POLITICIANS have joined the fight against a proposed council depot close to the Rhuddlan Nature Reserve.
Rhuddlan residents and members of the Rhuddlan Environment Group met Dafydd Wigley, the Plaid Cymru President, and Caryl Wyn-Jones, the party’s prospective candidate for the Vale of Clwyd, to spread the word in their battle against the proposed location of the depot at the entrance of the reserve.
Mr Wigley and Ms Wyn-Jones have vowed to do all they can to help the residents, notably Andrew and Danielle Dawson, of St Asaph Road, who live close to the site which would be used to store highways materials.
Ms Wyn-Jones said: “I am deeply concerned and disheartened at Denbighshire County Council’s plans to build a holding depot right on the doorstep of the Dawson family. Building this holding depot will not only affect the nature and purpose of the area but will affect the family’s health and wellbeing.”
She is now planning to speak to Ministers about whether the development is in conflict with the council’s plans for the area and if such a development on a flood plain contravenes environmental policy.
Mr Wigley said: “There are clearly strong local feelings on this issue and I shall be co-operating in every way I can with Caryl to ensure that the concerns of the protestors are fully investigated and that a satisfactory outcome can be achieved which meets local misgivings.”
In a statement, Brenda Taylor, of the environment group, and Mr Dawson said: “This site should be regarded as sacrosanct unless it can be established beyond all doubt that a more suitable site cannot be found for the proposed highway facility, or failing to find a site suitable we could also enter into a partnership with our neighbouring authority Conwy.”
A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said the authority has worked closely with a management advisory group to develop plans for the nature reserve for the benefit of residents.
He added: “Part of the site has been used for many years to temporarily store highways materials, and the council is retaining a small part of the site for this occasional use."