CASTLE Maudslay enthusiasts' bid to buy the only surviving works in Great Alne has been dealt a huge blow.

The group said owners of the land, US-based ArvinMeritor, were willing to accept £4 million for the land but a retirement village company has swooped in and made a conditional agreement on the purchase.

The Chronicle reported in June that the Castle Maudslay Preservation Group was planning to buy the works and turn part of it into a heritage centre after a gentleman's agreement with ArvinMeritor.

But Retirement Villages Plc said if the conditions were agreed, it would be looking at putting up 170 residential units on the site.

Members of the Castle Maudslay Preservation Group and Retirement Villages Plc were at Great Alne Parish Council last Monday to discuss both plans.

Terry Haden, founder member of the Castle Maudslay Preservation Group, said: "Basically all we'll do is carry on fighting. But we'll just have to wait and see what their next steps are."

A similar Retirement Villages development to the one proposed in Great Alne is just being completed in Dunchurch, near Stratford, where there are 150 properties.

Bill Gair, of Retirement Villages Plc, said: "We have a conditional agreement on the land but we still have some conditions to fulfil before we start.

"It is the start of the process so we went to see what the residents of the village and the parish council thought. Our ideals are not exactly aligned at the moment.

"The site is a substantial piece of land and we could build a village of 250 units but as I said at the meeting, I don't think a village of the size of Great Alne could absorb that amount over a five-year development period.

"The village could have 170 units maximum and there is a market for it, plus there would be land left over."

Mr Gair also said initial conversations with Stratford Council had already been held and plans for the village would be put forward at the Stratford Local plan meetings this week.