Madam,

Your report about the closure of Coleg Harlech’s Wern Fawr site (‘Shock at closure of historic college site’, Cambrian News, last week) is another blow to the economy of Harlech and its surrounding area.

This once-thriving community has seen a succession of business closures in recent years. The Coleg Harlech buildings are located adjacent to the old St David’s Hotel which was closed some 10 years ago and is now completely derelict and a severe blight to the area.

Despite a demolition order placed on the hotel a year ago there is no evidence that the demolition is going to be carried out in the foreseeable future. The college and hotel sites together are in a stunning loca-tion overlooking the sea and the Royal St David’s championship golf course. They offer potential for the development of a superb complex of holiday apartments, hotel, restaurant, conference and wedding facili-ties.

It has now become imperative that the relevant authorities – local and central government and the National Park Authority – ensure that the demolition order on the hotel is implemented without further delay and that they hold discussions with the owners of the two sites with a view to facilitating a development which would put Harlech back on the map as a major holiday destination.

There is a fantastic opportunity here but it needs to be pursued with vision, determination and flexibility by all the relevant parties.

It is time for a new start for Harlech!

Yours etc,Phil Mills,Harlech.