Flintshire housing plan to save derelict Lluesty Hospital
- Published
The former hospital had seen "a number of false dawns" since it closed, a planning chief said
A derelict hospital will be replaced by nearly 90 new homes amid warnings the building is at risk of collapse.
Lluesty Hospital in Holywell dates back to 1838, when construction began on a workhouse, which will be preserved and turned into flats alongside new houses.
Flintshire councillors backed proposals from McCrory Brickwork, which took over the site last year and have promised to conserve the historic buildings.
Permission granted in 2016 for a similar scheme had expired.
Councillors heard the premises had fallen into a state of disrepair with theft and arson attacks since the hospital closed in 2008, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Grant Prescott, an architect acting for the owners, said: "If this is allowed to continue then quite simply there is a very real risk of catastrophic loss of the heritage asset.
"The applicant took possession of the site in 2018 and are committed to sensitively conserving the historic buildings as part of the proposed works."
Flintshire head of planning strategy Andy Roberts said the developers were committed to restoring a building which had seen "a number of false dawns".
"What Holywell will end up with is a landmark building for the right reasons and not its current eyesore landmark," he said.
Approval was given by councillors despite reservations being raised about the absence of affordable housing in the scheme.
It came after the developers said such a requirement would make their proposals financially unsound.