The Colomendy site at Loggerheads in North Wales, which has provided away days and school trips for generations of Scousers, is to be marketed after the previous operator collapsed into administration. Liverpool City Council is now seeking a new organisation to take on the 106-acre camp, which has been a rite of passage for countless children from the city.
Generations of Memories
For generations of young Scousers, a trip to Colomendy has been something of a rite of passage. Ask anyone from the city today and chances are they will have fond memories of a trip to the holiday camp at Loggerheads, near Mold in North Wales. At the camp, children took part in a host of activities, ranging from canoeing and abseiling to tuck shop visits and stories around the camp fire.
Originally created as a site for evacuee children from Liverpool during World War Two, Colomendy was transferred to Liverpool City Council after the war, with a covenant which retained its use for the benefit of the city's children. In 2007, the council issued a 30-year lease for the site to Kingswood Colomendy Ltd, a subsidiary of Kingswood Learning and Leisure, which provides residential educational facilities.
Administration and Takeover
In January last year, Kingswood Colomendy Ltd and its parent company ceased trading and administrators were appointed, closing the site and bringing an end to seven decades of educational trips for Liverpool kids. Last summer, Liverpool Council formally took over the site, which is set within the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, stating that they would begin the process of securing a long-term future for a place with so much history and heritage for the people of Liverpool.
Despite rumours of housebuilding and other speculated plans for the site, the council has confirmed today it is now marketing the site in the hope of finding a tenant who will continue to provide outdoor activities for city kids in the years ahead. The ECHO understands that since taking the site back, the council has carried out some soft market testing and received credible approaches from companies wanting to provide outdoor education activities once again.
Marketing Process Begins
Property consultants Newmark have been engaged to begin the formal process of marketing the site and carrying out feasibility studies. The site includes a wide range of facilities, from accommodation and activity spaces to teaching areas and extensive grounds suited to leisure, tourism and education uses. At its heart sits the historic Colomendy Hall, offering further potential for sensitive refurbishment or reuse, subject to the necessary consents.
Liverpool Council's cabinet member for growth and the economy, Cllr Nick Small, said: "We are bringing Colomendy to market to secure a bold new future for one of the region’s most important and historic sites. Working closely with Denbighshire County Council, partners and local stakeholders, our focus is on finding a long-term use that reflects local ambitions and delivers real, lasting benefits. Colomendy has a deep-rooted connection with Liverpool, dating back to its role during the Second World War, and we are determined to see that heritage respected. The right proposal will not only protect that legacy, but create a positive and enduring impact for generations to come."
Local Support and Future Plans
Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning at Denbighshire County Council, said: "We’re really pleased to see Liverpool City Council promoting the valuable Colomendy outdoor education site to secure its use for the future. Colomendy sits in a prime location in the beautiful Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, and over the years, it has welcomed generations of young people from Liverpool who have built a lifelong connection with this part of north Wales and its communities. Ensuring the long-term viability of this site for future generations is important to us here at Denbighshire and we will work with Liverpool City Council and partners to make sure that this happens."
Leo Llewellyn, Associate at Newmark, said: "Colomendy represents a rare opportunity to acquire a substantial outdoor leisure and education asset within a highly attractive natural setting. The combination of an established operational base, the character and heritage of Colomendy Hall, and wider development potential across the estate creates a compelling opportunity for investors or operators looking to deliver a distinctive long-term destination."
It is expected that further announcements about who could take on the site will be made later in the year. Also present on the Colomendy site are Liverpool charity Prospects 2000 and the North Wales Mountain Rescue organisation. The council is having conversations with both organisations and said their lease agreements will be unaffected.
