Hospital bosses have been given the go ahead to replace a secure psychiatric ward that was destroyed by fire a year and a half ago.

Seventeen patients were evacuated when more than 60 firefighters fought the blaze at Llanarth Court hospital between Raglan and Abergavenny in April 2020.

The main 18th century country house, which was home to a Catholic prep school from 1948 until 1986, was undamaged, but the 19-bed Treowen ward, named after the original owners, was wrecked beyond repair.

The gutted shell of the building was subsequently demolished and a scheme to replace it with two medium security 12-bedroom wards has now been given the green light by Monmouthshire Council.

Plans for a “high quality and exemplar building” also include recreation and living areas, staff facilities and an external garden.

The ‘accidental’ blaze which caused part of the two-storey building to collapse began shortly after 3pm on April 28, 2020, and was tackled with eight regular and eight specialist appliances.

Patients lost all their possessions in the fire, with local people donating essential items after an appeal.

Providing 115 beds, the hospital is home to some residents who have been through the criminal justice system.

It is sited in the Llanarth Conservation Area which includes three listed structures - Llanarth Court which is surrounded by a landscaped listed park, St Mary and St Michael Roman Catholic Church dating back to the 1780s and one of the oldest RC churches in Wales, and the church cross, which includes a medieval carved head.

A report to Monmouthshire Council said the aim was to “create a building that will aid the recovery of mental health patients whilst confidently addressing the context and character of the Conservation Area and curtilage of the Grade II-Llanarth Court within the hospital wider site.”

The new building will use the same footprint as Treowen and will see an increase in size of 605sq m, and an extra five beds.

“External patient areas will be limited to the secured gardens and courtyards. These will be accessed from within the building,” adds the report.

The hospital is run by the Priory Group and includes three low secure wards, two medium secure wards, and female and male rehabilitation

units.