YORK’S city council leader wants the authority to convert Bootham Park hospital into a residential care home, affordable housing, or even a health centre.

Cllr Ian Gillies has revealed he wants to look at acquiring the site and although the authority could not pay “a seven figure sum”, he hopes that as the building is already publicly owned the council might be able to get it for a peppercorn sum.

In a statement from the joint Lib Dem-Conservative administration that runs City of York Council, Cllr Gillies said they were beginning exploratory talks about the site.

The statement said: “Obviously we are not looking at any kind of in-patient care, but there are a variety of potential uses for the building. Plus the site is well-placed to deliver multiple services linked to health and social care services and related functions.

“Our main intention is to seriously explore the potential of keeping Bootham Park as a facility for the city rather than seeing it sold to the highest bidder, which would likely be private sector housing.”

It could become a social care hub like those being developed at Burnholme or Lowfield, he added, and keeping the building in health and social care would be a “win-win” for both the city and the NHS.

The statement said the groups had been in talks with bodies including the health service and Bootham School. A school spokesman confirmed it had expressed an interest in the playing fields on the site.

Cllr Carol Runciman, the city council’s Lib Dem executive member for health and social care, said she was pleased to see discussions starting.

She said: “This important conversation has only just begun and therefore, all proposals and intentions for the site are in their early stages.

“I am encouraged that a wide range of key partners in the city have come together to discuss the potential of the site.”

Public bodies were given a chance to bid for the listed hospital building and 7.2 acre site, before it was put on the market by NHS Property Services in January this year. At the time, health service bosses said money raised would be ploughed back into the NHS.

Agents Savills described it as being in “prime residential location”, and sales documents said the site would lend itself to redevelopment as a care home, residential development, hotel or other leisure facility.

A spokesperson for NHS Property Services said initial bids had already been received, and “the sale process continues”.

The spokesperson added: “We will consider bids from all prospective purchasers on their merits.

“We have a clear remit to deliver maximum value on the sale of surplus property to generate vital funds for reinvestment in the NHS.”