CRITICISM of the council’s maintenance of a nature reserve in Rhyl has continued following sightings of beer bottles and condom packets being littered at the site, as well as its apparent use as a “motorcycle track”.
Noel Martin lives on Maes-Y-Gog, by the Maes Gwilym nature reserve which, he told the Journal last month, has failed to be looked after properly by Denbighshire County Council (DCC), with little consultation, either.
Concerns raised previously included anti-social behaviour at the site, dog fouling, a build-up of traffic in the surrounding areas, and the proximity of newly planted trees to gardens and railway lines.
Now, following the fencing off or the site’s orchard area, Mr Martin said such litter problems have become more apparent, while other safety concerns have been exacerbated.
Mr Martin said: “Now that the area surrounding the ‘orchard’ is fenced off, we have gatherings of youths, clear to see are the beer bottles and cans and sadly, used condoms even hanging off tree branches. Some residents have reported dealers exchanging.
"They (condoms) were quite offensive, hanging on the trees, and there’s broken glass down there. You’re going to get a person or animal injured.
“We seem to have a motorcycle track too, usually at dusk. We think we know who that is.
“Safety issues remain concerning footings and not being taped off.”
Mr Martin has made numerous attempts to enter into a dialogue with DCC about the issue, and possibly arrange a site visit together to discuss the issues further.
But he added his disappointment that his last response from the council was more than two weeks ago, on April 12.
In November, DCC launched a public engagement scheme regarding the creation of four woodland sites in the county, including at Maes Gwilym, to help fight climate change.
This two-week consultation period was part of its bid to become Net Carbon Zero, and a more Ecologically Positive Council, by 2030.
Earlier in 2022, 5,000 new trees were planted across Denbighshire as part of the council’s woodland creation project, half of which were at Maes Gwilym.
Mr Martin added: “The frustrating part of it all is the lack of communication and certainly, no consultation has taken place.
“I can’t find anybody that’s been spoken to (about it). It’s totally frustrating; we’re not getting anywhere with them.
“The money they’ve spent has been spent unwisely.
“Because they’ve put waste rubble bricks as a foundation for the pathway, and then a soft core on the top, what’s happening is the bricks are rising up through, and the top layer will just blow off as soon as you get winds when it’s dry.
“Somebody will trip over; it’s just badly constructed in every way.
“The ‘new pond’, as they call it, has got about 1ft of water, and that’s going to be about the maximum it would ever be in the summer, simply because it’s in the wrong place.
“It only fills up in the winter, in heavy rain.
“If you’re going to create something, do it properly.”
READ MORE:
Council responds to residents’ issues regarding new Rhyl nature reserve
Anger at lack of consultation and maintenance for new Rhyl nature reserve
After Mr Martin wrote to Gareth Davies, MS for Vale of Clwyd, Mr Davies then contacted North Wales Police about the matter.
In a letter shown to the Journal, dated April 21, Inspector Jason Davies, district inspector for Denbighshire Coastal and Abergele, said he has asked for patrols in the area to be stepped up in the coming weeks.
Inspector Davies added that there have been 10 reports at the site in the last two years, six of which were made in 2020.
Though, he admitted, this may be due to “under-reporting of the issues if residents believe it is a worsening situation year on year”.
Inspector Davies wrote: “I would therefore strongly encourage residents to report all concerns and ensure they are supplied with a police reference number to refer to if necessary.
“This would also allow us to fully understand the scope of the issues and present evidence to partners for the need for further action.”
An incident involving a Rottweiler dog, Inspector Davies added, was investigated, but the suspect was not identified following police enquiries.
He added: “Dangerous dog offences in such areas can be very challenging to investigate if the suspect is not known to the victim.
“Given the location, there is usually a lack of witness/CCTV evidence which, of course, we rely on to build our case.
“Ideally, we would have CCTV coverage of the area, but as it stands, we would not have strong evidence to make the case for it.
“The local authority could certainly look at options to improve lighting which may assist in reducing antisocial behaviour and drug use.
“In the coming weeks, our Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) will be arranging Environmental Visual Audits (EVA) with local representatives.
“This is a useful opportunity for police to work with partners to identify actions to improve public safety.
“I will ask that an EVA is arranged for Maes Gwilym so that options to improve public safety are identified.
“In the meantime, I will ask our NPT to step up their patrol activity in the area, which should increase our understanding of the issues there and hopefully provide some reassurance to residents.”
In response to Mr Martin’s comments, a DCC spokesperson said that any cases of anti-social behaviour will be dealt with accordingly.
The spokesperson also explained the council’s reasoning for fencing off the orchard, adding that a voluntary group is intended to be set up to further assist in overseeing the site’s maintenance.
The spokesperson said: “We will be carrying out regular litter picks across the entire site and any instances of anti-social behaviour will be reported to the relevant authorities.
“The intention of fencing off the orchard is only to provide a quiet area for the resident wildlife.
“The council is aware of a local youth occasionally using the site on his motorcycle and again this will be dealt with appropriately.
“We originally carried out a leaflet drop at the adjacent housing estate inviting residents to attend a site walkabout/consultation event.
“This was followed up with an online consultation event and which followed the COVID guidelines that were in place at that time.
“The general feedback from residents on the ground has been very positive and the intention is to harness this enthusiasm and set up a ‘Friends of Maes Gwylim’ group and where regular practical conservation events will be organised.”
The spokesperson also reiterated the council’s willingness to have representatives meet Mr Martin at the site in future.
The council will also aim to keep disruption during construction work at the nature reserve to a minimum, and explained why, in response to Mr Martin’s criticisms of the pond, a low level of water has been chosen.
The spokesperson added: “We have also offered to meet this resident onsite and explain the project and will be happy to carry this out if this offer is accepted.
“The paths have been constructed using recycled material which is good practice and then finished with limestone dust.
“The dust does need a little time to compact but we are confident that the end result will be a sound surface providing access for all, and which was always our intention.
“The work is being carried out whilst adhering to health and safety regulations and a management plan is in place, which includes full maintenance responsibilities. There are no trip hazards on site.
“Disruption during the construction phase is being kept to a minimum, and all areas will be fully reinstated on completion.
“There are no costs for residents for future maintenance, and the species of trees chosen will not negatively affect adjacent properties as they mature.
“The pond has been designed to hold a low level of water. It is known as an ephemeral wildlife pond which provides the optimum conditions for many species. There is also a wide edge to the pond and where marginal vegetation has been planted.
“As is usually the case, it takes time to deliver biodiversity projects such as this to allow sites to mature, and we cannot expect immediate results.
“The council has a lot of experience in delivering similar projects and is very confident that the site will develop into a valuable nature area that local residents can feel proud of.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here