Raging Hucknall resident demands action to stop woodland being 'destroyed'

Louise Smith, of Marion Avenue, says tree surgeons have been cutting down ‘well established and healthy, trees and shrubs’ in woodland at the end of Marion Avenue and Allison Avenue and she is angry that another green area of Hucknall is being ‘destroyed’.

However, although it is in Hucknall, the land actually falls within the boundaries of Gedling Borough Council rather than Ashfield District Council.

The woodland in question is also right next to the proposed site for 135 new houses off Hayden Lane, with intended access to the site being through Delia Avenue and Dorothy Avenue – the next roads along from Marion Avenue and Allison Avenue.

The application to grant that access is currently being looked at by Ashfield District Council as those roads are within the Ashfield boundaries.

Concerns were raised that the tree felling is connected to the proposed housing development.

But Gedling council says this is not the case and that the area of woodland is not part of the proposed housing site and is privately owned.

The council added that it doesn’t know who those owners are.

Louise said: “There was so much wildlife within this patch of woodland that it breaks my heart to know their homes have been destroyed.

"In a time when we should be preserving our trees and wildlife it reeks of pure greed.

“This is ruining what was once a lovely neighbourhood to live in – now it seems it’s becoming a concrete jungle.

"It’s such a shame and things like this will drive residents away.

“Something more needs to be done to ensure this destruction can not take place until any planning has been approved.”

A spokesperson for Gedling Borough Council said: “The land is private property which we don’t have any jurisdiction over and no protected trees have been cut down (ones with a tree protection order in place).

"The site is not part of the planning applications nearby and looks to be something the site’s land owner has decided to do for one reason or another.

"The site is private land and the owners haven’t breached any rules.”