The former headquarters of a collapsed developer in North Wales could become an apart-hotel under new plans. GM Jones built its £1.3m Llanrwst HQ in 2018 backed by £400,000 from the Wales Economic Fund.
But the company then ran into financial difficulties, falling into administration in March 2019. Parc Ty Gwyn lay empty for three years before the two large on-site properties were taken on in 2022 by Conwy based Pharma Group Holdings.
Established in 2005 Pharma Group has interests in the healthcare, tourism, food and wellbeing sectors with production and warehousing facilities in Anglesey, Conwy and Pensarn. They've helped to revamp the Llanrwst site and are using the warehouse and part of the office facilities.
But the lower section of the Llys Gwydir building was not required and the company asked Dafydd Hardy to market the space for lease. But with excess office space in the region after Covid they have not been able to find a tenant.
This has seen the Pharma Group apply to change the use of the building so that it can accommodate an apart-hotel/tourism accommodation.
A planning statement said: "The proposal at Llys Gwydir is fully in line with the aspirations of Welsh Government, utilising a great location in an area that is at the epicentre of tourism and economic opportunities in the Conwy Valley. Pharma Group, if successful with the application for mixed use, would appoint a joint venture partner to manage the business - a partner who is at the forefront of high-quality visitor experience."
They added: "The application provides a sensible and logical way forward to make use of a high quality facility and in doing so contributing to the local economy in a sector that is at the forefront of Wales's economic focus."
They added that the owner of Pharma Group has 20 years of experience in the tourism sector with five star accommodation already part of the group's portfolio.
The application will be considered by planners at Conwy Council.
