FURIOUS residents claim they have been "kept in the dark" about a major housing development in Radcliffe.

The developers, Woodford Industries, have started to clear the former Radcliffe Paper Mill site, off Stand Lane, to make way for 300 Barratt houses and a selection of industrial units as part of the town centre regeneration.

But, nearby home owners say they were not informed of plans to develop the site and have expressed deep concern over the potential threat to wildlife.

Conservationists have now intervened and Woodford Industries have been ordered to stop felling trees by the Forestry Commission.

They have also received notification of a tree preservation order on the remaining woodland.

A spokesman for the Forestry Commission, woodland officer Paul Vickers, said: "People normally need permission from us to fell growing trees and an owner can only fell a certain amount of timber. In this case the owner had exceeded the volume allowed."

Action was taken after a flood of complaints from local residents who say the site is a haven for wildlife including foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and birds. Mr George Henshall, of Andrew Close, said: "There were 18 varieties of birds in our garden the other day. We are worried they will lose their habitat when the trees are chopped down.

"The area is full of different types of wildlife and we were hoping it would stay that way."

He added: "The first we knew of anything was when workmen arrived and started to chop down the trees."

Mr Bryan Partington of Hoyle Street added: "What's left is ugly and repugnant."

He claims that the removal of the trees, coupled with the planned house building, will "knock thousands of pounds off the value of our property."

Mr Martin Hutt, of nearby Astbury Street, said residents were willing to organise a petition to try to save the wildlife.

He said: "We are not against the development but are concerned about how much damage is being done."

Although the owners have not submitted a planning application for the development they are allowed to start clearing the site.

However, Woodford Industries's director of engineering, Mr Terry Dean, admitted that the company made a mistake in its instructions to a sub-contractor but was now working with the Forestry Commission.

He admitted: "We have exceeded our allowable limit of timber clearance as regulated by the Forestry Act in advance of planning. Our tree specialists have now been instructed to supervise the clearance of trees."

He added: "They are co-operating with the Forestry Commission and local authority with all relevant matters in the reclamation and redevelopment of what is regarded as a vital part of the regeneration of Radcliffe."

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