hospital and were also shared on the Trust website, and people were invited to take part in an online survey.
All the feedback received was independently analysed and a full report is now available on the Trust website here.
Key findings included that most people welcomed the plans for a new car park, access road and plans to increase biodiversity. Some concerns were raised about potential congestion at peak times and how this may impact local residents, the Trust is currently working with Bradford Council to address this.
Other feedback included:
- 62 per cent of people supported the proposed location of the new access road, recognising it could improve traffic flow around the hospital
- People felt it was important that the design of the car park included larger bays, plenty of disabled access, efficient lighting, toilets, lifts, secure bike parking, 24/7 security, footpaths to the hospital and clear signage
- From a choice of visual designs for the car park, the most popular was a laser cut image
- People were also keen on other eco-features such as carbon capture paint and solar images
- More than half of respondents (62 per cent) were happy with the proposed location for the nursery
- People liked the plans to create a sustainable space that is environmentally friendly and promotes biodiversity and made various suggestions to strengthen this.
Chief Executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, ‘Foluke Ajayi, said: “Building the supporting infrastructure is a really important step on our journey to a new hospital.
“We are very grateful to everyone who took the time to come to our roadshows, the exhibition and fill out the survey. This feedback is invaluable and has been shared with architects and planners who are using the information to finalise the plans prior to submitting planning applications to Bradford Council.
“We are keen to continue working with our patients, staff and local communities to make the most of the opportunity that building a new hospital brings and will carry on taking onboard views and feedback in all areas of work needed to develop the new hospital.”
Discussions are currently taking place with the Trust and planning officers ahead of submitting full applications for these projects. The Trust is working with the national New Hospital Programme to finalise timeframes for all elements of the new hospital build.
