PLANS have been submitted to convert a care home that closed in 2022 into 11 residential dwellings.

Abermad Nursing Home, between Llanfarian and Llanilar closed its doors three years ago and the grand country house has remained unoccupied since.

The property has recently been purchased by Mr and Mrs Sandford, who have submitted plans through Hughes Architects to convert the mansion into 11 high-quality residential units.

The application, submitted to Ceredigion County Council, says: “The proposals represent a sustainable and sensitive reuse of a significant historic building that has remained unoccupied for some time and is currently in a deteriorating state.

“The application seeks to bring the property back into viable long-term use through minimal and carefully considered interventions, while preserving and enhancing its historic character and architectural integrity.

“The conversion will deliver much-needed housing in the local area, support the continued upkeep of a landmark High Victorian Gothic building, and provide a sustainable future for a structure that is currently vulnerable.”

The application adds: “Plas Abermad is currently unoccupied and has suffered from prolonged neglect, leaving it in a generally poor state of repair.

“While the building retains much of its original structure and character, years of vacancy and minimal maintenance have led to issues such as water ingress, internal damp, and general fabric deterioration.

“The absence of regular use and upkeep has accelerated the decay of internal finishes, particularly in the more elaborate parts of the house.

“The building was previously used as a nursing home, a function which resulted in a number of unsympathetic alterations.

“These include the installation of modern partitions, fire doors, and clinical finishes that obscure or interrupt the historic fabric and spatial qualities of the original design.

“While these interventions are largely reversible, they have had a cumulative impact on the building’s legibility and aesthetic coherence. Our approach will be to undo some of these alterations.”

Plas Abermad was designed by the renowned architect John Pollard Seddon and built in 1872.

During the 20th century the building was utilised as a private school until it transitioned to a nursing home.

The home cared for for up to 27 residents across 23 single rooms and two shared rooms up until its closure in June 2023, due to recruitment issues, leaving it with insufficient staff.

In conclusion, the application to convert the mansion into residential dwellings says: “The proposed works at Plas Abermad are necessary to secure the long-term future of this nationally significant example of High Victorian Gothic architecture.

“A sensitive and well-informed conversion to residential use offers a sustainable and viable future for the building, preventing further decline and enabling ongoing care and occupation.

“The project recognises and respects the building’s evidential, historical, aesthetic, and communal values, ensuring that its architectural character and layered history remain legible and appreciated. By concentrating modern interventions in less sensitive areas and applying reversible, conservation-led strategies throughout, the scheme allows Plas Abermad to adapt to contemporary needs without compromising its heritage significance.”