Castle which hosted I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! becomes centre of planning row as 200-year-old wall is knocked down
- Cllr Andrew Wood now owns the wall and has started to knock it down
- Heritage chiefs have warmed it is a crime to do this without special permission
The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! castle is embroiled in a planning row after a 200-year-old wall was knocked down.
Heritage chiefs have warned it is a crime to demolish the 200-year-old wall at Gwrych Castle without special planning permission.
The boundary wall was once owned by the castle estate in Abergele, North Wales, but now belongs to owner Cllr Andrew Wood.
Mr Wood admitted to knocking down part of the structure – and says stone masons are set to repair the damage.
It comes after Welsh heritage body Cadw warned it is a criminal offence to knock it down without the correct permissions.
I’m A Celebrity’s Gwrych Castle is caught in the middle of a row over the purposed destruction of a 200-year-old wall
Part of the wall has been knocked down already with Cadw warning it is a criminal offence to do so without special permission
The row comes as Boy George just opened up about his time in I’m A Celebrity’s jungle, admitting he still ‘didn’t get’ the ITV series.
Mr Wood, a member of Conwy’s planning committee, said Welsh Water had needed to dig under the wall but it was crumbling and unsafe.
He said: “The stone masons that were due and booked in March to repair the damaged wall have been brought forward to undertake repairs starting next week due to public concern.
READ MORE: Get me out of here! Mystery ‘puma’ is spotted prowling in fields near the I’m A Celebrity castle
“Hopefully as the wall is being raised, it will take no more than one week to complete.”
Cadw said it is now up to Conwy council whether it will take action over the damage to the dwarf wall near Manorafon Farm Park.
A Cadw spokesman said: “The estate boundary wall at Gwrych Castle is listed grade-two as a vital element in the setting of the grade-one listed castle, one of the few mostly complete park boundaries in Wales, and, with its lodges, a monument of special interest in the history of the picturesque movement.
“It is a criminal offence to carry out work to a listed building without listed building consent. It is a matter for the local planning authority to consider what action to take where there is a breach of listed building control.”
A spokeswoman for Conwy council said: “Officers are making enquiries about the concerns that have been raised and they are in discussions with the owner who has made arrangements for the wall to be repaired and for the stonework to be reinstated.”
Mr Wood has been told that repairs must restore the wall to its original height and stone using a lime mortar to match the existing wall.
It sits near the historic castle that featured in the ITV show starring Ant and Dec for two series.
Viewers are able to explore the historic building where winners Danny Miller and Giovanna Fletcher took on their Bushtucker Trials.
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