Campaigners secure permission for legal challenge to hospital closure

Campaigners against a hospital closure in Huddersfield have been granted a judicial review hearing of the decision.

Hands Off Huddersfield Royal Infirmary said plans from Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust would see the town’s hospital demolished but not replaced.

Its chair Mike Forster said the grounds for judicial review would be flaws in the consultation, inadequate travel and transport provision to alternative hospitals, lack of community care provision and potential breach of the law on equalities.

The campaign group originally applied to the High Court in November.

Forster said: “We would like to thank the people of Huddersfield who have made this legal breakthrough possible through your long standing support.

“To those who told us this was a done deal, you were wrong. If you stand and fight, you can win. This is a huge hurdle we’ve passed but the fight goes on.”

The trust did not respond to a request for comment, but its chair Andrew Haigh told the BBC: “We note the judge's findings today and we will continue to work with our healthcare partners, local communities, scrutiny and campaign groups.”