Hotel plan for former Victorian workhouse

PLANS have been revealed to transform an early Victorian building, which once served as a workhouse and hospital, into a hotel and leisure development.

Ysbyty Bron y Garth in Penrhyndeudraeth closed in 2009 to make way for Ysbyty Alltwen, with the 1839 building having lain empty ever since.

But despite having its origins as a workhouse, it could welcome more willing occupants in future as part of a six bedroom hotel development which would also include a bar, gymnasium, restaurant and retail units.

The Grade II-listed building was initially bought from Gwynedd Council by a property firm, but no proposals were ever put forward for the historic site before being taken over by the new applicants.

The proposals, submitted by Andrew Smallbone and Virginia Chuck, have now been formally submitted to Gwynedd Council for full planning consent.

The supporting documents reveal that around 16 full-time and another 15 part-time jobs would be created by the scheme.

But while the applicants were originally planning to develop some of the outbuildings for uses such as selfcontained holiday apartments, additional bedrooms and yurt-style camping, they say that such plans have been placed on the backburner for the time being to generate the necessary revenue as well as the number of planning hurdles they would face.

Going on to describing the style and layout of the former workhouse and outbuildings as “fundamental to the project,” it’s been outlined that as little alteration “as is practically possible” will be carried out to the interior.

“This is a considerable amount of future employment, the majority of which will be local, and should be wholly welcomed by one and all. Should the initial venture prove successful, then further development of the site will be carried out, leading to even more employment.”