Since leaving their home in Kiev when the war with Russia broke out, Kateryna Gorodnycha and her son have been living with sponsors and in a hostel.

They are some of the first people to move into temporary cottages in Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.

“I really like it. It’s our first house in Wales,” said Mrs Gorodnycha: “We live in one room. My son is very happy to have his own bedroom.”

However, the 90-unit project – which will house refugees and homeless families – has been branded “a hoot” by some local residents who claim there was no consultation process.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council said there was an “urgent need” for homes for refugees and homeless families and there was an “engagement process” with local people.

Permitted development rights meant the local authority did not need planning permission to build the units, which will take five years.

Before fleeing Ukraine, Ms. Gorodnycha worked and lived in Kiev as a TV producer. She moved into the new emergency accommodation with her teenage son last week.

“Before February 2022 I had a nice apartment in Kiev on the 17th floor near the Dnipro river and I had grants to shoot a documentary.

“It was a good life…it all came crashing down in one night.

“But I’m very grateful for this (home) and how kind people have been.”

“We didn’t know what to do when we first moved in because of all the space,” Ms Gorodnycha added.

She said she saw her son take a kettle to the bathroom for water and had to remind him that they now have a kitchen sink.

“Our first night was perfect because I have my own bedroom and I didn’t hear my son snoring,” she joked.

Kateryna has lived with sponsors near Cowbridge and a hostel in Barry and said her home’s new location was “a dream”.

“In Ukraine there are not many places on the coast … it’s a huge event to go to the beach, but here you can just walk and see the sea and the waves.”

Kate Hollinshead, from the Vale of Glamorgan council, said around 300 people would live in the currently half-built site, split 50/50 between Ukrainian refugees and homeless families.

“Ukrainian refugees will be allocated first, but we will also allocate to homeless families in the Vale of Glamorgan who have been living in temporary accommodation,” she said.

The units are a mix of single and double storey, one, two, three and four bed houses for short-term use until more permanent accommodation is secured.

However, not everyone is happy with the new development, said retired RAF engineer Steve McGranaghan, who lives opposite the units.

“I feel very disappointed and broken,” he said.

“It affected my health and gave me sleepless nights, this was a deal done behind closed doors by the council.

“It cost £25 million, which is the biggest investment the city has had at government level, and we end up with this carbuncle.”

The Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Welsh Government have invested in the development at a cost of around £25 million in the former Eagleswell School.

Dave Thomas, of the 2,000-member Eagleswell Facebook action group, said the project looked like his “felt-roofed shed”.

“When this went to planning it was already set, they were already being built and they’re not going to say it’s £25m spent, let’s take the units,” he said.

“There was no consideration for anyone already living here, it was just a means to an end.

“They decided let’s put in as many units as possible, squeeze them in and get as many people in as we can and who cares how much it costs.”

The Vale of Glamorgan Council said they had seen “unprecedented levels of extreme housing need”.

A spokesman for the site, now known as Heol Croeso, said: “The council has been involved in extensive communication and engagement with Llantwit Major residents regarding the development of Heol Croeso.

“The development went through the normal planning process and was approved by the commission after meeting the necessary requirements.

“Steps have been taken to maintain confidentiality and address other concerns raised in this process.

“The facilities are allowed to remain in place for a maximum of five years and plans for their removal will be published within the next 12 months.”