TURNING the former Bootham Park Hospital site into private holiday flats "would not be feasible" - a council meeting heard.

And it would be a big risk for the local authority to buy the site, according to Cllr Nigel Ayre.

He said purchasing the site could lead to "about a million pounds' worth of cuts to frontline services".

The Press revealed the council spent £139,000 on creating a redevelopment plan for the site - despite not owning the land. Cllr Ashley Mason asked why the local authority did not bid to buy the property.

Cllr Ayre said: "Our York Central MP has already mentioned the the crippling costs that the CCG has been facing in terms of maintaining that site, and this would immediately fall on to the council.

"The suggestion that it could just be sort of private sector holiday flats is not feasible because there are access issues around the site. It couldn't be developed quite so simply.

"Will the masterplan be exactly what we wrote on that piece of paper? I doubt that very much but that's the shape we look to influence."