Mystery buyer in Lake Vyrnwy offer

A mystery bidder has approached Severn Trent offering to buy the forestry land surrounding Lake Vyrnwy, which is being sold by the utilities company.

Residents of Llanwddyn, the village on the edge of the lake, have called for the organisation said to be interested in taking over the 5,000 acres of forestry land to make itself known and visit the area to talk to them.

But Knight Frank, the agent acting for Severn Trent, today said client confidentiality meant that the identity of the bidder could not be divulged.

Clive Hopkins, head of farms and estates department for Knight Frank, said: "We can only say that we are in negotiations with bidders."

The water company wants to sell 125-year leases on four lots of land that make up the 23,000 acre Lake Vyrnwy estate.

The sale is said to be the largest single block of land to come on the market in living memory. It has a guide price of £11 million.

A public meeting earlier this week heard from three bidders that want to take on some of the plots.

Both the RSPB charity and Mid Wales-born millionaire businessman, Rhys Jones, are bidding for lots one and two.

Lot one includes almost 12,000 acres of in-hand farmland and lot two 14 let farms and land. Mid Wales Housing is bidding for lot four, which includes 31 residential and commercial properties let under a variety of different tenancies.

Resident and former chairman of governors at the former school at Llanwddyn David Thomas said: "What the mystery bidder has in mind for lot three could affect the plans of the three bidders for the other lots. I felt it should make itself and its plans known."