A SUPERMARKET chain has come under fire over an “eyesore” on the road into Flint.

Town councillor Ian Roberts is furious that Co-Operative bosses have allowed five properties to become derelict on the site of the group’s Somerfield store on Chester Road.

The empty houses, which have been empty for four years, were originally earmarked for an extension of the supermarket’s car park, but have been left to fall into disrepair.

Cllr Roberts said: “This is on a main road into Flint and it’s a real eyesore – it looks appalling.

“The gardens are in a disgraceful condition. They are so littered and messy. I think it’s disgraceful that residents have to put up with this.”

The boarded up properties, which, along with Somerfield, are owned by the Co-Operative Group, lie adjacent to the store’s car park.

Cllr Roberts is now calling on the supermarket chain to act.

He said: “I think Somerfield should have a responsibility, not only to the people who live in the area, but to the community of Flint as a whole.

“If they are not going to extend the car park then why not put the houses up for auction and let a developer buy them.

“I am calling on Somerfield to do something with these houses now.”

A spokesman for Somerfield said: “The integration of Somerfield into The Co-Operative Group has still to be completed. However, our property team is currently looking into the situation about these empty buildings and we hope to confirm our plans for them soon.”