PART of a 200-year-old Grade II listed boundary wall that was "demolished" is now in the process of being repaired. 

It was initally claimed the wall, which forms the parkland that surrounds Gwrych Castle near Abergele, had previously been damaged by a third party vehicle.

The boundary wall separates the road from land belonging to Abergele councillor Andrew Wood. The land was once part of the original Gwrych Castle estate but is now owned by cllr Wood, a member of Conwy County Borough Council's planning committee.

Conwy Council said they have agreed the "necessary repairs with the owner" and will "inspect the work once completed."

Cllr Wood said: "The damaged wall section will be finished by Friday (March 24). The poor weather last week hindered our start date.

"The conservation officer has confirmed the specified height for the wall for highways and talked to our stonemason team. He is also aware of the historical damage from a 2009 photograph and more recent damage by another vehicle. Inspection will be next week along with documented photographs.

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"The wall will be repaired to a higher specification along with the long term missing 'cock and hen stones' replaced along the walls top."

In February, residents on Eldon Drive accused cllr Wood of "demolishing" the wall. A neighbour also alledged cllr Woods has been "forced" by Conwy Conwy Council to reinstate the wall.

Gwrych Castle, which was used for ITV's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020 and 2021, voiced concerns last month that part of the listed boundary wall had been damaged.

A spokesperson said at the time: "We share concerns with residents that part of the listed boundary wall has been damaged. We’re not aware of the full circumstances at this stage."

The Latham family also made a comment.

In a short statement, they said: "Our family have owned Abergele Gate Lodge since 1946, which neighbours Cllr Wood's land, and we are shocked to see the park wall damaged."

Cadw warned that knocking down a 200-year-old wall without "special planning permission" is a criminal offence.

Cllr Wood responded at the time that the wall had "previously been damaged by a third-party vehicle and was loose and unsafe and had tumbled into the field".

He added he had tasked stonemasons to repair the wall.

He later admitted to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he demolished a section of the boundary wall.

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Cllr Wood has now said: "May I reiterate that the wall was due to be repaired in late March/April 2023. Nobody has been 'forced'. This was organised and scheduled in December 2022 with the stonemasons team. We brought this repair project forwards after discovering the wall was in a structurally dangerous condition when our contractor was excavating for the new water supply for the allotments in February.

"The wall was taken down as a safety precaution to prevent any loose stonework causing a problem to the public, and as previously mentioned the stonemasons were asked to give the repair their immediate attention.

"The wall that we are repairing is in fact a 'new wall' created in the 1970's when the new entrance for Manorafon camp-site and fields were established.

"Early pictures show the original wall as continuing at the 8ft height and no entrance."

A spokesperson from Conwy Council said: "The conservation officer has been in discussion with the owner to agree the necessary repairs. We can confirm that the repairs do not require listed building consent.

"We will inspect the work once it’s been completed."