THE future of Ilkley's Coronation Hospital is likely to be decided before the community is satisfied that health services will not be harmed.

At a meeting this week, health bosses outlined a plan for a new three-storey medical centre to replace the 100-year-old building. It would be built next to the Springs Medical Centre as part of a public/private finance agreement.

As for the existing hospital, the developer has agreed to retain the Art Deco faade of the building, but it is not known what will happen to the rest of it.

The new building is the first option of the two choices Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) has put forward. The other option is to retain the Coronation Hospital and refurbish it to a higher standard.

Kevin Ellis, the chief executive of the PCT, told a meeting of Bradford Council's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee held in the Winter Garden, Ilkley, that because of plans to upgrade medical facilities across the district, Ilkley would be left behind if the second option was chosen.

He said: "Ilkley would end up with worse facilities than any other part of the patch and it (the refurbishment) would only last for a relatively short time. I think we would be having this discussion again in a few years time."

He explained that a new medical centre would be paid for, built and owned by the developer and the PCT would lease it back.

However, said Mr Ellis this would cost the PCT about £50,000-a-year, around the same as it now has to pay for capital costs on the Coronation Hospital building.

He also explained that it was much easier for the PCT to get private finance for a new building than it was to get capital for refurbishing an old building.

After listening to Mr Ellis and studying the plans of the new building produced by the PCT, Ilkley Parish Councillor Michael Gibbons, who has led local opposition to the original Coronation closure plan, said he needed more details before he could decide which option was the best for the town.

Coun Gibbons said: "The devil can be in the detail, I am hoping that the detail will offer pleasantries rather than anything else but until we have that detail, and until you have carried out the survey of the staff, it is very difficult to continue this consultation process further.

"I see little point in providing a new building that only takes care of needs in