PLANS to develop a boutique hotel at a mansion near Llandudno Junction have been rejected by the council.

The owners of Grade II listed Marle Hall, Marle Hall Holdings, had submitted a proposal for the site to be transformed into a 25-bedroom “destination” hotel.

They had intended to use it as a venue for a variety of functions, such as weddings, with the site to also provide spa services.

However, the application has been rejected by planning officers at Conwy County Borough Council.

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The reason given was the company’s submitted Heritage Impact Assessment containing "insufficient information regarding the extent of the proposed works to allow for an assessment of the proposal upon the special architectural/historic interest of the listed building".

Marle Hall dates back more than a century, and had been used as a convalescent and nursing home in the past.

The site was bought by Warwickshire council in 1971 and was used as an learning centre, providing residential trips and courses for schoolchildren until it closed in October 2021.

Sold at auction soon after, the building had been set to house asylum seekers earlier this year until a public backlash lead to the plan being shelved.

Director of Marle Hall Holdings, Craig Lambie, told the Pioneer that they had an “active complaint” with the planning department, and claimed that the planning officer had “not let us submit them (reports), nor give us an extension to submit them”.

He added that the planning department was “actively working against the economic development of the area”, and that the time taken to make the decision “might kill the whole project”.