Care home in Porthmadog to close

The care home has been under threat of closure for a number of years following a review of services

A 40-year-old care home in Porthmadog will close following a decision by Gwynedd councillors.

Hafod y Gest opened as a temporary building and was not expected to be still in use.

Families of the 10 remaining residents had expressed concerns about the impact on their health if they have to move from the site.

A council report had said the home could close by April 2014, and the site be used for supported housing instead.

Officers had recommended that the home should close.

The report said the Older People Services Transformation Project Board had considered maintaining the property and doing only essential work on it, or completely renovating the building and increasing the capacity there.

However those options were rejected, and the council is now considering using the site for a development of extra care housing, for people able to live more independently with sufficient support.

The report had said there would be a full discussion with residents and their families about their future housing if Hafod y Gest did close, and noted some residents would want to move together.