Plan for £3m town dementia centre

Mario Kreft with Ian Lucas MP and Lesley Griffiths AM at Penybryn

A care organisation is planning to build a £3m centre in Wrexham for people with dementia problems.

The Pendine Park care organisation said its proposal on the outskirts of the town would create 75 jobs.

The initiative has been welcomed by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas and newly-elected AM Lesley Griffiths, who both say there is a need for the specialist care.

Pendine Park already runs a unit for young people with head injuries and neurological disorders.

The £2m Penybryn unit offers assistance for up to 38 people.

It is now to lodge a planning application for the dementia centre for up to 64 people.

Respite care

Both Mr Lucas and Ms Griffiths recently visited the Penybryn unit, and she said: "It's very impressive, very light and airy and I can see that young people would feel very much at home here."

Mr Lucas added: "I know there's a huge need for a dementia care centre and will be an increasing need in years to come.

"We need a specialist dementia service and very much more respite care for families who want to care for their loved ones as long as possible at home but need a break from time to time>"

Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft said they were trying to "meet the local needs" and the centre would be "world class".

"We are very keen to have very small, state-of-the-art units where people can come for respite.

"We're looking at a total of 64 beds which would be split down into eight units of eight people, all with their own staff and day facilities."