A £7 million scheme to provide specialist dementia care and create a 100 new jobs has been given the green light.
Gwynedd councillors unanimously overturned a recommendation by officials to reject the planning application to develop the site of the former community hospital, Ysbyty Bryn Seiont, on the outskirts of Caernarfon.
The decision in favour of the proposal delighted social care pioneer Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, who originally bought the site in 2009.
Mr Kreft said: “I am grateful to the councillors who recognised the strategic importance of our investment in Caernarfon.
“Our aim from the outset has been to provide vital services and much needed employment in the area.
“I am pleased we can now proceed to realise our vision of creating a world class, fully bilingual centre of excellence for dementia care allied to 16 extra care apartments as part of an integrated service.”
The couple already run seven care homes, a domiciliary care company and a teaching care centre in the Wrexham area and Mr Kreft is a leading figure in the UK care sector.
He is the Chair of Care Forum Wales, the main representative body for the care sector in Wales, and was awarded an MBE for his contribution to social care in Wales.
Pendine Park already employs nearly 600 people in North East Wales.
The plans for Bryn Seiont are based on a similar centre, called Bodlondeb, in Wrexham which was opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones in 2010.
Bodlondeb was named as the best new dementia care facility in Britain at the UK Over 50s Housing Awards.
Judges were particularly impressed at how the scheme had been developed to cater for people funded from the public purse and the way Pendine Park used the arts to enrich residents’ lives, something for which they have won a number of prestigious awards from Arts and Business Cymru.
According to Mr Kreft, the provision of extra care on site has always been central to their plans.
He said: “One aspect of the scheme is to have dedicated respite provision, something which is often difficult to find for families and carers who want to keep caring but need a break to recharge the batteries.
“We have received a huge amount of support for our plans from many people, not least those living near the site and we also very grateful to them for their support and understanding.
“In fact, we are very grateful for the backing of a large number of elected representatives in Gwynedd who see the bigger picture and the strategic need for a development of this nature, providing essential services and creating much-needed employment.
With so many people living longer these days, dementia in its various forms is a growing problem. It can also afflict a surprising number of younger people.
There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, a number that’s forecast to double within a generation. The Alzheimer’s Society call it the “dementia timebomb”.
Mr Kreft added: “Canolfan Gofal Parc Pendine will provide 24/7 services that will include respite and day services.
“But they will also be closely linked with a domiciliary care organisation that will support people in their own homes and a teaching care centre which is going to ensure that our staff have the highest possible standard of training and personal development.
“There will also be specialised ‘extra care’ accommodation that provides independence and choice to those with varying care needs and enables them to remain in their own home, enabling the spouse or partner to remain as the main carer.
“We see Canolfan Gofal Bryn Seiont as a really exciting opportunity to provide some new, innovative services and to work closely with the statutory authorities to make sure that those services meet the needs and the likely future needs of the people of Gwynedd.”
