Kateryna Górodnycha, her son and their sponsors have been living in a hostel and with sponsors since they left Kyiv during the war.
Some of the first people in Llantwit Major, in the Vale of Glamorgan, to move into temporary homes.
“I love it!” said Ms Gorodnycha. “This is our first home in Wales,” Ms Gorodnycha said: “We have been living in a single room. My son is very happy to finally have his own room.
Some local residents have branded the 90-unit project, which will house homeless families and refugees, as an “eyesore”. They claim that there was no consultation.
Vale of Glamorgan Council said that there is an “urgent” need for homes for homeless families and refugees. They also said there has been an “engagement process” among locals.
The local authority does not need to obtain planning permission in order to build the units that will last for five years.
Ms Gorodnycha was a TV producer in Kyiv before she fled Ukraine. She moved in with her teenaged son into the new emergency housing last week.
“Before the end of February 2022, I had a beautiful apartment in Kyiv located on the 17th Floor next to the Dnipro River. I also had grants for a documentary.
“It was an enjoyable life… but it all fell apart in a single night.
“But I’m very grateful for [this] [home] and the kindness of people.”
Ms Gorodnycha said, “We didn’t have a clue what to do with all the space when we first moved into our new home.”
She said that she saw her son taking a kettle into the bathroom to get water and reminded him that there was a kitchen sink.
She jokingly said, “Our first night went perfectly because I had my own room and didn’t hear my sons snoring.”
Kateryna lived with sponsors in Cowbridge, and at a hostel near Barry. She said that the new location is a “dream”.
“In Ukraine, there are not many places along the coast… going to the beach is a big event. But here, you can walk and see the waves and the sea.”
Kate Hollinshead from the Vale of Glamorgan Council said that about 300 people would live on the site currently half-full, split 50/50 by Ukrainian refugees and homeless families.
She said that the first priority would be to provide housing for Ukrainian refugees, but we would also give priority to families who were homeless in the Vale of Glamorgan and had been living in temporary accommodations.
The units consist of a mix between one- and two-storey homes with one, two, and three beds. They are intended to be used temporarily until permanent housing can be found.
Steve McGranaghan retired RAF engineer, who lives adjacent to the units, is not pleased with the new development.
“I feel very disillusioned, and broken,” said he.
“It has affected my health and caused me sleepless night, this was done behind closed doors by council.”
“It cost 25 million pounds, which is the largest investment the town has ever made at the government level. And we end up with a carbuncle.”
The Welsh government and Vale of Glamorgan Council have invested around PS25 million in the development of the former Eagleswell School site.
Dave Thomas, a member of the Eagleswell action Facebook group with 2000 members, said that the development looked like “his shed with a felt roofing”.
“When it came to planning, the units were already built. They wouldn’t say that 25 million pounds was spent and take them away,” he said.
“There was no regard for anyone who lived here already. It was just a way to achieve a goal.
“They decided to squeeze in as many units as possible and get as much people on board as we could, regardless of the cost.”
The Vale of Glamorgan Council said that they had seen “unprecedented” levels of extreme housing needs.
A spokesperson for Heol Croeso, the new name of the site, said: “The Council has been involved in extensive communications and engagement activities with Llantwit major residents regarding the Heol Croeso Development.”
“The development went through normal planning and was approved by the committee after meeting all the necessary requirements.”
“Steps have been taken to maintain privacy, and to address other concerns that were raised as part of this process.”
The units can remain in place up to five years. Plans for their removal will be released in the next twelve months.
Read More @ www.bbc.com