LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Leaders at the University of Kentucky gave the thumbs up today to move forward with a 50 million dollar project that would relocate the Shriners Hospital for Children to campus.

When the details were first revealed last week they were already well developed. A new Shriners Hospital for Children would be built on South Limestone, between State Street and Conn Terrace, as long as the UK Board of Trustees approved.

"We've been partners for years and the plans we are contemplating will strengthen that relationship to the benefit of all the children in our area," said Tony Lewgood, hospital administrator at Shriners.

Lewgood was there today as the board voted unanimously to allow UK to negotiate and prepare a final development plan to relocate the hospital. That plan would also have to be approved.

"It plays to both of our strengths. We'll use the inpatient services of Kentucky Children's hospital, combine with our outpatient services," Lewgood said.

Under the proposal Shriners would build the 100,000 square-foot hospital on UK land, and the university would lease half the building back for their new opthalmology clinic.

The majority of surgeries performed at Shriners are outpatient, their 50 hospital beds go largely unused. The new 50 million dollar facility would serve Shriners' patients and UK's.