THE MINISTRY of Justice has come under fire for depriving a community group of the opportunity of taking over Dolgellau’s defunct court building.

Colin White, chair of the Dolgellau Court Committee, is angry that the building was sold for profit, claiming it should have been handed back to the townspeople.

There had been fairly advanced plans to turn the courthouse into a heritage centre for Dolgellau, which tourists and locals could have made use of.

However, the courts system suddenly decided “out of the blue” to sell the courthouse at auction.

Initially the building failed to sell at a public sale in Manchester but was sold post-auction, reportedly for approximately £45,000.

The grade-II listed building has subsequently been put up for public sale with an asking price of £100,000.

An irate Mr White said: “When Dolgellau’s 200-year-old court was closed and put up for sale, a local committee was formed to take it on. Our intention was to operate a local information and heritage centre, for which the court is ideally positioned.

“We were supported by MP Liz Saville Roberts who wrote to the then Secretary of State for Justice on two occasions and they seemed to agree with our objectives and happy to transfer the court to us.

“Imagine our excitement! We had a good number of volunteers, and well-qualified denizens ready to form an operating trust.

“Suddenly out of the blue the Ministry decided to put the court up for auction, perhaps in the name of administrative expediency for we heard no explanation.”

Mr White felt that the Ministry of Justice had no right to sell the courthouse as it was bought and paid for locally when it was originally built.

“Our earlier research showed that the court and County Hall building was entirely funded and built by the town and the old county of Merioneth. Later it passed to Gwynedd County Council and then on to the Ministry of Justice, and as far as we understand no payments were made,” he said.

“After all the building was being used for one of its original social purposes.

“Clearly the building should have been returned and any decision to use or sell the building left with the town.

“A struggling small towns asset cashed in and taken by a Government department.

“How many other towns have been treated this way? Another example of small town justice.”

A spokesperson for HMCTS said: “We worked closely with the Dolgellau Court Committee at every stage, but they were unable to gain funding to rent the building until at least the end of 2018, which would have required the taxpayer to fund building maintenance for over a year.

“We therefore took the decision to sell the property, and communicated this to the committee on 11 September, who accepted it.

“We are gifting a section of land at the rear of the property to Gwynedd Council.”