An announcement of a new hospital is normally warmly welcomed, the more so in a rural community.

But not everyone has applauded on the island of Skye where the Scottish Government's approval last month of NHS Highland's plans to build a new £15 million hospital in Broadford continues to divide opinion.

More than 300 people attended a public meeting in Portree recently to raise their concerns. A campaign group has been founded and a protest march is being planned. There has even been talk of a legal challenge.

It is easy to dismiss this as sour grapes in the north of the island. There are two small hospitals on Skye. The 20-bed Dr MacKinnon Memorial Hospital in Broadford and the 12-bed Portree Hospital which has the local GP practice in it.

For decades there has been a debate whether the new hospital should be located in Skye's largest settlement and capital of Portree, or 25 miles to the south in Broadford which is more accessible to the mainland areas of Wester Ross and Lochalsh which it will also serve.

In health board speak it has been decided Broadford will be the "hub" and Portree the "spoke". Behind this cycling allusion, it is planned the new hospital in Broadford should have X-ray and endoscopy facilities, and be able to carry out minor operations. It should also have inpatient beds and offer outpatient chemotherapy, orthopaedic and chest services.

Portree will have a Primary Care Emergency Centre with GP and nurse cover for minor ailments and injuries. But crucially there will be no in-patient beds.

Portree, with its 24 hour nursing cover and local GP input, has long been the first port of call for the sick and injured from the north of Skye including the further flung communities such as Staffin, Uig, Dunvegan and beyond.

Some are the best part of 50 miles from Broadford. Of course similar arguments about distance can be deployed against Portree in respect of patients travelling from the mainland.

Also Health Secretary Shona Robison on her announcement "noted" a three-month public consultation by the health board showed 2,273 people completed a survey, with 2:1 in favour of Broadford as the location.

Although campaigners criticise the manner in which the consultation was conducted, there seems little chance Ms Robison will agree to revisit the Broadford decision. But it should concern her such a significant part of the community the hospital will serve has serious concerns.

The removal of in-patient beds from Portree Hospital has come to symbolise what is being seen by many as a serious downgrading of provision in the north of Skye, which will have knock-on effects.

Work on the new hospital is unlikely to start for three years, leaving plenty time for the health board to come up with some compromise over Portree in-patient beds, that will satisfy the north of Skye.

And the new Broadford hospital does represent genuine progress in healthcare on the island.