THE construction of a new private mental health unit in Rhyl is due to start next week.
It will be situated at 64 Brighton Road, a site which was previously used for benefits offices for Denbighshire County Council.
Nadarajah Pragash, of Headlands Nursing Home, Llangollen, submitted the proposals to the council in early 2020, which were granted planning permission in June of that year.
He said he hopes that the new standalone unit in Rhyl, which will comprise 62 beds and five wards, will be ready to open by between October 2024 and January 2025.
READ MORE:
Fresh plans submitted by Llangollen doctor for private residential hospital in Rhyl
Mr Pragash said: “We are setting up the site this week, and work is starting (on building the unit) next week.
“Hopefully, by October or November 2024, it will be finished. We will be looking at opening it by then, or by January 2025.
“In North Wales, we don’t have a proper, fully secured unit, so there is a huge demand for it.”
The building at 64 Brighton Road was originally constructed in the early 1970s as offices for the Department of Health and Social Security.
It was then taken over for use as office accommodation by Denbighshire County Council, but has remained empty since the local authority vacated it in March 2017.
Extracts from a planning policy statement, by agent Huw Evans Planning, read: “Since becoming vacant in March 2017, the property continues to suffer from forced access, vandalism and theft, together with a significant amount of anti-social behaviour.
“To date, some £15,000 has been spent on security, and this cost is ongoing. The damage caused is such that the building is not capable of letting as offices without significant refurbishment.
“Despite the security measures, a continued period of vacancy will inevitably cause further deterioration.”
North Wales Police said it has received more than 20 calls from neighbouring residents complaining about anti-social behaviour since the council vacated the building, with 16 crimes recorded.
The crimes include six burglaries, one arson, one wounding, and the remainder were mostly for drug-related offences.
The property was the subject of a previous application for conversion to a hospital for the residential nursing and health care for those with mental disorder and who may have associated personality and trauma-related issues.
This was refused by Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee in July 2019.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here