A BANGOR amenity group has welcomed news that developers may be ‘caught in knots’ with their latest development.

Bangor Civic Society is welcoming a delay in the 55 house Watkin Jones phase II development planned on the former Dickies Boatyard site at Hirael Bay after Japanese Knotweed was found.

The notorious weed can damage buildings and construction sites, negatively affect mortgage applications and it can take many years to eradicate.

The society’s secretary Don Mathew said: “We have seen the latest report on this situation and it is quite serious. Knotweed is very difficult to kill off. There is only one form of herbicide which works and that must be sprayed on the roots of the plant. To get to this the developers are going to have to strip back the thousands of tons of slate waste they deposited on the site.”

Y Bae Owner Occupiers Association secretary Sue Jones said: “What our members are concerned about is the site is not secure, people walk on it all the time as it is only partially fenced. People could spread the knotweed on their shoes. We want to know from the council what is going to happen now, what safety measures are being put in place and what are they going to do about the 19,000 tons of slate stockpiled there?

"If they spray chemicals, it could go on for years, what about the environment, wildlife and marine ecology?

Don Mathew added: “This delay could be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps Watkin Jones will take their very unpopular plans back to the drawing board and come up with something more in keeping with Hirael Bay and its glorious surroundings.”

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “A planning application to extend the timescale allowed to complete works to raise the ground levels at the former Dickies Boatyard in Bangor, was reported to the Council’s Planning Committee on March 19, 2018.

“The Planning Committee decided to defer the decision in order to ensure that appropriate consideration was given to issues relating to Japanese Knotweed on the site. The Council is currently in discussion with the applicant and relevant interested parties and there is no date confirmed at present for report the application back to the Planning Committee.

“The responsibilities in relation to Japanese Knotweed ultimately lies with the landowner, but the presence of Japanese Knotweed on this site is one of the issues that will need to be considered in dealing with the planning application.”

Watkin Jones was contacted for a comment.