An historic mansion left in ruins is set to be brought back to life - 40 years after it was devastated in a fire.
Plas Gwynfryn mansion was built in 1876 by Sir Hugh Ellis-Nanney who inherited the estate from his father. The Eton and Oxford graduate decided to demolish the old buildings there on his 21st birthday to build the ultimate bachelor pad.
Architect George Williams designed the fashionable fairytale property - complete with castle-style turrets and narrow arched windows. Politician Ellis-Nanney, who later lost his constituency seat when he was defeated by future Prime Minister David Lloyd George in 1880, paid a huge £70,000 for the build.
Read more : Evicted family warned they could be moved 250 miles to Wales 'for a holiday'
He lived out his days with his wife at Plas Gwynfryn at Llanystumdwy in Gwynedd, North Wales, before he died in 1925. The Grade II listed building became a wartime hospital, an orphanage and finally a hotel. It was gutted by a fire in 1982 and has been sitting empty since - until it went on the market in 2018 for just £500,000. You can get more property news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Property investor David Taylor, of Lancashire-based DM Property Group, has submitted plans for the site in the hope of bringing it back to life. Read here about the Welsh mansion for sale inside a national park.
He hopes to develop the mansion into 22 one or two-bedroom flats and build a 25-unit rear extension.
A planning statement said: "This is a rare opportunity to bring an historic building back to its former splendour, this will require a large investment and the skills of experienced craftspersons to enable this to happen. The design intent is to have the building fully restored keeping most of the external character and to provide apartments in the main building and either cottages in the existing side/rear building or alternatively studio apartments.
"To the rear we would like to alter an existing 1950/60s extension to increase the accommodation and possibly add facilities for the residents. Part of the development it is proposed to have as residential serviced accommodation to allow for short stay guests - this would also increase the viability of the development and allow more people to share this idyllic location.
"After restoration there would be potential for the site to be used for wedding venues subject to planning approval. We are extremely excited to be involved in bringing this property back to life and look forward to discussions with planners and archaeological departments."
In pre-application advice, Gwynedd Council said the applicant must consider whether "an economic use of the site is viable first" and whether it was safe to go ahead with the conversion plans. The council said: "The Authority is aware, however, of the precarious condition of the building, which is also included on the buildings at risk register, and therefore every effort should be made to find a use for the building."
Council planning chiefs and heritage body Cadw will now consider the plans.
Find out about great places to live near you:
