Fight to save historic Llandudno house from demolition

Mar 18 2010 by Eva Ketley, North Wales Weekly News

A GROUP fighting to save a former council care home from possible demolition are appealing to councillors to back their cause.

Friends of Plas Gogarth was formed two years ago to try to save the Victorian building in Llandudno.

They say it was one of the first major private houses to be built in the resort and it seems likely that a member of the Mostyn family was the original owner.

“Its location is just below the small triangle of enclosed grassland within the junction of Abbey Road and Church Walks, known as John Bright’s Paddock.

“This is a reminder that the great Victorian statesman after whom the town’s secondary school is named kept a horse here for his frequent visits to the town,” said Friends chairman Neil McKenzie.

Plas Gogarth will close as a home for the elderly when a new purpose built facility is constructed next to the town’s hospital, and the Friends fear it will be demolished or converted into flats.

They would like the building to be given protective Grade 2 listing status, or to be put on a list of buildings of architectural significance in the forthcoming new Local Development Plan (LDP).

“The Friends have a large file of correspondence with Conwy County Borough Council requesting effective protection, but they have declined to support CADW listing. Also they are stalling on compiling a list of local buildings of architectural historical significance, mentioned in the LDP,” said Dr McKenzie.

The Friends say the building’s peaceful location near the Great Orme and West Shore would make it an ideal location for a private care home.

“Or taking a wider view it could be multi-use shared space as a base for various organisations, providing opportunities for rest, stress therapy, marriage counselling, conflict resolution and reconciliation, debt advice centre, shelter for women at risk, residential accommodation for soldiers recovering from battle fatigue and so on.

“This could be expedited by an application to the Welsh Assembly Government under the Community Asset Transfer scheme,” he claimed.

The group say they have received backing from town councillor Mark Jones for their fight to protect the building.

“He has been very helpful but we would like to see more councillors supporting us to lend weight to our arguments,” added Dr McKenzie.