'It's been totally destroyed': Maidenhead residents speak out over trees removed for new housing

The removal of woodland in connection with a new housing development in Maidenhead has sparked anger from residents.

Trees lining Spring Hill, a road between Ockwells Park and Maidenhead Golf Course, have been removed as part of a 199 home build by developers Berkeley Homes.

As part of works, Berkeley Homes said the cleared trees were of ‘low ecological value’, but residents commented that the environment had become ‘second priority’.

Plans for the development, on space between Manor Lane, Spring Hill, and Harvest Hill, form part of land allocated for construction in the Borough Local Plan (BLP).

Manor Lane resident, Helal Stephan, 77, said: “Spring Hill was supposed to be a green corridor between the golf course and Ockwells park.

“At the time the application was put in we joked: ‘what are you going to do, put up signs saying ‘animals this way’?’’.

“But now it’s just been totally destroyed – it just seems that the environment is second priority.”

He said residents were given assurances by Berkeley Group that the trees would remain at an exhibition outlining the plans in 2022.

However, when work started on the tree removal in January, there was shock at the extent of the loss of trees along the road.

Stephan added that trees by Kimber’s Lane and Harvest Hill Road had also been removed.

“The council had got them [Berkley Homes] to reduce the development from 216 homes to 199, which we thought was more acceptable,” he said.

“We didn’t expect to see all the trees taken out, and that’s just along Spring Hill – they assured us these trees wouldn’t be touched.”

The Spring Hill plan, approved by the council in August, was penned in for development as part of AL13 BLP allocation, land which also includes separate plans for Maidenhead Golf Course which were submitted by CALA Homes earlier this month.

Stephan said this incident had now heightened residents’ fears over the loss of trees there too.

A statement from Berkeley Homes said that work on site had required the removal of ‘poor quality trees of low ecological value such as conifers and leylandii trees’ and that the company ‘fully appreciate that there is currently significant change happening on site’.

The statement added: “Enabling work requires removing a small number of trees which will be replaced by a greater number of better quality specimens.

“Next, we will start installing ecology habitats such as bat and bird boxes as well as planting over 270 native species rich trees on the site.

“In the long term these trees and the positive impact they will have on biodiversity and enhancing nature far exceed what was on site before.

“The trees will also be managed in perpetuity by the landscape management plan implemented on site.”