Plans to create a housing development on the land of the former Cardigan hospital have been given the go-ahead by planners.

The building closed at the end of 2019 after a long-awaited state-of-the-art multi-million pound integrated health centre was opened in the town earlier that year.

It first opened as a hospital in 1922, but now the building is the hands of Wales and West Housing, who have now been given the green light to create 34 eco-homes for older people and office space for up to 60 staff on the site.

Following a series of public drop-in sessions on the plans - attended by more than 150 people last February - the housing provider employed award-winning Welsh architects Gaunt Francis to bring the ideas to life.

A consultation was then held earlier this year into the plans which aim to bring “low-carbon, eco-friendly housing for older people, offices, community facilities and public walk ways to the former hospital site”, will make Priory House on the site the “centrepiece” of the development.

The apartments are designed to reflect the architecture of Priory House and the neighbouring Grade II-listed St Mary’s Church, with a courtyard and cloistered walkways for residents.

The plans include building new offices to the south, linking with Priory House, and the creation of a regional base for both Wales & West Housing and its in-house maintenance company Cambria Maintenance Services.

It will see the creation of a public walkway through the grounds and along the River Teifi, the demolition of the high stone wall known locally as the “prison wall” along the gateway at Pont-y-Cleifion and re-using stone on lower boundary walls.

It will also see the conversion the grand room on the ground floor of the Nash building to create a community café with public access to the original curved staircase.

Planning documents said that “as a former hospital the buildings have high communal value and will have been used by generations of current and past local people, many of whom may have been born here.”

“There has been much press coverage of the closure of the hospital and of concern for its future, and responses to consultations have demonstrated that the place is of great value to local people,” documents added.

“It is recognised that the closure of the hospital means it is imperative that decisions are made about the future of this site so that there is an opportunity to preserve and enhance the heritage values that survive.

“It is essential that the hospital site is not left without a positive future as, without a use, it would become derelict.

“The scheme has been subject to extensive public consultation with the people of Cardigan, and the feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The plans were given the go-ahead by Ceredigion council planning officers subject to conditions under delegated powers last week.