SHOCKED residents fear they could lose chunks of their gardens after being warned they might have been extended without consent.

Denbighshire County Council has commissioned surveyors to write to people living in former council houses on Central Avenue in Prestatyn, saying some properties' boundaries have been moved and as a result, they could lose part of their land.

In letters seen by the Journal, Leeds-based Nabarro McAllister & Co says it is contacting residents to "remedy the position" of "occupied" land which is outside of their "legal title".

It is believed around 15 properties backing on to open land, known as the Morfa, have had their gardens extended beyond the original boundary.

Several residents claim the land was extended as part of an informal agreement between previous tenants and the county council, allowing them to reclaim areas of the Morfa from a heavy overgrowth of brambles beyond the original boundaries of the properties.

Others say they began renting or bought their homes with no knowledge that current boundaries encroached on council land.

One householder, who bought her home 21 years ago and asked not to be named, said: “We bought this house from a private owner and the garden was the same size as it is now.”

“There used to be a shed where my garden gnomes are now and we’ve also planted a plum tree, which was a Valentine’s present.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is my land and this is the size of the garden when I bought it.

“We bought this house because it backs on to the Morfa and my main concern would be about the council wanting to build on that land.”

Another resident, who bought her house 12 years ago, said: “There was never any fence to our garden.

"It just backed onto the open land and there were three fruit trees.

“The gardens were extended by previous owners but as far as I know, they did have permission.

“I like my garden the way it is and I’ve got six well-established fruit trees.”

Shirley Delhees – a council tenant for over 50 years, whose garden has not been extended – said: “It was so thick and overgrown that even the cats couldn’t get through it because the brambles and nettles were growing like mad.

“The brambles were over six feet high and we had to clear them two or three times a year.

"The council put up a higher fence for us, but it started to come through that fence.

"When the gardens were extended the council did nothing, probably because they wouldn’t have to look after the land.”

A spokesman for Denbighshire Council said: “We have written to householders as we believe some have extended the boundaries of their properties on to the council’s land without its consent or agreement.

"We are informing them that we will be seeking to reinstate the original boundaries to those that were agreed at the time of any sale and to mirror the land ownership records held by the Land Registry.”

Cllr Tina Jones, who represents Prestatyn central ward on Denbighshire Council, said: “None have the residents have contacted me as yet.

"It is something I will be looking into, and should they wish, I will act on their behalf.”