Developers want to start work turning Bootham Park Hospital in York into a luxury retirement complex within weeks.
But today a York MP told the Prime Minister that it must be saved for the city.
The former psychiatric hospital was closed suddenly eleven years ago.
That was after the Care Quality Commission identified serious and life-threatening patient safety issues.
It’s stayed empty ever since.
Both York Central MP Rachael Maskell and the city council campaigned to keep the Grade I listed building, built by John Carr in the 1770s, in public hands.
But Bootham Park was put up for sale by NHS Property Services. A plan by private firm Enterprise Retirement Living to turn it into a luxury retirement complex was dropped in 2023 due to rising costs.
Recently, the near-18 acre estate has been marked as ‘under offer’ by estate agent Savills.
And now new developers are keen to get started on making retirement scheme a reality, before planning permission runs out on 17 May.
Timeless Collection Holdings Ltd and Stonehouse Projects Limited, who share a director in Steve Waugh, have applied to have four conditions of the planning permission discharged so they can begin work.
One of those conditions is to demonstrate how bats roosting at the site will be protected. However, the council’s ecology officer says a new bat survey is needed as the old one is out of date.
In a letter to City of York Council on behalf of the developers, David Kemp writes: “We will undertake a material start on site before 17th May as works sufficient to ‘save’ the current approval.
“I will advise in advance what works we intend to undertake (i.e. so it is of no danger to the bats), you will confirm whether such works are acceptable and we will confirm when these works have been done.”
City planners have agreed with this course of action.
Now though, Rachael Maskell has intervened. The Labour MP for York Central brought the matter to Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions today (Wednesday).
She said: “In 1777 Bootham Park Hospital was given in trust to the people of York.
“Since it closed in 2015, NHS Property Services has squandered £5.5 million, almost its sale price, keeping the building empty and threatening to sell sell it for a luxury complex our city does not want.
“This much sought-after community space for charities and services would significantly benefit York residents. So will the Prime Minister now release this site so public land can be used for public good, and we get Bootham back?”
In reply, Sir Keir said: “I know that this site is of huge significance to the people of York.
“I understand the site is under offer. Ministers are happy to work with the council and my honourable friend to find the right deal for the site, taking into account the point she has made.”
