The former North Wales hospital in Denbigh's derelict shell has been repeatedly set alight in recent years.
The ex-asylum, which has been shut for more than 20 years, has been the scene of a number of arson attacks and otherwise unexplained outbreaks of fire.
In the last four years alone, it has been set fire to multiple times. In July 2014, around 36 square metres of the dilapidated building was badly damaged in a blaze that was deliberately started.
In November that year, ambitious plans were outlined to build flats and townhouses on the site.
Later, British Virgin Islands registered Freemont (Denbigh) Limited obtained planning permission to build 280 homes on the site, although that permission lapsed in 2010.
In 2014, Freemont lost a High Court bid to have the council's compulsory purchase order overturned , in what the local authority described as a 'victory for common sense'.
Denbighshire Council said they intended to pass ownership of the site onto the North Wales Building Preservation Trust to manage the restoration of the main buildings.
Although a High Court judge granted the local authority permission to enforce a compulsory purchase order after a bitter seven-year battle , they haven’t yet served it, meaning Freemont (Denbigh) Ltd still technically own it.
Councillor David Smith, cabinet member for environment, said he wasn’t surprised over the ruling and said it was a “victory for common sense.”
He said: “Our dealings with the owners have been extremely protracted and very frustrating.”
He added: “The council’s main consideration has always been about the preservation of the main historic building on site and we warned the owners time and time again that we would go down the compulsory purchase route, should we have no other option.
“The High Court’s ruling means that we are one step closer to handing over the site to the Trust.”
The council’s planning committee voted in favour of the CPO for the site back in September 2013 after the owners failed to comply with a repairs notice served by the council, which required them to carry out significant repairs to the buildings left teetering on the brink of collapse.
Film of Denbigh's North Wales Hospital shows what life was like working at the site
A public inquiry was held following a decision by the owner of the site to challenge the CPO served by the council.
The CPO was granted in September 2015.
In May 2016, after a spate of arson attacks, the building was deemed to be dangerous. Trespassers were warned against gaining access to the site, which had become a magnet for ghost hunters and urban explorers.
And within weeks, arsonists struck again, for the third time in a month, and in June that year police warned there would be a 'zero tolerance' approach to anyone found on the site without permission .
By February 2017, the building was on fire again, causing more damage to the interior of the derelict building. Later that month a teenager was arrested on suspicion of arson.
In April last year, police warned illegal ravers to stay away as rumours circulated of an unauthorised festival to be held there.
And in June, the building was alight again, with aerial ladders used to bring the blaze under control.
Just last week, Liverpool developer Lawrence Kenwright, who runs Signature Living, announced plans to transform the former hospital into two hotels and luxury homes .
A Denbighshire Council spokesman said: "Trying to save the important listed buildings and the site has been a long and complicated issue.
"Our main concern has always been to preserve the main range historic buildings on the site.
"The work that we have already undertaken, including the securing of the CPO have been the most complex ever undertaken on a listed building in Wales."
The Daily Post has been unable to contact Freemont (Denbigh) Ltd.
