Another row over the management of car parking at a store in Rhyl has erupted.

This time it is centred on the car park at the Home Bargains in Marsh Road, which has been run for a number of years by the management company, Parking Eye.

It has emerged that the company does not have planning permission for automatic number plate recognition cameras and associated signage.

It may therefore have been wrongly charging drivers for overstaying or parking in bays reserved for parents and children and disabled people.

The company has recently applied to Denbighshire County Council for retrospective planning permission for four cameras, and 19-pole mounted and two wall-mounted signs.

Only months ago there was a similar dispute with the company which managed the car park at the Matalan store in Rhyl.

This was only resolved after Denbighshire planners granted retrospective planning permission.

Graeme Rich, who jointly manages the Rhyl Forum Facebook page, said: “Parking Eye has applied for retrospective planning permission for a number of automatic number plate recognition cameras and signage at Home Bargains.

“Yet this was all installed a number of years ago.

“People can stay in the car park for an hour and a half free, but if they overstay, park in the wrong type of bay or park there after the store has closed, they face a fine of £85.

“As Parking Eye hasn’t got planning permission for the cameras and signs, they can’t charge for parking, although Home Bargains owns the site.”

He said this issue had echoes of the recent row over car parking at the Matalan store in Rhyl.

He added: “As with the Matalan issue, the public has the right to comment or object to this application and if it is refused, Parking Eye has a serious issue. It appears that parking charges or fines from July 2013 for overstaying or non compliance with designated bays, etc. are illegal or unenforceable based on a lack of planning permission.”

Cllr Patricia Jones, who sits on both Rhyl Town Council and Denbighshire County Council, said: “This problem only came to my notice a fortnight ago and it quite shocked me.

“As with the Matalan issue these companies should make sure they have all the permissions in place before they start charging. It is unfair to residents.”

Nobody at Denbighshire County Council was available for comment as the Journal went to press.

A ParkingEye spokesperson, said: "ParkingEye is a member of the British Parking Association and follows its code of practice. We support landowners in obtaining the necessary consents they require, if needed. A retrospective application for planning in no way affects whether parking charges can be enforced."