South Wales retail tycoon Gerald Leeke has fought off a dozen other bidders including the Home Office to scoop a 150-acre (60.70ha) Welsh hospital site.
The Leeke family, which owns the Leekes retailing chain in South Wales and Wiltshire, has bought the 17th century Hensol Castle and its surrounding redundant hospital buildings in the Vale of Glamorgan countryside for around £5m.
The family is in talks with housebuilder Barratt about plans for up to 150 executive-style homes on the site.
Rival bidder the Home Office had planned a controversial 500-place asylum centre.
The Leeke family also owns the adjoining £25m four-star Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort.
Gerald Leeke said: “We intend to consult widely with the local planners and other interested parties before submitting our planning proposals which, through a quality development and a sympathetic mix, will create extra facilities to complement the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort.”
The deal includes a 15-acre (6.07ha) lake and serpentine pond, together with a large number of former hospital buildings.
Welsh Health Estates, which managed the disposal on behalf of The National Assembly for Wales, said contracts had been exchanged with completion of the sale scheduled for March next year.
The Vale Resort already comprises two championship-standard golf courses, including the recently opened £5m Wales National Course.
The course is in contention to host the 2007 Solheim Cup.
Bob Croydon of King Sturge, who acted for Welsh Health Estates, added: “The marketing of the Hensol Castle hospital site produced extensive interest leading to a significant number and level of offers.
“The sale to Mr Leeke will produce receipts for the Assembly, which will be re-invested in health care services.”
Previous owners of the castle include a former judge and leading Welsh industrialists of the 18th and 19th century.
Hensol passed into local authority ownership in 1927 and for the rest of the 20th century was run as a hospital.
References: EGi News 30/09/03
