2 months ago
5
A village row has broken out after a businessman destroyed a bed of wildflowers outside his house.
Wind turbine company director Mike Hodgson, 54, pulled out the colourful herbs and flowers less than 24 hours after the community planter had been finished by volunteers.
Mr Hodgson and his partner Shirin Poostchi, 55, allegedly took "power tools and crowbars" to destroy the bed of blooms next to his home in Gwaenysgor, Flintshire.
Mr Hodgson has not responded to efforts by BBC Wales to contact him, but told the Wales News Service agency: "To be honest it is not something we want to be dealing with."
Ms Poostchi added: "We're trying to get on with our day at work."
The couple were filmed as they climbed on to the soil and pulled out the plants.
Local people said there had been an ongoing planning dispute with Mr Hodgson after he moved into the village about 10 years ago.
Neighbour Andy Clarke, 58, said the flowers had been planted with the support of the community council and were not on the couple's land, but next to it.
He added: "Members of the public had to sit on the bed to stop them destroying it. The police were called but no-one was cautioned or arrested."
The planter was one of six planned to be set up on areas of unkempt and unadopted ground around the village.
Mr Clarke said the raised bed was planted to "brighten things up" as part of the Britain in Bloom competition.
"We hoped it would last a long time but it didn't even last a day," he added.
Mr Clarke filmed the incident and posted it on Facebook, and was heard telling Mr Hodgson that "everybody will see what kind of creature you are".
Mark Isherwood, a Conservative Member of the Senedd (MS), told the BBC it was "regrettable that one household acted unilaterally against the actions and intentions of the wider community, but beyond that I cannot comment".
He said he ultimately hoped it could be resolved so "people in the community no longer feel unsafe or uncomfortable when out and about in their own village."
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Hodgson said "this matter stems from a long-standing conflict within the community”, adding that the flower bed "encroaches on the property where we conduct our business and was erected without planning permission in a conservation area".
"Our company is deeply committed to recycling and green energy, and we have always strived to maintain our premises in a manner consistent with these values.
"Unfortunately, the planter in question includes materials that are not environmentally friendly, such as plastic and concrete, which conflicts with our sustainability efforts.
"We requested the individuals responsible for the planter to move it and provided them with a 24-hour window to do so. When this was not accomplished, we proceeded to remove the planter ourselves.
"I want to be clear that there was no aggression or hostility on our part; we simply exercised our right to maintain a space that already contained plants and herbs, in a rockery style."
Inspector Wesley Williams of North Wales Police said: "I am aware of ongoing concerns raised by residents in the Gwaenysgor area and of images in connection with an incident released in the media.
"Prior to the incident, I have had discussions with relevant partners and Senedd members to understand the concerns and issues within the village and to be able to provide longer-term community support."
Additional reporting by Terel Edmunds
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