COUNCIL officials missed opportunities to protect a public footpath which they now want reinstated, it has been claimed.

At a virtual inquiry planning consultant John Wilcock said that when three different applications were submitted for the development of land at Meliden, near Prestatyn, over a 15-year period Denbighshire County Council’s highways and footpaths officers made no reference to the path through the site.

When metal gates were erected across the path in 2018 local residents complained to the authority and the inquiry, which concluded on Tuesday was to consider the council’s order to register the path as an official right of way.

The principal objection to the order came from Varis Homes, who bought the site in 2020 and have built seven executive homes costing about £500,000 each.

Of 34 residents who supported the order 29 gave evidence that they had used the footpath, which links the A547 Rhuddlan – Prestatyn road with the Prestatyn – Dyserth walkway, consistently over at least 20 years.

Former county councillor Peter Evans told the inquiry that his father had told him that the path had been used by workers going to the leadmines in the mid-19th century.

Mr Wilcock said he didn’t think that was “historically accurate” and that the lack of reference to the right of way by council officers in relation to previous planning applications in 2008 and 2014 indicated that none existed.

The inquiry heard that Ronald Harrison-Jones, former owner of the site, erected signs warning people to keep off the land and though the signs were vandalised Mr Wilcock argued the signs referred not only to the development site alongside the path.

“It’s a very strong message that there should be no intrusion onto the site,” he said.

“Where the signs were was not inviting people to keep to the track but not to progress beyond that point.”

Mr Harrison-Jones also placed a large concrete block on the path but residents said they understood that was to prevent vehicular access.

The lower part of the path now forms the tarmac estate road and the upper part has been fenced off.

Welsh Government inspector Janine Townsley will visit the site today (Thursday).