TREE felling has sparked protests and chaos in a residential area of Highcliffe.
Residents ‘abused’ workers and stood in front of their vehicles as they felled a ribbon of trees in Jesmond Wood on Wednesday.
Contractors arrived on Tuesday morning to axe 46 dead trees at the request of developer Christopher Bulstrode.
Mr Bulstrode is currently appealing a refused application for 16 homes at the site off Jesmond Avenue, whilst also preparing a new and “greatly reduced” application for nine homes.
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Although he is understood to have reached an agreement with the council’s tree officer to remove the dead trees, the works have caused upset and anger amongst residents.
BCP Council says the landowner will be ordered to replace the trees that have been removed.
Laurent Le Gaffee, 70, said: “I’ve lived here about 20 years. Most of us residents moved here because it was a woodland and not houses opposite.
“I thought this woodland was sacrosanct, so it is upsetting.”
Another resident, Susan Chitty, said: “I’m feeling really upset about it.
“It’s an important nature reserve, with trees that are mature, and with lots of wildlife and birds. I’d be sad to see it go.”
Highcliffe and Walkford ward councillor Andy Martin has offered assurances that BCP Council will be keeping a “very close eye” on what is happening at the site.
He added: “It is my view that Christopher Bulstrode is determined to destroy that woodland by building on it. Building properties will destroy the vital green ecological corridor that runs through Highcliffe.”
Mr Bulstrode said he has visited the site in recent days but was forced to call police after facing “awful abuse” from residents.
He told the Daily Echo: “People were actually standing in front of machines when my guys were working, and they could’ve been seriously hurt.
“I’m the most hated man in Highcliffe for clearing property on my own private land. We have authority to do everything we’ve done.”
Dorset Police confirmed receiving reports of a ‘protest’ at 10am on Wednesday but said the group had dispersed and left the area by around 11am.
The local neighbourhood policing team has been informed of the matter.
Tree Tech, which was employed to fell the trees, said its priority has remained the “safety of the public” and “preserving nature”.
A company spokesperson said: “We’ve been working in collaboration with the local authority and there have been several preliminary onsite meetings to look at all the works and concerns. This includes, but isn’t exclusive to, looking at a full wildlife assessment.
“We empathise with the locals and apologise for any noise disruption during this period, but all concerns and questions should be channelled to the council and local authority.”
Samuel Fox, director of planning and destination at BCP Council said: “Senior members of our Arboriculture and Landscape management team visited Jesmond Wood on Tuesday 8th August to meet the tree surgeon and inspect the trees that were set to be felled.
“The team inspected the 46 trees individually and established that the ones currently being felled are dead, and as such are exempt from Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
“We will be imposing ‘re-plant’ conditions on the site to ensure that the owners replace the trees that have died.”
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