The good humour of the two county council staff yesterday clearing vegetation from the former Rhos Street School really shone through. Why were they clearing up? Well, they were preparing the site for the new home for winter gritting, said one. The other said that there were now so few working in County Hall that they were all going to transfer to Rhos Street School.
What were they *really* doing? The site had become overgrown and untidy. There've been complaints. Only recently had staff removed the for sale by tender sign that had been in situ for just over two years. The place was neglected. One said that, elsewhere, the council was encouraging wildlife but, here, it was taking away buddleia that encouraged butterflies... But the principle reason is that, at last, there is interest in the site from a developer. We understand that negotiations are advanced, although no one is prepared to say publicly who has it.
We can reveal that the developer is Adra, the name of the former Gwynedd housing department. They do little in North East Wales, concentrating more in their own backyard.
Will Adra demolish the old building? Of course Adra will. The site is too 'tight' otherwise and the existing building places a constraint on development. The site is a difficult one to start with, elevated above Mold Road with difficult access.
Over the summer, Adra has undertaken site investigations, the evidence for which are the utility and water fall markings on the site, spilling out onto Mold Road.
Back in 219, Schola Ruthinensis was to buy the site, as its music department (presumably among other things). No sooner had they gotten close to signing, it soon had other things on its mind. Next, about one year later, the JWs were interested but they were keenest on the canteen. This resulted in concern that they'd leave the main building to waste. Now, two years after the first attempt to shift the building, we have the potential for Adra.
There was much more interest this time. There will be those who regret that the building cannot be saved. The Masterplan did suggest that the site ought to terminate as housing, especially for older people. It's so close to the moved Mount Street surgery.
Tags:
Housing