AN OVERGROWN piece of land has been branded an “eyesore”.

The area on Ffordd Penrhwylfa in Prestatyn has been compared to a jungle and has sparked a number of complaints from residents.

Prestatyn south west ward county and town councillor Gareth Lloyd Davies has called on Natural Resources Wales (NRW), who are responsible for the site, to deal with the problem urgently.

NRW told the Journal, however, that work to cut and manage vegetation will not start until the end of August or early September to coincide with the end of the bird-nesting season.

Cllr Davies said: “Visibly, the area looks a bit of a sight. The shrubbery has got quite high and it is causing resident distress as it puts pressure on people’s back fences.

“There are a lot of elderly residents around the area and I’m just wondering, in future, if this work can be rescheduled and brought forward.

“I’m no bird expert but I understand that it’s important that birds continue to nest there.

“It would be good to see if a happy medium can be achieved or to schedule works in at the beginning of the summer before nesting season to prevent distress for residents and to keep the area looking well kept.

“It doesn’t give a good view of the town. This area is viewed as the ‘gateway’ to Prestatyn and it doesn’t give the best welcome.”

Cllr Davies said he would be satisfied if some of the shrubbery could be “just trimmed back”.

“Even if Natural Resources Wales took the tops off and just did a bit of maintenance to keep it on track,” he added.

“I’ve unfortunately had to take to Twitter and start a campaign to get it sorted because I’ve had limited luck with communication.

“We have pride in our area – we’ve got a playgroup on the one side and new houses on the other. We need to reach a happy medium.

“It is such a perennial issue. The weather, obviously has had an impact on growth, but it is on par with last year.

“I wish they (NRW) were a bit more proactive in doing this and I’m not having to chase them every year.”

Sara Pearson, NRW Clwyd team leader said: “We maintain main rivers to help manage flood risk.

“Our work to cut and manage vegetation that could impede the flow of water and contribute to flood risk starts at the end of August or early September to coincide with the end of bird-nesting season.

“This work makes sure that that the channel is cleared in preparation for the autumn and winter months when we expect greater rainfall.

“During the summer, we continue to monitor the situation, clearing grids, ensuring our structures are working and responding to blockages in the river as necessary.”