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20
Feb 2024
Harrogate hospital to demolish ‘crumbly concrete’ building
A building riddled with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is set to be demolished at Harrogate District Hospital.
North Yorkshire Council gave planning approval this week for the therapy services department building to be torn down after it was found to contain RAAC, or “crumbly concrete”, which is a lightweight material that can run the risk of collapse.
It will allow for the construction of a replacement building later in the year with demolition due to begin in June.
In the meantime, all services will be relocated within the hospital with the exception of the podiatry and speech and language therapy services, which will move to a new location in Harrogate.
The first section of Harrogate District Hospital was built in 1975 during a period when RAAC was used in the construction of public buildings.
Last year Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, found 2,500 panels containing RAAC across the estate.
The trust made a £20 million bid to NHS England for funding to eradicate RAAC across the Harrogate District Hospital site. The first element of the request worth £2m was approved in December.
Matt Graham, the trust's director of strategy, said:
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