A LAND owner has blasted critics of a proposed 133-home development after "petty" concerns were aired at a public meeting.

Mary Ward, who owns Mindale Farm in Meliden with husband Warren, attended the meeting flanked by her son and Hollywood actor Spencer Wilding.

Penrhyn Homes have submitted plans to Denbighshire County Council for 133 houses on the land.

Picture and video: Geoff Abbott

The meeting was held in Meliden Community Centre on Wednesday (September 19) and organised by former councillor and mayor Bob Patterson, whose home in Ffordd Ty Newydd will neighbour the new development if it gets the green light.

The majority of the 60 residents at the meeting were opposed to the project and listened to concerns about congestion, infrastructure, flooding and historic mining activity.

The meeting became heated when issues such as sink holes, possible subsidence, property devaluation and dead sheep were mentioned without "any evidence".

Mrs Ward agreed that "genuine concerns" should be addressed but said a lot of the issues raised were nothing more than "scaremongering".

"People are welcome to their own opinions but there was no need for the aggression," said Mrs Ward.

"Denbighshire council invited us to put our land into the Local Development Plan and that was out of the blue over six years ago.

"There are reports that have to be done on these sort of things [concerns] and I assume it wouldn't have been accepted by the planners if they hadn't looked into them.

"We've lived here for 33 years and we've never seen sink holes or any subsidence so that's not fair and I'm sure any genuine concerns will be addressed," she said.

Mr Paterson said the proposed site of the new development would be built over two historic lead mines.

"There is a history of sink holes in the Meliden area which is believed to have been caused by the old lead mines," said Mr Paterson.

"Because there are two mine veins in the area their is a possibility of sink holes and that needs further investigation.

"As for the flooding the enquiry came back with insufficient details about the quantity of water run off from the existing estate into the development.

"There is nothing to say how much water is going to run off and even though there had been no rain for months you could still hear a lot of water running underground in Ffordd Gwilym," he said.

Pete Harrison, who lives around one mile away from Mindale Farm and attended the meeting, said his main concern was also about drainage.

“My residence is about one mile from the proposed development," he said.

"I am extremely concerned about the increased chance of flooding due to the increased surface and underground water run off from this area above us. Our house was flooded as recently as July 2017. Hence my interest in this development.

"I fully agree with the need to build new housing, but feel that consideration should be given to existing householders further “downstream” that could suffer dramatic consequences due to surface water run off and other flood risks.

"The proposed lagoons could in fact further add to the risk downstream during high levels of rainfall if they were to overflow whilst protecting the new development but increasing the risk for areas of Prestatyn below the development.”

An elderly woman, who also didn't want to be named, spoke in support of the plans.

She said: "I want to say - wake up Meliden.

"It means more money coming in, council tax and money can be spent on local amenities.

"Meliden is sticking its head into the sand. I know a lot of people don't want this but you've got to get with the 21st century. Houses are desperately needed - there are young families desperate for places."

Plans are available for public viewing in Prestatyn Library and in the Church of St Melyd in Ffordd Talagorch.

The matter, which is in a consultation period, will be discussed by Prestatyn Town Council next Wednesday.