PLANS to transform the excavations of a “lost city” in Monmouthshire into a tourist attraction could be launched next year, according to the man who owns the site.

Stuart Wilson, 37, of Chepstow, bought the four-and-a-half acre site near the village of Trellech from Monmouthshire County Council for £32,000 - his life savings - in 2004.

Mr Wilson, a member of Monmouth Archaeological Society, believes the fields along Catbrook Road and Tinkers Lane hides a major medieval city.

“This is a massive settlement dating back to the 13th century,” said Mr Wilson.

“The settlement was the home of several Norman lords of the de Clare family who used it as a place to mass produce iron.

“It probably had a population about a quarter of the size of medieval London, and it grew from nothing at a much faster rate over 25 years in the mid 1200s.”

Since excavations began in 2005, several buildings have been unearthed from the ground including a fortified manor house, a gatehouse and several buildings that could have surrounded the settlement’s market.

Mr Wilson added: “Within an hour of being on the site we found a house but this isn’t a typical Norman town so this won’t be the only manor house we found as there would have been several lords living here.”

The attraction of the archaeological dig is far-reaching, having been used as the basis of university theses by several students, including three from the Netherlands.

According to Mr Wilson, two of the Dutch students have since become regular visitors to the site along with hundreds of volunteers each year to carry out further excavations.

He said: “As we take more on, there’s a greater need to expand our campsite and while there are several campsites within a walkable distance, it would be better to have something here.”

Mr Wilson is preparing to submit a planning application proposing a change of use for the land from agricultural to an archaeological and educational site, which violates one of covenants placed on the land by the county council when it was first purchased.

The rule restricts the use of the land to agricultural purposes while the other states that the council will benefit from any uplift in the value of the land if development occurs with 21 years of the sale.

However Mr Wilson is pursuing the idea of building a permanent camping area of around 100 sq m with 200 permanent pitches and amenities, as well as an exhibition centre.

A recent planning application submitted to the council regarding the centre has yet to be registered as the authority is seeking further information from Mr Wilson.

He added: “I think the village, its shops and bed and breakfasts, already benefit from our visitors so I think expansion will only increase tourism in the area.”