THE former North Wales Hospital site in Denbigh has been put up for sale for £2.25 million.

An listing for the site has been placed on the property website Right Move, inviting offers of the 50 acre site of £2.25 million.

But the council has been in a dispute with the owners, Freemount (Denbigh) Ltd, and has applied for a compulsory purchase order.

A sale could derail Denbighshire Council's plans for the site.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Even though the council was successful in obtaining the compulsory purchase order, it has not yet taken the final step in the process to take ownership and possession as there is a natural legal process to go through before that can happen.

"Therefore, technically the owners Freemont (Denbigh) Ltd have the right to do this, as the hospital site has not been transferred into the ownership of the council.”

But the council will continue to pursue a compulsory purchase order.

The council spokesperson added: “The council’s main consideration has always been about the preservation of the main historic building on site and we warned the owners time and time again that we would go down the compulsory purchase route, should we have no other option.”

“The High Court’s ruling in March means that we are one step closer to handing over the site to the trust. However, there are many issues to be resolved before the council can take ownership and for the council to pass the ownership on to the trust. As such, work will not commence on site for some time.”

“If the site is sold in the meantime, the council would need to negotiate with the new owner.”