A residents’ group has accused Conwy of being “undemocratic” after councillors granted permission for a 3G pitch at a Penrhyn Bay school, despite over 500 objection letters from residents.

At a planning committee meeting at Bodlondeb in October, Conwy Council was granted permission to build the artificial grass pitch at fields at Ysgol y Creuddyn in Penrhyn Bay.

Following several public meetings, the council received 567 objection letters, including two petitions, with 39 letters of support also received for its own planning application.

The planning committee granted the application, despite the residents’ claims the pitch would cause noise and light pollution, anti-social behaviour and damage the environment.

The residents also raised concerns about the microplastics used on the pitch, which are banned in the EU due to safety fears.

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The council, which says “due planning processes were followed”, will now build the pitch and its six floodlights on the fields behind the school at Derwen Lane.

The Objectors’ Group say Conwy Council failed to listen to residents living on nearby streets.

Speaking on behalf of the group, campaigner Linda Johnson said: “The decision is very undemocratic.

“Certainly the committee have not taken so many objections into consideration.

“The blasé attitude of the councillors at the meeting, it was horrendous to have to sit there and not be able to correct them on the information that was coming out of some of the mouths of the councillors.

“The councillors are elected to represent the public, but they’ve not taken into consideration the impact this will have on residents.

“The community has not been shown any concern at all. Everything has been ignored, 500 plus objections compared to 40-odd letters of support.

“What was the point of those 500 people writing in objection?

“The school was there first, but the houses are here now, and people live in them 24/7.

“Experts have said the 3G pitches are very dangerous, but it has all been ignored. We’ve been ignored.”

A spokeswoman for Conwy County Council commented: “Due planning processes were followed by the authority in relation to this matter.”