PLANS are being developed for the work needed to pave the way for a new Airedale Hospital.

A multi-storey car park, new access road, power substation and drainage will all have to be in place before construction of the replacement hospital can begin.

During the past month, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has been gathering feedback from patients, visitors, staff and residents about the proposed new car park.

Views will be fed into the design process and people will then have another chance to comment.

Trust bosses hope the formal planning procedure will begin early in 2025.

It was confirmed last year that Airedale Hospital, built more than 50 years ago, had secured a place on the New Hospital Programme.

The Steeton hospital was largely constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which was found to have a lifespan of 30 years, and is crumbling.

If the programme progresses as planned, the new hospital could be completed by 2030.

Trust chief executive, Foluke Ajayi, says: "The first stage of our journey to a new hospital has been determining where to build it.

"After checking there were no other suitable sites, we've been working out where to build on our current site – allowing for the fact that we have to keep the existing hospital running until the new one is ready, and that the RAAC in our current buildings means it's not possible for them to be built on.

"We’ve identified the areas where we can build and are now developing the plans for the work needed to get the site ready. The new car park will ensure there's space for people to park while the new hospital is being built, as well as vastly improving our parking facilities, and the access road will mean we can keep construction traffic separate and minimise disruption for people entering and exiting the site. "We have already been talking to local people about the multi-storey car park and will share the plans for further comment once they're complete.

"It's important to us that we hear from our patients, colleagues, residents and partners throughout the journey to an amazing new hospital, and we thank everyone who has been involved so far."

The trust has submitted what's known as an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Opinion to Bradford Council, setting out the proposed works and requesting what reports may be required ahead of a full planning application.