Colwyn Bay Legion faces liquidation amid planning hold-up

The club hoped to sell its bowling green and allotments for housing in a deal to clear its debts

A 100-year-old club is facing closure amid claims a council has been too slow dealing with a planning agreement.

The Colwyn Bay Legion in Conwy county, which has 400 members, was given permission in June to replace a bowling green and allotments with 12 homes at its site on Coed Pella Road.

It had hoped selling the land could pay off its debts and assure its future.

Conwy council said it was in talks with the developer who had sought amendments to the planning agreement. 

The application was passed subject to a 106 agreement, a condition which often relates to a minimum number of affordable homes or a community feature being built.

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However, club president Merfyn Thomas said he had no choice but to put the club into liquidation as the agreement still has not been processed and developers could not progress.

"We were told by professional surveyors and structural engineers that a 106 agreement shouldn't take more than three days and we are still waiting three months later... therefore we won't be getting our funds to pay our debts," he said.

"There's just been no activity by Conwy borough council... there's no excuse whatsoever."

Club president Merfyn Thomas: "We won't be getting our funds to pay our debts"

Mr Thomas said an application to get a short-term bank loan to carry them through until the situation was sorted out was refused.

The land deal hoped to raise about £250,000, enough to pay off the club's £120,000 debts and allow it to keep running in the coming years.

It is holding an extraordinary general meeting next week so members can vote on what happens next.

If liquidation is agreed, the building will go on the market and six people will lose their jobs.

Conwy council said officers hoped to "address this as soon as possible" once a request by the developer to amend the Section 106 agreement had been resolved.