The Vale of Glamorgan Council is planning to retain Penarth's Kymin, after none of the received proposals "satisfied the Council's vision".

The Council considered bids to operate the building and parts of the garden on a long-term lease.

It now intends to retain control of the house and gardens and "explore ways in which these can be given a sustainable future for the benefit of residents and visitors alike".

"Though there were many interesting features within the proposals put forward, none entirely satisfied the Council's vision for the Kymin, which was for proposals to ensure that the house and gardens benefit from a sustainable future which would also benefit the local and wider community," said a spokesperson for the Council.

The council has also been managing Penarth Pier Pavilion since February and says a similar approach could be adopted for this property, that could see the Kymin used for a combination of commercial and community activities, with the possibility of establishing a form of social enterprise following the pavilion's Big Fresh Café.

Work will now progress to develop plans and identify potential sources of funding to invest in the location for the benefit of all.

Cllr Lis Burnett, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, said: "I'd like to thank those who submitted bids for their interest in the Kymin. Unfortunately, none completely met our expectations for the building and, following the experience of operating Penarth Pier Pavilion, we have decided to go in a new direction.

"Operating the pavilion has created an opportunity to approach the management of these two buildings collectively. We will aim to build on what we have learned from our experience with the pavilion over the last three months, and the recent public consultation on its future uses, to ensure the Kymin will be of real benefit to local residents.

"It is clear that the people of Penarth care deeply about the historic buildings in their town and we feel just as strongly. The challenge is to make sure these iconic locations can operate sustainably and we are open to working collaboratively with local organisations and community groups towards that objective."