A HOSPITAL which was gifted to a community more than 100 years ago before being handed to the NHS and closed has been bought back for community use.

Hambleton District Council said Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had intervened to stop the Lambert Memorial Hospital in Sowerby, Thirsk being sold to a housing developer by a private Government company, NHS Property Services.

The authority has struck a deal with NHS Property Services to buy the extensive building on Chapel Street for £350,000, which is lower than other tabled offers.

The move, also engineered by the council’s leader, Councillor Mark Robson and Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake, has been widely welcomed.

The closure of the hospital, which provided end of life care, almost three years ago sparked a barrage of criticism with South Tees NHS Trust saying it could not find staff for it.

Anger was inflamed earlier this year when NHS Property Services rejected a bid by the council to buy the property, based on its value as a community asset.

Cllr Robson said: “Jeremy Hunt has been slightly persuasive. In my opinion, NHS Property Services have finally seen sense to sell it to a local authority so we can put it back to some form of community use. We need to be clear – the Lambert Hospital as we knew it is no more.”

Cllr Robson said he did not think it was right that the community should have to pay to regain control of the former hospital, but it was the “best option of a bad job”.

After the council’s Cabinet passed plans to buy the site, he confirmed developing housing would not be an option for its future use, ahead of a public meeting and public consultation exercise next month. Cllr Robson said while there would be a covenant on the sale to prevent its use as a GP surgery, dental practice or pharmacy, there had been suggestions it should be used for a health-related purpose, such as physiotherapy, a gym or end of life care.

It is understood residents in the town face a 50-mile round trip to visit a patient at the nearest hospice.

Cllr Robson said: “There’s lots of things being banded about as to what it might be. I would like to have conversations with end of life care providers. We are aware Herriot Hospice Homecare are looking in the area for a piece of land or to locate. My view is we may turn part of it into some of flats that loved ones of those in an end of life care facility may be able to live alongside them for their last days of life.”

Mayor of Thirsk, Councillor Hazel Dalgleish Brown welcomed the move. Mr Hollinrake said it was “fantastic” the property had not been sold to the highest bidder.