CARDIGAN must have a say in any redevelopment of the existing hospital site in the town.

That was the clear message from a packed public meeting called by Mayor Cllr Shan Williams at the Guildhall to discuss the future of the site

Hospital owners Hywel Dda health authority has revealed it is in talks to sell off the prime location for social housing as it prepares to transfer all healthcare services to the new £24m Integrated Care centre at Bathhouse Road at the end of this year.

But a unanimous show of hands backed the proposal that Cardigan Town Council should contact Hywel Dda regarding the possibility of a community asset transfer of the site to the town and to state that discussions should be held with the local community as to the hospital’s future development.

The meeting, which was chaired by local Assembly Member Elin Jones, discussed several different options but it was stressed that the clock is ticking and that time was not on the community’s side.

“This is an important historic site and it is important that the town is involved in its future,” said Elin Jones.

“Cardigan has shown with the castle and other town centre sites that it is more than capable of taking ownership of its own future.

“It may have felt impossible in the past to achieve things but think about how much this town has achieved on its own and all the good things that are happening here.”

Among the suggestions for the site was a hospice or respite centre, something it was argued that is badly needed in Cardigan and the surrounding area.

This could also link in with a community hub, eco-homes and a sensory garden.

Cllr Williams said: “People should be able to be cared for in their own community where family and friends can visit. I would love to see some form of care facility there that would link in with other projects as well.

“But we have to somehow convince Hywel Dda that the site should in some way come back to the people of Cardigan and what we need.

“We need somehow to stall this sale to the housing association until we have gone through all the possibilities and a feasibility study.”

Local historian Glen Johnson and Father Seamus Cunnane both outlined the historical significance of the site and the current building, which still retains many features from the celebrated architect John Nash.

Mr Johnson, who was involved in the bid to resurrect the fortunes of Cardigan castle, called for a feasibility study of the existing site to see what could be possible.

“Do we flatten the lot and start on a brownfield site?” he asked. “Do we use the building as it now stands for other purposes although parts of it are not in great conditions?

“The most solid part is the original building. Do we lop off the extensions and reinstate the Nash building?

“We need that feasibility study. If we go to the health authority of Welsh Assembly and say the community in Cardigan is putting together money to buy the plot then we have to have some idea. We cannot go to them with a vague idea.

“You have to talk to these people in their language with a tight scheme that is budgeted.”