A dispute has arisen between the operators of the Hillgrove supported housing facility in Bangor and Cyngor Gwynedd over whether young people experiencing homelessness should be referred to the site.

Hillgrove, a former school building redeveloped into a 19-bed ensuite facility, opened in June 2025 with the aim of supporting young people aged 16–25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. However, despite vacant capacity at the facility, the council has not referred residents under its current commissioning arrangements.

The issue gained wider attention following a report by journalist Will Hayward, who highlighted the presence of empty beds at Hillgrove while young people in Gwynedd remain in emergency accommodation. 

Hillgrove’s Position

The facility was developed by Susan Ashworth and Mark Watkin Jones as part of philanthropic work and is operated in partnership with Digartref Cyf, a charity with experience running supported housing provision in North Wales.

The model was designed to provide supported accommodation for up to two years, and longer where appropriate, giving young people stability, guidance and time to build independence, alongside access to education, work experience and employment opportunities.

According to those behind the project, when they approached Cyngor Gwynedd seeking referrals for young people aged 16–25, the council instead proposed that the building be used to accommodate single men aged 25–50, alongside the operation of a daily drop-in centre.

Hillgrove’s management state that this would be inconsistent with the building’s intended purpose and safeguarding model.

Mark Watkin Jones said: “Hillgrove exists to give young people a real chance at a future – not to be repurposed into something it was never designed to be. It is deeply troubling that young people from Gwynedd are denied access to supported accommodation in their own county while beds sit empty. This is not a lack of resources – it is a failure of decision-making. Young people in Gwynedd deserve the same chances as those elsewhere — geography should not decide who gets help.”

A further statement from Watkin Property Ventures said: “This article by Will Hayward highlights a deeply frustrating situation. A purpose-built facility for young people experiencing homelessness is left with empty beds because a council will not refer to it. At a time of significant need, access to high-quality provision is being overlooked.”

Cyngor Gwynedd’s Response

Cyngor Gwynedd says its priority is ensuring that no one in the county is without a home.

A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said:“No person in Gwynedd should be without a home – this is our priority as a Council.

“In 2025, Cyngor Gwynedd met with the owners and management of Hillgrove to discuss their plans and how they may be able to help us to achieve this.

“During these discussions, we shared with them that the highest priority need for homelessness support within the county are people aged between 25-50 as they represent 80% of all homeless individuals in Gwynedd.

“The owners explained to us that Hillgrove is primarily aimed at young people between 16 and 25 years old. However, Cyngor Gwynedd already has contracts in place with several experienced local providers to support young people across the county.

“We thank the owners of Hillgrove for their eagerness to make a positive contribution, and we will explore other possible options for the future for the benefit of people in Gwynedd.

“As a Council, our priority is to achieve the best possible outcomes for our most vulnerable people, and we are committed to working with partners to achieve this.”

In a further statement, the council said:

“Hillgrove is the responsibility of a partnership between the Digartref Cyf charity and Watkin Property Ventures. It appears that the site receives placements from across North Wales as well as from multiple agencies.

Hillgrove is not a Cyngor Gwynedd development, we are not involved in its management and it is separate to our statutory responsibilities for housing Gwynedd residents. Cyngor Gwynedd informed Digartref Cyf that the highest priority need for homelessness support within the county is individuals between 25-50, as this cohort represents over 80% of all the people the Council currently supports. However, at no stage has the Council entered into formal discussions with the partnership to use the Hillgrove site.

Cyngor Gwynedd already commissions several experienced local providers to support young people within the county who are at risk from homelessness, and any additional provision would need to be commissioned using recognised tendering processes to ensure fairness and transparency for all providers.”

Context and Figures

A Freedom of Information request reported that 107 young people aged 16–25 were classed as homeless in Gwynedd in October 2025. The council has clarified that this figure includes those already supported by existing providers, hostels, targeted and floating support, and not necessarily in emergency accommodation.

Cyngor Gwynedd has also stated this week that:

There are currently around 25 people within the 16–25 age bracket who are homeless and are in emergency accommodation across Gwynedd. They receive support that is tailored to their individual needs including access to work in their community, securing permanent accommodation, access to mental health support.

Cyngor Gwynedd aims to place homeless people close to support networks such as family and friends. For example, to relocate a vulnerable young person from the south of Meirionnydd or Pen Llŷn to Bangor, many miles away, might cause further stress or challenges for the individual.

Locating all of Gwynedd’s young homeless people in one location does not offer the best way forward in terms of meeting their housing or support needs.

Cyngor Gwynedd’s priority is to provide accommodation for homeless young people in locations that keep them safe, and, if in shared accommodation, that they are able to co-habit in a way that does not have a negative impact upon their well-being.

When considering the housing needs of homeless people, Cyngor Gwynedd – like all other local authorities in Wales – must adhere to Welsh Government Code of Guidance and Housing (Wales) Act 2014: Part 2.

Cyngor Gwynedd currently commissions specialist providers to provide suitable accommodation for individuals facing homelessness. Commissioning follows current Welsh Government and Cyngor Gwynedd procurement policies. The majority of provision is funded via the Welsh Government’s, Housing Support Grant, which places conditions on how the funding is used.

The Central Issue

The disagreement centres on how homelessness provision should be prioritised, commissioned and delivered – specifically whether Hillgrove should operate under its original 16-25 model or be integrated into the council’s wider strategic approach, which prioritises the 25–50 age group.

Both parties state that their focus is on supporting vulnerable people in Gwynedd. The difference lies in how that support should be structured, funded and managed within existing statutory and procurement frameworks.

Photo: Hillgrove, Bangor