THE CELTIC MANOR HOTEL : Sir Terry Matthews

He thinks it's worth spending 30 million on bringing the Ryder Cup to Wales. The economic benefit to Wales is difficult to measure, suffice to say, it will bring a huge influx of visitors and their cash.

The global entrepreneur is currently in Wales attempting to deal with the planning application which has been refused on the ancient house known as Little Bulmore Farmhouse. It sits adjacent to the 2010 Golf House, soon to be home to the largest names in golf.

The public spat with the council over the ruin has hit the headlines in all the Welsh press . I visited the site two weeks ago to look at the ancient Little Bulmore Farmhouse and I have to admit it does sit very close indeed to the golf house. Unfortunately it appears to have had an incredibly unsympathetic extension added at some stage in it's past which is completely hideous. I cannot fathom why such an extension on a 17th century building, could have been acceptable to the planners at that time. The planning application applied for by Celtic Manor to demolish the building before the Ryder Cup, was refused, read the Planning Application here .

The building is totally overgrown with shrubs and climbing plants and it looks at some stage to have been set alight as the exposed roof trusses are charred black. The front of the building ( visible here ) with it's stone mullioned windows, is in my opinion, very interesting indeed, and could certainly have been enhanced by a sympathetic architect.

I really don't understand why the Folk Museum haven't shown an interest in this Grade 2 listed 17th centuary farmhouse. Why didn't they agree to take it away and re-build it at Amgueddfa Werin Cymru ?

So, will this be resolved before the Ryder Cup, who knows?

I may be day-dreaming but when the Americans arrive, what do you imagine they will think of the historic listed building, because I think they'll find it quite charming!