Plas Glynllifon’s new owner speaks for first time on difficult challenge to renovate mansion

The Manchester developer who has bought Plas Glynllifon says he will explore all options to bring the mansion back into sustainable use.

The mansion near Caernarfon was sold at the end of last year after going into receivership following the failed attempt by Paul and Rowena Williams to develop it into a luxury hotel.

North Wales Livecontacted developer David Savage to find out what the plans are for the site as well as to get an update on Seiont Manor hotel in Llanrug, which has also been snapped up by his firm.

He is a director of Dragon Investments Limited and working alongside its joint venture partner, Property Alliance Group.

He said: “We are looking into the viability of all options to bring the Plas back into a sustainable use.

“We have engaged with the local authority and the college to secure the continued use of the Parc (the mansion site is within Parc Glynllifon) in a managed way that suits all of the parties long term aspirations.

“When we have managed to sort out access and management of the Parc issues we will then start to formulate a plan for the long term use of the Plas.”

Mr Savage has been involved with redevelopment projects in Manchester and other cities as part of the Property Alliance Group and other ventures.

He said he had over 25 years of property development experience – ranging from complex listed buildings to modern structures.

He added: “Each project differs from the last and I am under no illusion about the difficulties of the re-development of the Plas and it requires a lot of effort from various sectors to secure a positive future.

“One of the first things we need to do is remove the Plas from the debt burden it has and this will be done by the disposal and redevelopment of other parts of the portfolio in order to raise the funds required to invest back into the Plas.

“That includes the successful planning permission at Seiont Manor and Polvellen Manor in Looe, Cornwall.”

At Seiont, which has been closed for 18 months, plans are set to be submitted to Gwynedd council to expand the hotel and build lodges in the grounds.

He said: “I hope that the application will be looked at favourably so that we can invest into the hotel and bring it back in to operation as a viable and long term sustainable business and as an employment and leisure asset for the area.

“We have looked into the prospect of re-opening the hotel ahead of any planning decision but due to Covid restrictions and the degradation of the internal and external fabric / services of the building it would make a loss and unfortunately a planning refusal will see the continued closure of the hotel.”

He says they can create more than 25 FTE jobs at Seiont.

Plas Glynllifon history

Plas Glynllifon is a grand neo-classical mansion built in the 1830/40s by Lord Newborough and sits on the site of a series of earlier houses and at the heart of an historical estate which exerted a profound influence over the landscapes and communities of Caernarfonshire for centuries.

In 1948 the estate was sold to a timber merchant and in 1954 the house and park were sold to Caernarfonshire County Council, the buildings later transferred to Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

In 1969 Plas Glynllifon played host to the Prince of Wales Investiture Ball. The mansion has lain empty for several years after a previous attempt to create a wedding venue failed before the Williams’ took on the site.