A DERELICT hospital is set to be transformed into a large residential home for the elderly.

A planning application has been submitted to convert the old Mount Maternity Hospital in Mount View, Northallerton.

It is proposed that part of the 18th Century Grade II-listed building should be demolished and other areas should be extended to build a 41-bed residential care home. In the early 1990s, the NHS spent about £200,000 refurbishing the building.

However, the former hospital has not been used in recent years and has been targeted by vandals.

Planning officers from Hambleton District Council are recommending the application by Bowood Care Ltd is approved. A report to councillors states: "The building is redundant and in a poor state of repair.

"The scheme represents the opportunity to bring the building back into effective use, in line with planning policy.

"Many of the original features of the building have been stolen or vandalised and the development poses an opportunity to reinstate them." Features considered worthy of repair or reinstatement include the central staircase, a timber fire surround and mantel, a stained glass window and an 18th Century cornice window on the landing.

The report concludes: "The design of the extension would be in keeping with the listed building.

"The proposed demolition would not result in unacceptable loss to the character and features of the building. The proposal therefore accords with the aims and policies of the Hambleton district-wide local plan."

The plan was yesterday welcomed by Northallerton county councillor Tony Hall.

He said: "The building has got a lot of emotions attached to it because many people were born at the hospital.

"Having said that, those emotions are now 18 years old because that's when it closed.

"During that 18-year period there's been neglect of the building.

"I know that officers are recommending that the application is approved and I support those recommendations."

The application will be discussed at a meeting at 10.30am on Thursday at the Civic Centre, Northallerton.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.