Developer loses appeal over Bettisfield meadow rubbish removal

Resident Paul Griffiths claimed the rubbish was "unsightly and may pose a danger to children"

A developer accused of turning a meadow into a "rubbish tip" has lost an appeal against an enforcement order to clean it up.

Gurjit Mahal, of Taylor Reed Homes, had contested Wrexham council's order to clear waste and an outbuilding on land in Bettisfield.

But a planning inspector upheld the original order, saying Mr Mahal did not have permission to develop the site.

However he extended the time to remove the waste from 35 days to three months.

The company had previously demolished the nearby Nag's Head to create four houses and had placed waste on the land in Eatonsfield Close.

Mr Mahal had argued in his appeal that the council was wasting his time as he intended to put houses on that site too.

However inspector Aidan McCooey rejected the appeal saying Mr Mahal did not have permission to develop the site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

His decision comes after Natural Resources confirmed the site was subject to a separate notice aimed at preventing harm to great crested newts and their habitat.

Residents in the village near the Shropshire border had previously written to Mr McCooey to criticise the condition of the area.

Paul Griffiths, whose house backs on to it, said: "I moved to Bettisfield over 20 years ago as it's a well kept village, where everyone takes pride in their property, but since Taylor Reed Homes took over the beautiful meadow at the rear of my house it has been transformed into a rubbish tip."