Campaigners against the controversial Aqua Park development at Cosmeston Lakes have hit back at social media comments from the leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council.

In a post published on her Facebook page on Sunday, Lis Burnett accused opponents of the water park attraction of "malicious tripe" and basing their campaigns on "disinformation".

Hundreds of people gathered at two protests against the Aqua Park site, which is due to open next month and create 40 jobs locally.

Campaigners are also considering legal action and planning to commission their own ecological study of the eastern lake.

Further protests are also planned at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on 25th June, with a silent protest due to be held at Cosmeston on Saturday 5th, when the park opens.

Cllr Burnett said: "There is a fair amount of rubbish being spread at present, sadly, much appears to be deliberate, so I thought I'd provide some clarification."

She added, "Currently, there are campaigns against the Aqua Park based on misinformation. There is a lot of talk about harm to wildlife. It is worth noting that there are over 300,000 visitors a year to Cosmeston and a lot of them with dogs."

"I think we've all witnessed 'poo-trees'. The vast majority of visitors stay around the Eastern Lake where any wildlife is very used to people and noise."

"That lake and surrounding area is periodically used for paddle boarding, canoeing, diving etc. and a very popular park run. Supervised swimming has always been allowed; there was once a roped off swimming area. It's only unsupervised swimming that is not allowed."

"The aqua park will take only 5% of the Eastern Lake on the busiest side leading towards the large play area."

Cllr Burnett continued: "On a personal note, I would not consider anything that might have a negative impact on the park."

"As a forerunner for Vale 2030 the council's new corporate plan which has one of it's core objectives as 'respecting and celebrating the environment' I proposed the motions to declare both a climate emergency (2019) and a nature emergency (2021) for the Vale...I note today that I am again being personally attacked by a Vale 'expert' who doesn't even appear to know what wildlife is in Cosmeston."

Responding to replies, Cllr Burnett went onto criticise campaigners for sharing her Facebook post - which had been posted publicly - "without permission".

A spokesperson for the campaigners denied they were "spreading misinformation" and said their intentions were "not malicious but of care towards our community and wildlife".

They said: "The media is using our faces and our community action to attach to your comments about 'malicious trip'. The aqua park brought contaminated equipment, which would have been put into the lake if a member of the public had not intervened. NRW then took action."

"This is the truth. They are also still allowing people to believe they can wear their own swimwear into the lake. This is a direct breach of their ecological survey and reports."

"They stated that all equipment would be cleaned and dry stored. This is a negligent, backed by evidence through photographs and incident reports."

"The council should direct their frustrations towards Aqua Park Group itself for attempting to breach the agreement you yourselves made with them. You've also said you've listened to a vague survey of 4000, the council is directly not listening to 6000+ people saying they don't want it at Cosmeston."

The spokesperson added: "We have also not spread false information regarding the wildlife, or the water. We are only asking for more information. The ecology survey was brief and the report itself says this is a limitation."

"The limitation being it was done over three consecutive days, instead of the recommended 14. We believe it was a rushed measure to pass it through ready for the season."

"We also wanted more water testing done, as they have tested for very little. We are asking for more, we are asking for the correct due diligence on the matter, none of which the council or the Aqua Park has responded to what we have proposed as limitations."

"Therefore, us, as a community, have taken this into our own hands."

The spokesperson added they were seeking a response to six questions from Cllr Burnett:

• "Why was the planning processes not used by either the aqua park or VOG. This has avoided impact assessments, specific public consultation, extensive ecological assessments, risk assessments and financial models."
• "How will the Vale (Council) and the Aqua Park monitor the direct and indirect effects and police behaviour? How will this information be evaluated at the end of the trial?"
• "How has VOG or the Aqua Park risk assessed the influx of visitors through infrastructure? (car parking, bins, congestion)"
• "Where was the transparency in public consultation that made people aware of what they are agreeing to?"
• "We have been made aware of equipment that creates continual and prolongeds effects, how has this been risk assessed for wildlife?"
• "The VOG have said they'll be using the money from the aqua park to fund Cosmeston - have the council created a plan for this? Has the money been ringfenced? Is there any specific areas of the park it'll be used on?"

Meanwhile, a former Welsh Conservative leader accused Labour politicians of showing "contempt for residents" after raising issue in the Senedd.

Andrew RT Davies asked social justice secretary Jane Hutt if she would set a higher standard, arguing that it was "not the level of engagement [residents] would expect from a senior local elected politician."

In response, the Vale MS said she had "nothing more to say" and that the decision was the "result of a consultation", which is disputed by campaigners.

Mr RT Davies, an MS for South Wales Central, said: "Local Labour politicians have displayed breathtaking arrogance towards campaigners against these inappropriate plans for an aqua park at Cosmeston."

"Representatives should engage with constituents and their concerns, not dismiss them as misinformation and malicious tripe."

"I had hoped the Senedd minister would agree with me that a higher standard should be expected, but Jane Hutt instead dismissed these concerns."

"With this attitude, it's little wonder Labour have ploughed ahead with these plans with complete disregard for residents and park users."

"I make no apologies for opposing them and repeating my calls for them to be scrapped."

An online petition, set up by local resident Rachel Morgan, has now attracted nearly 6,500 signatures, while more than £2000 has been raised towards an independent ecologocial study and a water quality report.

Vale of Glamorgan Council insists water testing has been carried out as part of work with other agencies to ensure the lake is safe for Aqua Park visitors.

Last month, a council spokesperson said: "The eastern lake at Cosmeston has previously been used for a variety of activities – including boating, canoeing and paddleboarding – and the Aqua Park will have on-site security to reduce any opportunities for anti-social behaviour – including unauthorised camping, lighting of fires, vandalism, fly-tipping."

The Aqua Park Group is moving its Cardiff Bay attraction to Cosmeston because of concerns over water quality.

The council is expected to carry out a post-pilot evaluation when it closes in mid-September, before deciding if it will go out to tender for someone to operate an attraction on site for the next season.