Redeveloping Llŷn’s Polish Home site to meet 21st Century elderly care needs could cost as much as £20m, councillors have been told.

With local nursing care provision now being described as “almost non-existent” by the local councillor – making clear the demand for such provision in parts of Gwynedd –  discussions over a new development follow December’s closure of the Penrhos Polish Home.

As a result, Thursday saw members of Gwynedd Council’s Care Scrutiny Committee back further talks with the aim of securing grant funding to provide state of the art facilities.

The Penrhos site, which included 93 sheltered housing flats and a 42 bed nursing home, was transferred with all of the Polish Housing Association’s liabilities to the Clwyd Alyn Housing Association last September.

The report presented to Gwynedd’s Care Scrutiny Committee noted that the transfer was prompted by Welsh Government regulators highlighting “a number of governance risks” relating to the viability of the home, with concerns also raised over the association’s financial resources to invest to improve the standard of the accommodation in order to comply with minimum standards.

It led to May’s decision by the Polish Housing Association’s board that they could not continue to maintain the services, resulting in the transfer to stave off the risk of bankruptcy.

With the home formally closed on December 7 after suitable placements were found for the remaining residents, it noted that Clwyd Alyn is now exploring an investment program to redevelop the units to ensure they meet standards and address local need.

Thursday saw Gwynedd Council officers, partnering with Clwyd Alyn and the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board to explore future options for the site, update members over the status of any proposals.

Assistant Head of Housing and Well-being, Arwel Wyn Owen, said: “It largely depends on the scale involved, but it’s likely to be a development taking place over five or six years and in its entirety it could cost up to £20m.

“That would be the upper limit as things stand, but it depends on what would be included as part of the overall plans.”

Cllr Dafydd Meurig, the portfolio holder for adult social care, stressed that the aim was not to provide a “like for like” replacement but to consider the community as well as the evolving needs in terms of caring for the elderly.

He dampened expectations, however, that any development would be in a position to start overnight.

“I think that the message is quite clear that everyone wants to see a quality development at the site and I can sense the passion to deliver it,” Cllr Meurig added.

“But in terms of a reality check, its going to be expensive and we’re going to work hard to secure the funding.

“This is going to take time, you can’t secure something of quality very quickly, I’m sure if we wanted an identikit nursing home we could throw it up in a year, but I take it that that’s not what we’re looking for.”

Cllr Angela Russell, whose Llanbedrog ward includes the 20 acre site, described Penrhos’ potential as “huge,” describing it as an opportunity to start with a clean slate and “build something the community could be proud of.”

She added concern in the meantime, however, that local nursing care provision is “almost non-existent.”

Mr Owen added that with many from Llŷn currently based at nursing homes as far as Anglesey, developing such a facility at Penrhos would also aleviate demands on facilities across the north west.

The report was unanimously backed by members.