THE chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust says the organisation still hopes to open a new Airedale Hospital on the current site by 2030, despite the new government announcing a review into major NHS spending projects.

The hospital in Steeton opened in 1970 and serves 220,000 people living in the Bradford and Craven districts.

However, the majority of the hospital’s walls, floors and roofs were built with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which has dominated headlines due to fears buildings with it could collapse after a 30-year lifespan.

In May, there was relief after the government announced that a new hospital would be built on the current hospital site when it was added to the New Hospitals Programme.

However, this week the new Labour government announced a review of NHS building projects to save £22bn from the public’s finances.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said a review of the hospital rebuild programme was needed with a “thorough, realistic and costed timetable for delivery”.

It’s led to fears that the Airedale Hospital project could be delayed, scaled back or even scrapped altogether.

Responding to the announcement, Foluke Ajayi, chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said the review was not unexpected. Still, she reassured patients that work on the rebuild will move forward regardless.

Ms Ajayi added: “Whilst this review is taking place we continue with our plans, working to our construction programme that will see us move into a new hospital by 2030.”

Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, has strongly criticised the government’s review and said any delays could put the whole project at risk.

Mr Moore, who campaigned for the rebuild, said he has requested a meeting with health secretary Wes Streeting.

He said: “If the new health secretary is genuinely committed to our new Airedale Hospital, then this review risks needless delay and risks putting the timescale of our new hospital back beyond the critical 2030 deadline set out by structural engineers and agreed to by the Conservative government.

"This decision jeopardises the future of health services in our area. 

“Our Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has been working tirelessly with the New Hospital Programme team over the past year to progress plans for a state-of-the-art hospital by 2030 and they deserve clarity from the government about the timings of this review.

"I have therefore written directly to the Health Secretary to request an urgent meeting with myself and our Hospital Trust to challenge this review and ensure the on-time and on-budget delivery of our new Airedale Hospital.”