A NEW hospital may be built in York - for animals.
A multi-million pound scheme has been drawn up to build the city's first veterinary hospital in the grounds of Askham Bryan College.
The plans have been submitted to City of York Council by Minster Veterinary Practice, based in Salisbury Road in the Leeman Road area.
Practice partner Alastair Johnston said the hospital would provide in-patient treatment for three groups of animals: small domestic pets, horses and farm animals.
He said pets were currently treated in-patient at Salisbury Road, while horses went to an equine centre at Poppleton, and the new hospital would bring all facilities together on one purpose-built site.
He revealed that the hospital would also be used for teaching students at the college - both agricultural students and also veterinary nursing students and animal management students.
He said the college's location just off the A64 and the outer ring road, to the west of York, would also be more convenient for people bringing their animals in.
The hospital, mostly single- storey, would be built on land to the back of the college.
"This would be York's first purpose-built veterinary hospital," he said.
He stressed the practice's surgeries in Salisbury Road, Copmanthorpe, Haxby, Crockey Hill and Strensall would remain open to provide outpatient treatment to animals, as would a farm practice at Murton.
Askham Bryan College deputy principal Dave Cooper said the proposal was to sell the land for the hospital to the Minster practice.
He stressed that college land was only sold off or rented out when the purpose would add something to the activities of the college.
He said it would be "wonderful" to have such a veterinary hospital on site, which would be used by animal management and veterinary nursing students. He added that the college already ran NVQ2 and NVQ3 veterinary nursing courses but was set to launch a foundation degree in the subject this September.
l The Minster Veterinary Practice's surgery in Salisbury Road is holding its annual open day between noon and 4pm tomorrow, giving people a chance to look around.
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