The future of Denbigh’s North Wales Hospital site is to be discussed by councillors next week behind closed doors.

The discussions will be part of the next step towards the compulsory purchase of the listed building.

Councillors will be asked to consider a confidential report to amend the resolution  made by the committee in January 2017 when it authorised the service of the General Vesting Declaration (GVD) in order to complete the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of the former North Wales Hospital site.

The former asylum has been shut since 1995 with several developers taking an interest in the site the council started proceedings to buy it from its current owners.

A general vesting declaration is a formal procedure that gives a local authority the right to take over the ownership of property.

Members on the council’s planning committee, meeting next Wednesday, will consider the report before making the decision.

No papers have been published on the proposal and members of the public and press will be asked to leave the meeting while it is discussed.

Upper Denbigh and Henllan councillor, Glenn Swingler, who is not a member of the committee said: “Lets hope this takes us another step closer to a resolution of this saga. It has been going on for years now. And my hope is that what happens next will be for the benefit of Denbigh and will help rejuvenate the town.”

Last month Denbighshire firm Jones Bros, in partnership with the North Wales Building Preservation Trust, were picked by councillors in the cabinet, to take ownership of the site, once the purchase is concluded.

Cabinet also agreed to recommend that the council’s planning committee authorise the serving of a General Vested Declaration, the latest step in the CPO process.