A LETTER-writing campaign has been launched as the bid by the local community to be involved in any redevelopment of the old Cardigan Hospital site gathers pace.

Residents in the town are being urged to have their say on the prime location, as site owners Hywel Dda health authority are locked in discussions with Wales and West Housing over the sale of the site for social housing.

Campaigners are now urging townsfolk to actively petition Ceredigion County Council over the hospital site’s – and people can do this by sending a formatted letter which has been set up on the campaign’s Facebook site.

The letter – in both Welsh and English versions - has been addressed to council chief executive Eifion Evans.

The letter says: “Dear Mr Evans, I am writing to you to express my concern about the future potential development of Cardigan & District Memorial Hospital.

“As of January 2020 the community of Cardigan has not been invited by Ceredigion County Council to have their say about the future of this very important site and I wish to formally register my concern.

“This is a site of special interest for the following reasons:

“1) It is the ancient site of Cardigan Priory dating back over 900 years and if the site cannot be protected, at a minimum there should be an extensive archaeological study carried out before planning permission is granted.

“2) The site contains what is believed to be the very first residence designed by John Nash and as such it should be recognised as a site of importance to not just Cardigan but the whole nation. The original parts of the building should be protected from being demolished and should be restored.

“3) The hospital site is a war memorial originally paid for by the people of Cardigan to commemorate the fallen from the First World War. Every memorial should be treated with respect and currently there appears to be no information around how this will be treated.

“4) The location of the site borders the Teifi estuary, (on a flood plain), and represents the primary entrance to Cardigan. If the site is sympathetically developed it could help the town in its process of regeneration and ambition to become an international destination.

“To be clear, the people of Cardigan are not opposed to sensitive development that benefits the local community but like so many market towns and high streets the future of Cardigan is fragile.

“Mr Evans, please don’t become responsible for stopping the positive momentum of turnaround by allowing this site to be poorly developed against the wishes of the local community. “

To download or forward a copy of the letter or to have your say, go to facebook.com/cardiganhospital/

Hard copies of the letter will also be available at various shops and businesses around the Cardigan area.