FURY has erupted after a council’s last ditch bid to save a former hospital for community use was rejected – bringing to an end a long-running battle to save the facility.

Hambleton District Council made an offer to NHS Property Services for the former Lambert Memorial Hospital in Thirsk, to preserve it for the use of the community.

The council’s offer and valuation were based on the building being used for community purposes, but it was turned down by NHS Property Services – a company owned by the Department of Health.

Thirsk's MP Kevin Hollinrake said the decision was a "huge blow" and the building is now expected to be sold to the highest bidder.

A covenant has also been placed on the site preventing the building’s use as a healthcare facility.

Hambleton District Council said working with North Yorkshire County Council, it last month put a “viable option” to NHS Property Services and Hambleton and Whitby CCG.

The plan incorporated the whole site and would have provided a health and community facility for Thirsk. The council said the plans were rejected by both bodies.

It then made a formal offer to NHS Property Services for the Chapel Street site, which was, again, turned down.

“It is bitterly disappointing that after presenting two community and health-based options to the NHS they have chosen to sell the site to the highest bidder,” said council leader, Councillor Mark Robson.

“I feel sure that this was certainly not its intended future use when the building was bequeathed to the people of Thirsk.”

The council had planned for it to be used for a range of potential purposes and local GP surgeries struggling for space had also shown an interest in the building.

Cllr Robson said: “NHS Property Services have chosen to sell it more for profit rather than listen to a local authority that would have put it back into community use.”

Mr Hollinrake shared the disappointment but vowed to continue fighting for the facility, having already been in touch with the Health Minister, Lord O’Shaughnessy, over the matter.

He added: "I have made repeated representations to NHS Property Services, which owns the Chapel Street site, about keeping it for community use as it is in a prime site next to existing GP services and would be ideal for a mix of health and community use.

"The fact that NHS Property Services and Hambleton and Whitby CCG rejected this first proposal and then a further plan by Hambleton Council to keep it solely for community use has also been turned down is a huge blow.

"NHS Property Services seem now intent on selling it to the highest bidder, possibly for conversion to flats.

"However, I will not give up the fight to keep it for local use, as I believe it was intended when it was bequeathed to the people of Thirsk, as I know how important and necessary it is for the local community.”

The CCG said it was also “very disappointed” that an affordable community solution could not be made for the Lambert Hospital site, which is owned by NHS Property Services.

However a spokesman for NHS Property Services said: “We proactively engaged with the clinical commissioning group, Hambleton District Council and other stakeholders to review the council’s proposals for redevelopment of the wider site.

“Unfortunately the proposed scheme was unaffordable from an NHS perspective.

“The district council made an offer to purchase the site, however we are unable to accept offers below market value as this would not be in the interests of achieving the best value for the NHS.”

The Lambert closed in 2015, when South Tees NHS Hospital Trust announced the 14-bed hospital would be temporarily shut with immediate effect, saying it was unable to find enough qualified nursing staff to operate the 14-bed hospital safely.

In an unprecedented move, councillors from Sowerby Parish Council, Thirsk Town Council, Hambleton District Council and North Yorkshire County Council formed the Lambert Hospital Action Group.

The group said it was determined to see the 125-year-old hospital re-opened as soon as possible.

The future of the hospital was also raised in the House of Lords, when former Thirsk and Malton MP Baroness Anne McIntosh asked that the role of community hospitals such as the Lambert in easing overcrowding in acute hospitals be recognised.

She said the “step up, step down” services they offered in rehabilitation, physiotherapy and other areas meant patients could be treated between leaving an acute hospital and returning home.

Janet Probert, chief officer of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG said: “The CCG previously looked at options for the redevelopment of the Lambert Hospital site prior to transferring it back to NHS property Services who own the property. We were disappointed that we were unable to come up with an affordable solution.

“The CCG has recently facilitated discussions between Hambleton District Council and NHS Property Services regarding the future of the Lambert Hospital site.

“We are very disappointed that an affordable community solution could not be made for the Lambert Hospital site.

“As the CCG does not own the hospital site, we are unable to accept or reject any offer to purchase the site.”

There is local speculation that the building will be sold to a property developer for housing.