Member Article

Politicians praise progress on extra care housing for Porthmadog

AN MP and a county councillor have praised the progress being made on construction of Porthmadog’s new £8.5m extra care housing scheme.

Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Selwyn Griffiths, Gwynedd Councillor for Porthmadog, visited the development, located on the site of the former Hafod y Gest care home.

Housing association Grŵp Cynefin is developing the scheme in partnership with Gwynedd Council, to provide independent living accommodation to older and vulnerable people.

The politicians were shown round by Grŵp Cynefin chief executive Walis George, who said: “Good progress has been made clearing the site. We are currently completing demolition of the main Hafod y Gest building.”

The Hafod y Gest scheme will provide extra care accommodation for elderly people in the area, combined with a number of social and recreational facilities, with care and support services available on site.

It will feature 40 one and two bedroom apartments offering 24-hour care, and a community hub with activity and hobbies rooms, fitness, beauty and therapy rooms, lounge and restaurant.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts said: “An investment of this magnitude in Porthmadog is to be warmly welcomed. Older people deserve care and facilities of the highest standard, and the people of Dwyfor will, no doubt, welcome this new development. I look forward to seeing Hafod y Gest develop and congratulate Grŵp Cynefin and Gwynedd Council for their partnership approach.”

Porthmadog Councillor Selwyn Griffiths, Gwynedd Councils Older People Champion said: “I am delighted to see the work progressing on site and look forward to seeing the new development take shape. It is an exciting project, ideally situated in the town and will be an important asset in supporting older people in the area. The regular meetings with the local community will ensure that the work can progress as swiftly as possible.”

Tom Anwyl, Director of contractor Anwyl Construction, said: “We are delighted to be working again with Grŵp Cynefin and with Gwynedd Council on a very significant development for this area.

“We have a good relationship with Grwp Cynefin and recently won an award for a development we built for them in Flintshire.

“Hafod y Gest will not only provide high quality facilities for local people here in Porthmadog but a major project like this will also provide important employment and investment in the economy.”

Grŵp Cynefin provides more than 3,700 rented homes and 700 affordable properties to people across North Wales.

For more information, visit grwpcynefin.org, or call 0300 111 2122.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .