COMPLAINTS have been raised over the state of the former Coleg Harlech site – with calls for it to be sold to private investors.

Addysg Oedolion Cymru (Adult Learning Wales) say they are “committed to securing the best possible future for the site” and announced last year that “activities to realise potential development opportunities continue apace,” but one local resident has severe doubts.

In December 2017, there was talk that a former amenity block was to be converted to provide “good quality” accommodation and a collaboration with the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre was also put forward.

However, despite repeated requests for an update from Adult Learning Wales by the Cambrian News over the course of 10 days, little has been forthcoming.

There was no comment from the organisation last August when Harlech in Action, an umbrella group dedicated to improving the town, suggested that the chance for foreign investment was lost due to a “lack of action” from the adult education agency.

Theatr Ardudwy also closed earlier in February this year after “deteriorating conditions” made the building unsafe.

Adrian Evans, who lives in Harlech, has now expressed his fears over the college site, which first opened in 1927 before closing last year.

He has called for the site to be sold for private investment.

“Adult Learning Wales don’t have the money to even upkeep the site they inherited from [former site operators] WEA after it went pop,” Mr Evans said.

“It’s clear Adult Learning Wales do not have the cash or the know-how to maintain the buildings - Grade-II listed buildings in the case of the theatre and Wernfawr.

“It would be a bill of maybe £400,000 to £500,000 to get the buildings into shape to offer a potential investor before they could be handed over.

“If an investor valued the site at, say, £700,000 and offered £200,000 cash to Adult Learning Wales to sell, surely this is the right thing to do for Harlech and the taxpayers who live there?"

Adult Learning Wales said in a short statement that “an update on Harlech-related activities is planned to be released shortly”.

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