Powys Council's beloved outdoor centre at Staylittle has been sold to an undisclosed buyer.

The council agreed the sale of the former outdoor pursuits centre near Llanidloes under delegated powers on Friday, with the decision taken jointly by finance portfolio holder Cllr Aled Davies and young people and culture portfolio holder Cllr Rachel Powell.

The exact details of the deal are being kept confidential, meaning the identity of the buyer remains under wraps, along with how much the council got for the centre. It was up for auction in October with bidding expected to start at £230,000.

The announcement of Staylittle’s impending closure in late 2017 galvanised a campaign, including a petition of more than 5,000 signatures objecting to closing it down.

It was PCC’s last outdoor education centre, but the Freedom Leisure-run facility closed in April 2018 to make annual savings of £130,000 after attempts to find an alternative operator failed.

A report confirming the sale explained: “That the freehold of the former outdoor pursuit centre at Staylittle is transferred to bidder A.

“That the transfer limits the use of the property to those which fall into the same “use class” as the current  outdoor pursuit centre.

“That the transfer is subject to provisions, whereby the council will receive 50 per-cent of any increase in value from the purchaser should any part of the site be sold within the first five years.”

The report also explains that the reasons behind the decision include making sure the council receives a “capital receipt” from the sale, as well as removing a “liability” off the council books.

The report adds that the council expects the buyer to “commit” to re-establishing the outdoor pursuits centre.

The outdoor pursuits centre which overlooked Llyn Clywedog, was one of several council properties that were auctioned by Brightwells at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells on October 31, 2019.

In August 2019, a planning application to convert the staff accommodation building into a home was withdrawn.

The decision will come into force on Monday, April 27.