Charlie Evans, Welsh Conservative candidate for Dwyfor Meirionnydd at the Senedd Election, has expressed his support for the plight of Plas Panteidal residents in Aberdovey.
Plas Panteidal is a residential and holiday complex outside Aberdovey with over 90 properties. The site has been managed by Trehaven Leisure Ltd for the last thirty years but there have been consistent issues of untreated sewage with residents being unable to drink tap water, and the state of the road has meant couriers refuse to deliver there. Residents have to travel 1.5 miles into Aberdovey to buy bottled water due to the unresolved issues.
Trehaven has now fallen into liquidation and has appointed a liquidator to oversee the process. Residents, as part of the Plas Panteidal Association have offered to form a not-for-profit management company to take over the running of the site, and have put in a bid for £1. The Association says the liquidator will not listen to the proposal.
Cllr Brian Kelly, Aberdovey Community Councillor and Chair of the Association says:
"Any new owner of the estate will have to take on six public health charges made by Gwynedd Council for breaches in water supply regulations, three charges from NRW for unauthorised charges from the sewerage treatment plant, over £70K of unpaid electricity bills, £43K in legal costs already awarded to residents from previous cases and of course the very considerable costs to put everything right. That doesn't make it look like an attractive proposition to any buyer except the residents with their vested interest in living safely. The Liquidator seems to think otherwise.
"We have a company ready to move if we can take ownership and an abundance of volunteers to get works underway. For specialist works like water supply we have quotes to carry out work and we are pretty sure we can finance it all as long as we amortise costs over several years. When I first moved here 20 years ago it was an absolutely lovely place to live and had a growing and thriving community, now it looks run down, all the utilities are falling into dereliction. The people here are eager to restore it to its former glory but very depressed by the present condition and inability to take control. The local authorities, MP and Members of The Senedd have been supportive in words but reluctant to take any action themselves.
"Our biggest worry is if COVID reaches us and we have to self isolate as it will make fetching water very difficult. We would have to rely on neighbours bringing it to us or mail ordering it. One person here who has no transport of their own has resorted to collecting drinking water from their roof gutter. Tap water, when we have it at all, is confirmed to be contaminated with E-coli and cryptosporidium and we have had a 'not fit for consumption or food preparation' notice on it for more than five years.
"We desperately need to put things right and forming our own management company seems the only feasible way to move forward."
Charlie Evans said, "I was extremely saddened to learn of what residents of Plas Panteidal have gone through. Everyone has the right to a home with drinking water, decent access and to have maintenance issues promptly dealt with. Trehaven have allowed this site to go into disrepair.
"The site is valued at minus £1.9 million. It seems unlikely that it will attract bids from other businesses. However, the community has rallied together and offered to take over the management of the site, bringing together the experience of all the residents and looking to resolve these problems, including taking on the public health charges.
"Cllr Brian and all the residents have my complete backing on this. Run by residents, not for profit- what is there not to like? I want to help in anyway I can to bring the liquidator around the table and discuss this very serious proposal by the Residents Association."
