Madam,

In 2017, the county council announced the development of extra care housing on the former Plas Morolwg site.

In May 2018, in the face of strong objections to the choice of site, Cllr Williams revealed, in my opinion, a sense of desperation, lack of imagination and a willingness to throw good money after bad on behalf of the Cabinet when quoted in the Cambrian News as saying “This is the land we have”.

The main objections to siting extra care housing at Plas Morolwg are the facts that it is isolated, elevated and occupies a windswept position overlooking Aberystwyth harbour. This would seriously impact upon the safety and accessibility for our more vulnerable, elderly friends and family.

Not including the expected periods of seasonal poor weather, since winter 2017 Ceredigion has been subjected to 15 ‘named storms’ (severe, amber weather warning or worse). Winds of 80mph, flooding, damage to property and anyone viewing the many pictures of Aberystwyth Harbour during Storm Hannah in late April will agree that we must not subject our elderly and vulnerable to these conditions.

How will the county council and public service board reconcile the Welsh Government declaring a ‘Climate Emergency’ and the duties placed upon them by the Wellbeing Of Future Generations Act with sustaining Plas Morolwg as extra care housing?

If it all goes wrong, it would be possible for the housing association to convert it to much needed social housing, but at the cost of losing yet more facilities for the elderly.

We must look to what else is happening in Wales.

Rhondda Cynon Taf is currently in consultation on whether to close its 11 residential homes in favour of extra care housing.

Last week they learned that the provider of four private homes in their area had gone into liquidation, so where are the residents to go?

For goodness sake Ceredigion County Council, look at what is going on in other authorities and choose to learn from others’ mistakes rather than have to from your own.

Yours etc, George Holloway, Rhoshendre, Waunfawr, Aberystwyth.

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