ICONIC: Wray Castle is set for a new lease of life

A VICTORIAN castle once used by Beatrix Potter as a holiday home could be given a new lease of life.

The Lake District National Park Authority has received an application from a developer to transform the castle on the banks of Windermere into a 27-bedroom hotel and spa. It is believed up to 20 jobs could be created.

The plans include a bar and restaurant, staff quarters, an extension for leisure facilities and repairs to the castle’s boat house and gardener’s cottage for use as single suites. New car park spaces and landscaping are also planned at the 1840s Gothic Revival style home built by surgeon James Dawson.

One of the most iconic buildings on the lake, Wray Castle has been empty since 2002. English Heritage and The National Trust – owners of the building since 1927 – have been working with architects and Wray Castle Ltd, a Shropshire-based property developer, for 18 months on a design to ‘sensitively’ restore the building.

Architect Trevor Williams said: “The overall appearance of Wray Castle will remain largely unchanged, with the main body of the building receiving only repair work.

National Trust spokeswoman Jane Watson said: “We are really happy with the proposal.”

The application willgo before the national park’s development control committee next month.