Milestone for major redevelopment scheme

A proposal which involves the redevelopment of a derelict grade II*-listed former psychiatric hospital has moved forward after a planning application was submitted for the job-creating scheme.After a consultation period, an application has been submitted for the regeneration of the site surrounding the dramatic North Wales Hospital in Denbigh, North Wales.Jones Bros plans to redevelop the site by building 300 new homes as well as facilities for local businesses, shops and leisure activities.This will enable the restoration and conversion of the central section of theformer hospital as part of a ten-year project.If granted the ambitious scheme it is estimated the project will generate a £75m boost to the local economy and create 1,200 jobs.The month-long consultation carried out by Jones Bros met with overwhelming support from local residents with the main concerns raised centring on traffic during the initial stages of the development.The aim of the scheme will be preserve the 19th century façade of the original hospital which opened in 1848 with the central U-shaped section restored and turned into residential apartments.These will be complemented by a mix of services which could include shops, restaurants and a gym while elsewhere on the site Jones Bros plans to build homes styled on traditional Denbigh and Vale of Clwyd houses and terraced cottages and possibly include a shop, a pub and even a brand new, purpose-built ground for Denbigh Cricket Club.Jones Bros have already had approval for a new, temporary purpose-built training centre on the Hospital site which will employ 20 people.Work has already started on the centre which will train around 30 apprentices a year for accredited qualifications in construction and plant operation, while the company’s 340 staff will receive training to update their skills.The company estimate that the commercial facilities on the site could provide up to 40 additional full and part-time jobs.The North Wales Hospital opened in 1848 to provide care for Welsh speaking people suffering from mental illnesses and by the 1950s it housed more than 1,500 patients.It was scheduled for closure in 1987 and the last patient left in 1995 since when the abandoned site has fallen into a serious state of disrepair, ravaged by vandals and arsonists.