Locals say they have been left devastated after developers turned a wooded wildlife haven in Dorset into a barren landscape without warning.
Over 20 mature trees that were home to rare and protected bats, owls and woodpeckers were cut down in a matter of hours by ruthless tree surgeons in an act of ‘environmental vandalism’, residents claim.
It is not known if a survey to assess any potential wildlife was carried out before the ‘slash and burn’ work but the results of an inspection commissioned by a local resident earlier this year found evidence of Greater Horseshoe bats.
The trees formed part of the large wooded garden of a property in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, which was previously owned by an elderly man until he died last year. The plot was thriving with tall conifer trees and ash and oak trees thought to have been over 100 years old.
Horrified neighbours have reported the alleged ‘environmental vandalism’ to the police who are investigating the matter.
Locals say they have been left devastated after developers turned a wooded wildlife haven in Dorset into a barren landscape without warning
Ben Bolton, (pictured) a civil servant whose house backs onto the land, has labelled the handling of the process as a ‘multitude of sins’
The ‘slash and burn’ project caused damage to the property of former soldier Gerrard Hayes (pictured), he has claimed. The 83-year-old said he went out to find one of his trees being hacked down before he brought a stop to it
Neighbours recall how they were suddenly awoken at 7am by three excavators and tree surgeons as they began their noisy work. The crew reportedly brought in lights when it got dark and worked until 9pm to clear the site.
Jackie Bonham, 55, has lived next to the property for 17 years and has described the shock of seeing the greenery destroyed. She says the community has been left ‘distressed and disturbed’ by the ‘sudden and shocking’ development.
‘I first knew about the work when my kitchen starting shaking and all I could hear was chainsaws and machinery,’ she recalled.
‘As neighbours we expected some work to be done on the property but there was no planning application so it came as a surprise to us all when we realised what was happening.
‘We are all really upset, mainly for the wildlife who have lost their home and were not given a moment’s thought throughout the work. They completely destroyed an eco-system in one day and all the wildlife in it. It’s devastating.’
Ms Bonham said the previous owner, James White, had loved his garden, which she claimed ‘gave him life after his wife passed away’. She added: ‘He would be devastated if he saw what it has become’.
The large detached house with an acre of land has recently been purchased by a developer
Over 20 mature trees that were home to rare and protected bats, owls and woodpeckers were cut down in a matter of hours by ruthless tree surgeons in an act of ‘environmental vandalism’, residents claim
Neighbours believe this fence damage was caused by the tree surgeons
It is not known if a survey to assess any potential wildlife was carried out before the ‘slash and burn’ work but the results of an inspection commissioned by a local resident earlier this year found evidence of Greater Horseshoe bats
Jackie Bonham, 55, (pictured) says the community has been left ‘distressed and disturbed’ by the ‘sudden and shocking’ development
The trees formed part of the large wooded garden of a property in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, which was previously owned by an elderly man until he died last year. The plot was thriving with tall conifer trees and ash and oak trees thought to have been over 100 years old
The ‘slash and burn’ project has caused damed to former soldier Gerrard Hayes’ property, he has claimed. The 83-year-old said he went out to find one of his trees being hacked down before he brought a stop to it.
The work left the tree unsafe and he said the tree surgeons tried to charge him £800 to fell it even though they had caused the damage.
He said: ‘All I saw was a couple of workers starting to cut down my tree at the bottom of my garden that backs on to the site, I couldn’t believe it.
‘They started cutting one side of the tree in my back garden before realising it was on my property and stopped. I told them they had left the tree unsafe and it could fall at any moment given a good gust of wind.’
He claims they told him he would be ‘liable if the tree killed someone’ and said he would have to pay £800 in cash in order for them to remove it, which he refused.
‘My neighbour has told his children not to go near their shed in fear that the tree could fall on them at any time and severely injure them or worse,’ said Mr Hayes.
Jackie Bonham’s garden is pictured before the trees were hacked down
Neighbours believe this fence damage was caused by the tree surgeons
Pictured is how the land looks now that tree surgeons have ‘destroyed’ the wooded haven
Gerrard Hayes, and his neighbour Jackie Bonham, are pictured looking at one of the trees that got hacked down. They are standing on the waste tree surgeons allegedly left behind
Pictured is one of Gerrard Hayes’ trees that got hacked down
This is how the land looks now that the developers have hacked down trees
‘The woodland was all so beautiful before all this work and what has happened is pure environmental vandalism’.
Ben Bolton, a civil servant whose house backs onto the land, has labelled the handling of the process as a ‘multitude of sins’.
He said: ‘It’s not necessarily what they’ve done but more the way they have gone about the work. It’s a real smash and grab job.
‘There was no sign of any risk assessment or care with the project and the whole thing has just been a multitude of sins.’
It is not yet clear what the proposed plans are for the site but neighbours believe the work could make way for more residential housing.
Ben Bolton is pictured in his garden. He said of the developers: ‘It’s not necessarily what they’ve done but more the way they have gone about the work. It’s a real smash and grab job’
Pictured is one of Gerrard Hayes’ trees that got hacked down
A spokesman at Dorset Council has confirmed that no planning application has been filed for the development
A spokesman at Dorset Council has confirmed that no planning application has been filed for the development.
They said: ‘We haven’t received a planning application for the site. Land clearance would not be development within Dorset Council’s control and the trees were not subject to a tree preservation order.
‘Damage to a protected habitat is a criminal offence and a police matter.’
Dorset Police are yet to comment regarding this issue.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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