Poles whose families fled to Wales during WW2 plead to save their bungalows from demolition after council planners gave housing society the go-ahead to build new ‘green’ homes

• EXCLUSIVE: Residents of Penrhos Polish Village are being forced to move

Polish residents whose families fled to Wales during the Second World War have pleaded to save their bungalows from being demolished in place of new green homes.  

Penrhos Polish Village, between Pwllheli and upmarket Abersoch, in Gwynedd, was formed in 1949 to house Polish families who were forced to flee their homes from the Nazis and later Soviet Russia. 

Members of these families, some of whom served with the British armed forces, still live there but now face having to move again 74 years after they first arrived following a council vote to go ahead with new re-development plans. 

They have begged council planners to rethink their decision to allow developers ClwydAlyn Housing to replace the buildings and build ‘affordable’ new homes in their place. 

ClwydAlyn said many of the homes needed ‘significant investment to bring them up to standard, including improvements to the energy efficiency of the buildings.’ The ‘best option’ is to demolish them and build new low carbon homes. 

Polish residents whose families fled to Wales during WW2 have pleaded to save their bungalows in Penrhos Polish Village (pictured) from being demolished in place of new green homes  

Members of these families still live there, including 90-year-old Maria Owsianka (pictured) but now face having to move again 74 years after they first arrived following a council vote to go ahead with new re-development plans

Maria’s husband Adam (pictured), 89, who was a civil and structural engineer, said developers ClwydAlyn Housing, who want to replace the buildings and build ‘affordable’ new homes in their place,  are disrupting residents’ lives ‘unnecessarily’

Maria Owsianka, 90, who left Poland post-war, said : ‘We have beautiful houses. We are very happy with the house, it’s built solidly.’

She feared under the plans ‘there will be no village life at all because there will be nowhere for people to meet.’

Mrs Owsianka said : ‘Nearly five years I have lived here. Some people have lived here many more years. Our bungalow isn’t below standard, it is perfectly adequate.

‘Obviously some have to be replaced, I think they want to make everything look the same.’

Her husband Adam, 89, who was a civil and structural engineer, said : ‘They are disrupting our lives unnecessarily.’

Maria Kosiba, 62, a retired manicurist whose late mother was evacuated to Scotland during the war, urged : ‘Please don’t destroy our village.

‘I have been here 20 years. It’s ideal, it’s a lovely place. Penrhos has a nice community spirit, we are all friendly here.’

However, some residents say they are in favour of the plans and believe the re-development would benefit residents and the local community.

Joseph Kopydlowski, 77, who’s lived there two decades, said he was ‘happy’ with the proposals and neighbours’ concerns about being ‘thrown out’ of their bungalows were ‘unfounded.’

Maria Kosiba (pictured), 62, a retired manicurist whose late mother was evacuated to Scotland during the war, urged the developers: ‘Please don’t destroy our village.’

However, some residents including Joseph Kopydlowski (pictured), 77, say they are in favour of the plans and

Michael Drewenski, extra care manager for ClwydAlyn, said the developer’s plans will make the area ‘a much better place to live’ 

Penrhos Polish Village is located between Pwllheli and upmarket Abersoch, in Gwynedd

The village formed in 1949 to house Polish families who were forced to flee their war-torn homes from the Nazis during and after the Second World War 

Buildings in the village currently include 90 sheltered homes a church (pictured) and communal lounges

The village were formed when rows of wooden barracks were used to house Polish soldiers

A concept drawing of the plans which have been submitted by Clwyd Alyn Housing Ltd

Michael Drewenski, extra care manager for ClwydAlyn, said: ‘It will be a much better place to live. A lot of the existing homes are not fit for purpose.’ 

Craig Sparrow, director of development at ClwydAlyn, said :’It’s understandable that some residents are apprehensive about the redevelopment, but we are passionate about retaining the strong sense of community that currently exists at Penrhos as the site moves into the next chapter of its history.’ 

Officials at Gwynedd Council voted seven to five in favour of ClwydAlyn’s plans with one councillor abstaining.

Buildings in the village currently include 90 sheltered homes as well as communal lounges. Under the plans an existing church, canteen and dining room would remain, along with a memorial garden.

MailOnline has contacted ClwydAlyn Housing for comment. 

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