PLANNING permission for more than 200 homes has now been granted for the North Wales Hospital site in Denbigh.

The move has been declared "a major step forward" by members of the planning committee in helping to save the Grade II* listed building as well as for the town as a whole.

Funds from the sale of land to developers will be used by the Prince's Regeneration Trust  to save the site's historic buildings, and it's hoped that the first properties will drag the land value upwards, enabling more buildings to be saved than current estimates.

The Council has yet to make the General Vesting Declaration, the last step in the Compulsory Purchase Order, but don't believe there is a significant risk of the building being sold by the current owners before they can do so even with planning permission in place.

Chair of the planning committee, Cllr Raymond Bartley said: "This is a major start I believe in the redevelopment of the North Wales Hospital site.

"There are many more stages to come which will have positive economic benefits to Denbigh and as has been said, tot he surrounding areas. 

"I must say thanks to our officers who have worked hard for many years and we must not forget the role of one manwho spent hours on this project. Mr Phil Ebro who has now retired."

Cllr David Smith, lead member for the Public Realm, said: "This has been in my portfolio for five years nearly and I'm extremely pleased for what's gone on today, there has been a tremendous amount of hard work. As Lead member I have visited the site on several occasions and watched it slowly but surely disintegrate. 

"The chapel, someone rang me up one day and asked 'are the windows still in there? because my husband actually worked in the hospital and a stained glass window was put up in his memory in the chapel."

"I had to say to her I'm sorry but all the windows int he chapel have disappeared or been broken, and it's rterrible what's happened to this building, it's absolutely disgracefuil. I am really pleased with the decisions made today. it's defintiely the way forward."

Cllr Colin Hughes, member for Upper Denbigh, said: "This is hugely precious, the people of Denbigh worked here and there has been nothing but deterioration for 21 years.

"The first owner actually let a joint North Wales Police and Armed Forces exercise take place here and they blew doors off and heaven knows what. It's been a catalogue of neglect. Theer have been many arson incidents now, and the urban explorers are in there all the time and it's damn well dangerous. I'm really surprised that in that time we haven't had a death.

"It says something about the history of the town as well, it's a statement that Denbigh has always been a very caring town, that we embraced people with mental illness, and we still do, it's still a big part of the town.

"To see something done with this is absolutely vital."