Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail Sign up now! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A landowner has told a group of residents they must pay him up to £5000 to access the backs of their own homes with their cars.

Rolls Royce-driving millionaire Ian Jones, who owns Rhos on Sea Golf Club, bought the track behind Mount Pleasant cottages in Penrhynside last April.

He sent letters to all 14 households asking them for £350 each so he could widen the track and trim trees and hedges, saying in return they could continue to use it.

But he told the Daily Post no-one responded, and so now he has put a gate at the bottom of the track, which runs up to his house.

The residents say they can no longer park their cars at the backs of their houses.

(Image: Ian Cooper)

One householder, who did not want to be named, said: “This is a very upsetting situation for all of us.

“Historically, the track has always been used so that we can park our cars.

(Image: Ian Cooper)

“How are we ever going to sell our homes if need be if we can’t have proper access to the back of our homes.

“We are concerned about emergency services not being able to get to us.”

He added: “When we received the letters we didn’t want the road to change, it’s fine as it is.”

Mr Jones said former owner Harold Griffiths had had issues with the residents using the track, adding: “I can categorically say that it’s not true people have always had access with their cars to the back of their houses.”

(Image: Google)

He said he had installed the CCTV cameras after the padlocks on the gate had been vandalised with superglue four times.

He added: “The cottage owners have never wanted to pay for any maintenance. A letter was sent asking for £350 but nobody got back to me.”

(Image: Ian Cooper)

When asked about residents’ claims he wanted to maintain the track for his Rolls Royce, Mr Jones aded: “That just isn’t true, it’s only been up there twice in six to nine months, I store it elsewhere.”

The business owner pointed out that some cottage owners have parking bays in the front of their homes. He declined to comment on why he put the gates in.