Castle grounds access row may finally be over as rights of way bid rejected by council

A bid to register four routes across Gwrych Castle grounds as public rights of way has been rejected by a Conwy Council committee

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor [e-mail]

A long-running and divisive access row at Conwy's I'm A Celebrity castle may have finally reached the end of the road.

It follows the rejection of a bid to register four routes across Gwrych Castle's grounds as public rights of way.

On Monday night (January 26), Conwy Council's general licensing committee voted 5-4 against the application by Abergele councillor Andrew Wood.

Public access was stopped in spring 2020 following the Covid outbreak and Cllr Wood took action when land was fenced off during filming of ITV's I'm Celebrity series.

Cllr Wood said he wanted to protect access that locals had enjoyed for decades.

Opposing the bid, Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust (GCPT) said it supported “reasonable” public access on the wider estate and had proposed alternative routes.

A separate application for Village Green status, on a large swathe of the estate, remains outstanding. However it is understood this bid which would ring-fence the land for local sports and other activities may now be dropped given Monday's decision and the legal justifications behind it.

GCPT took aim at those who sought to open up the estate to unfettered access, racking up large legal bills at a cost to taxpayers and the trust. It said the Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) refusals would now enable the castle's restoration to continue unhindered.