COUNCILLORS have failed to come to an agreement over design disputes for the new Wharfedale Hospital.

Work was due to start on the new £14 million hospital in Otley this month, but full planning permission still evades the health trust.

Further talks will now take place with the builders and the whole scheme could end up back with Leeds' new post-local election planning panel.

Members of Leeds City Council's development control panel said last month that the choice of building materials for the new building, which will be built next to the current hospital in Newall Carr Road, was inappropriate and called for more talks with the builders.

But at a meeting at the hospital on Friday last week, although progress was made, councillors failed to be completely satisfied with fresh proposals.

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale), who attended the meeting with Coun Phil Coyne (Lab, Otley and Wharfedale), Coun Moira Dunn and Coun Mike Dunn (both Lab, Aireborough), said full permission was getting closer.

"It was agreed that the new material was acceptable so far as the walls are concerned in part because the stones were smaller in size than the original breeze block size reconstituted stone, lending a better appearance."

He added that using real stone would cost about 50 per cent to the cost of the outer walls of the hospital.

"This leaves the roofing materials and their colour, those present were not satisfied with what was being offered because the new hospital will be much more visible than the present one, especially from the Chevin side of Otley," said Coun Fox.

Coun Moira Dunn added she believed a compromise had been reached in the interests of getting a hospital built for the area.

"We know that there is only so much money available, and we have to be realistic. Our main wish is that when people come up to the hospital they will find it warm and welcoming and not the stark building originally proposed," said Coun Dunn.

And she added: "We will not have everything that we wanted, but there are constraints on the budget."

Coun Dunn added that she believed the scheme would not be settled by planning officers and would have to be returned to the council's area planning panel - which will change following today's local council elections.

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: "We are still looking at a whole range of materials and the developers are proposing using re-constructed stone. Discussions are being held with Otley councillors and members of Aireborough Community Involvement Team."

The spokesperson added that the development had been given outline planning permission.

"If there is no agreement reached between members on the materials to be used this issue will be referred back to the Development Control Panel West."

Coun Brian Cleasby (Lib Dem, Horsforth) is calling on the council's planning department to be involved in talks for the hospital because he says people from his area will also use the new hospital.