A FORMER college in Abergavenny could get a new lease of life as a residential development.

Developer Edenstone Homes bought the former Hill Education and Conference Centre, which closed in 2009, from Coleg Gwent in 2014.

The 20-acre site in Pen-y-Pound includes a mansion, conference centre and 50 bedrooms and a walled Victorian garden.

The developer has lodged an application for planning permission and conservation area consent with Monmouthshire council following a consultation with local people to find out their views on the scheme.

Under the plan, the original mansion would become six apartments and the coach house and stables into two separate homes.

The garden cottage would be reinstated as part of the plans, the 1970s extension demolished and 36 homes created on the site.

Of the 36, ten would be affordable retirement apartments and two retirement bungalows. The walled garden would be reinstated and a new access road from Hillside built.

The 20-acre-site in Pen y Pound includes a 3,620 square metre mansion with a grand staircase, conference centre, 50 bedrooms and a walled Victorian garden which is connected to John Wedgewood, who rented The Hill from 1829 to 1835.

The garden is included on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

Mr Wedgewood was one of the founders in 1804 of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Coleg Gwent closed The Hill Education and Conference Centre in 2009 as part of a radical shake-up of education in a bid to save £3.5million.

It opened as a residential ballet school in September 2010, when the site was leased by local entrepreneur Doctor Olinga Ta’eed but he was forced to move out in January after a property deal, believed to be worth £2million, for the site fell through.

Community Action to Save The Hill (CASH) campaigned to secure the future of the building for community use failed to make the shortlist of preferred bidders and the site was sold in 2014.

The application has yet to be considered by Monmouthshire council.