Rhuddlan wildlife park work underway

Oct 15 2008 by David Rutland, Denbigh Visitor

Wildlife park

WORK has begun at a new community nature reserve – once earmarked for an industrial scale recycling facility.

Last year, Denbighshire County Council submitted plans to build the split-level recycling centre at the southern end of the Rhuddlan bypass, near Rhuddlan Castle.

The plan was aborted due to massive opposition and objections from the Environment Agency, who wanted planners to design the site so that it could deal with a “one-in-a-thousand-year” flood.

From the struggle, Rhuddlan Environment Group was formed, with a mission to convert the land into a wildlife park for the benefit of locals and visitors.

Brenda Taylor, group chairman, said: “At the moment, volunteers are hard at work, clearing the two fields of ragwort and then they’ll be flayed to remove all the thistles.

“We’ve been working day and night, from early morning until late since June. It’s been non-stop for the group and in December, we’ll spend 10 days laying hedges along the A525 to improve the views.”

When the volunteers aren’t working on the site, it is securely locked by Mike Beech of the Highways Department.

The 15 committee members and 75 volunteers have their work cut out and although businessman Ray Fagan has pledged £30,000 to help the work, money has not yet been forthcoming from other sources.

“We’ve applied for grants but we haven’t had anything through yet,” said Brenda. “We’re raising money ourselves and we’ve a grand raffle to be drawn on November 9.”

The site is home to families of otters and the group has the backing of local MPs.

An opening date for the nature reserve has not yet been set, but Brenda promises it will be spectacular when it happens.

“We’ve got really big plans,” she said. “We want it to be a splendid affair.”

david.rutland