Homes scheme go-ahead likely

Roland Hughes

Daily Post

PLANS to convert a former mental hospital into homes should now go ahead after last-minute wrangles were resolved, it was claimed last night.

Denbighshire County Council looked set to snub plans to convert the former North Wales Hospital in Denbigh after deadlines were not met by developers.

But the man behind the scheme last night said all outstanding issues had been resolved at the weekend and the plan for houses should go ahead.

Plans for around 280 houses on the site of the former North Wales Hospital in Denbigh were agreed by Denbighshire County Council in May 2005.

But developers failed to meet a crucial September 1 planning deadline, leading the county to recommend the plan should not go ahead.

County officials were urged to refuse the application at a full council meeting in Ruthin on Tuesday.

Lancashire-based developers Acebench Investments bought the 120-acre site at auction in 2002 without having seen it.

Last night, Acebench director Ayub Bhailok said building work should begin next month, and that £100,000 had been released to start the project.

He said: "It has been a very, very difficult and complex period, but we have finally got there.

"We're now looking forward to getting work started within the next month."

No-one from Denbighshire was available for comment last night, although the county is expected to change its recommendation of refusal of the hospital plan before tomorrow's meeting.

This article was written by Roland Hughes and published by Daily Post on Monday, September 18th 2006 and NOT owned by nor affiliated with opacity.us, but are recorded here solely for educational use.

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