THE OWNER of a former college in Abergavenny is to sell the site two years after it closed.

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

The 20 acre-site in Pen y Pound includes a mansion, conference centre, 50 bedrooms and a walled Victorian garden which is connected to John Wedgewood, who rented The Hill from 1829 to 1835. Mr Wedgewood was one of the founders in 1804 of the Royal Horticultural Society.

It opened as a residential ballet school in September last year, 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.

Coleg Gwent has now begun the process of disposing of the site and has enlisted agents Cooke & Arkwright to handle the sale.

A spokesman for Coleg Gwent said an information pack is available on request and said they are not applying for planning permission for the change of use or redevelopment of the site prior to its sale.

Principal Jim Bennett said despite efforts, only one proposal for community use has been put forward but did not come to fruition.

"We cannot keep the buildings boarded up indefinately, and so we have started to explore the option of selling the buildings and grounds. The proceeds from the sale will be re-invested into the college," he said.

Community Action to Save The Hill (CASH) which has been campaigning to secure the future of the building for community use said it should remain an education and community resource for the people of Abergavenny and will continue its campaign.