Developer offers reassurances over state of derelict former civic centre

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

The developer behind the delayed redevelopment of Colwyn Bay’s Grade-II listed Civic Centre says the long-derelict landmark should finally be transformed within the next two years.

Businessman Robin Brookes bought the building over the summer and says his company, Eirias Coastal Park Hotel Ltd, has begun preparatory work on a new “apart-hotel” and car park for electric vehicles.

Robert Roberts of Eirias Coastal Park Hotel Ltd said: “We are converting the civic centre into a 53-bed apart hotel with 50 electric vehicle charging points with a 24-hour vending shop. At the moment, we are trying to get the infrastructure in place. This should be completed within two years.”

The update comes after fresh criticism at a finance and resources scrutiny committee meeting last week, where Old Colwyn councillor David Carr again questioned why the building had been allowed to deteriorate for so long.

He said residents were “very unhappy”, pointing to concerns about the sale price of “£250,000” and noting that locals felt they had been “promised” a hotel that had yet to materialise.

He added that people were unhappy the prominent building was “still derelict”.

But further discussions were taken behind closed doors.

Council staff left the Civic Centre in 2018 after they were told to relocate to the authority’s new Coed Pella offices.

After selling the Civic Centre in late 2022 to Llandudno hotelier Ian Robbins of Parc Eirias Hotel Ltd, the multi-million-pound plans to convert the building into a four-star hotel became “unviable”, and the building fell into disrepair.

The council then served a Section 215 notice, taking enforcement action due to the building’s condition.

The council confirmed: “The original S215 Notice was not complied with and prosecution proceedings were initiated. They entered a guilty plea. The fine, victim surcharge, and costs amounted to £1,050.”
Conwy County Council has now given more information of why multiple redevelopment attempts have fallen through.

Third-party ownership

A spokeswoman said: “The property is in third-party ownership following the transfer of the freehold.

“There were challenges faced in finding a viable solution for the former Civic Offices. Economic conditions led to a collapsed transaction back in 2021 for an office scheme, where the refurbishment costs were just under £2m at that moment in time.

“Under that failed transaction, the council was proposing obligations under a lease, which would compel the proposed tenant to undertake works, but they were deemed too onerous and combined with increasing costs, and other factors led to their withdrawal and the re-marketing of the asset.”

“Two firm proposals came forward following the re-marketing of the former Civic Offices and options were put to members within a report in April 2022.

“Following the sale to Parc Eirias Hotels Ltd, the refurbishment costs increased, which made their scheme unviable and led to its transfer to the new owner.

”The council said as a “former landowner” the authority “cannot compel the new owner to occupy or undertake works”.

A spokeswoman added that the “new owners have been actively engaging” with the authority “via their agent”.

Despite assurances, the Civic Centre remains boarded up and overgrown, several years after council staff moved out and more than three years after the first hotel plan was announced.