Yeadon will be getting a new £3.5million health centre in the next two years - and Otley is next on the list.

The Leeds North West Primary Care Trust (PCT) has expressed delight following the confirmation this week that Yeadon will be getting its new long-awaited centre.

And it has singled out Otley Clinic, on Manor Square, as its next major priority.

Professional Executive Committee chairman of the North West Leeds Primary Care Trust, Dr Ian Allman, is ecstatic. "I am delighted we have got this at last. Yeadon Health Centre is in a dire state at the moment. The PCT chairman went round there and came back with a rotten piece of wood from a window ledge.

"We will hopefully be looking at Otley Clinic next, either renovating or rebuilding it in the next wave of funding.

"Otley Clinic is something we want to do as soon as possible. The problems with Otley are space and outdated facilities.

"Both these premises have just been left to stagnate and are in desperate need for new facilities and a facelift."

The Harper Lane centre in Yeadon will be demolished and rebuilt with more facilities, more space, and better conditions for the five GPs already there. Extra space will also be provided to accommodate health visitors, district nurses and specialised clinics.

The clinics will provide hospital services nearer to patients' homes with doctors specialising in areas such as dermatology and ears, nose and throats.

Dr Allman believes this is a big step forward.

"It will mean patients can get treatment nearer their home, this a big step forward," he said.

The scheme is part of a multi-million project which Aireborough MP Paul Truswell lobbied for.

"It is always a good feeling when the time and effort that many people have put into this bid, and the lobbying we have done to back it up, bears fruit," he said.

Yeadon Health Centre was included in the first wave of funding and Otley will be named in the next set.

The PCT is looking at areas in Otley where the clinic could be relocated to. "It is a question of whether we can rebuild on the Otley site," said Dr Allman. "We are looking at other sites around Otley to relocate with one of the practices or maybe create a new practice. We talked to all the practices, especially Bridge Street, to see if they could relocate, but it is difficult to find somewhere suitable."