I’m A Celeb castle in planning row after 200-year-wall is knocked down ILLEGALLY – sparking fury
THE I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! castle is embroiled in a planning row after a 200-year-old wall was knocked down illegally.
A historic wall at Gwrych Castle was bulldozed without special planning permission – and heritage chiefs have warned it was a crime to do so.
The nearby castle featured in the ITV show starring Ant and Dec for two series.
I’m a Celeb! fans are able to explore the historic building where winners Danny Miller and Giovanna Fletcher took on their Bushtucker Trials.
Cllr Andrew Wood, the owner of the wall and a member of the local planning committee, admitted to knocking down part of it – but says stone masons are set to repair the damage.
But he said Welsh Water had needed to dig under the crumbling and unsafe wall, and that stone masons were set to repair the damage.
Cllr Wood said: “The stone masons that were due and booked in March to repair the damaged wall have been brought forward to undertake repairs starting next week due to public concern.
“Hopefully as the wall is being raised, it will take no more than one week to complete.”
It is a criminal offence to carry out works to a listed building without prior listed building consent – even if you did not know that the building was listed.
Welsh heritage chiefs said it is now up to Conwy council whether it will take action over the damage to the dwarf wall near Manorafon Farm Park.
A spokesman for the heritage body Cadw said: “The estate boundary wall at Gwrych Castle is listed grade-two as a vital element in the setting of the grade-one listed castle, one of the few mostly complete park boundaries in Wales, and, with its lodges, a monument of special interest in the history of the picturesque movement.
“It is a criminal offence to carry out work to a listed building without listed building consent.
“It is a matter for the local planning authority to consider what action to take where there is a breach of listed building control.”
A spokeswoman for Conwy council said: “Officers are making enquiries about the concerns that have been raised and they are in discussions with the owner who has made arrangements for the wall to be repaired and for the stonework to be reinstated.”
Cllr Wood has been told that repairs must restore the wall to its original height and stone using a lime mortar to match the existing wall.