A PLANNING application requests to site caravans for residential use on land where hundreds of trees were felled in June.

As previously reported in The Gazette, residents of Sherfield Park feared that the trees on land in Dixon Road, Sherfield-on-Loddon, had been chopped down to pave the way for a traveller site.

Now, their fears could become a reality after an application was registered with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council today, asking to change the use of the land for “three gypsy pitches together with the formation of hardstanding and ancillary utility/dayrooms.”

The application was submitted by Green Planning Studio, on behalf of Boysie Biddle, of Justin Park, Leicestershire, who is one of owners of the land.

Mr Biddle, along with the other registered owners of the land, John and Sammy Smith, of Almond Close, Farnborough, and James Tombs, of Forest Farm, Tadley were issued with a court injunction to prevent them from carrying out any further unlicensed work on the land.

They were also ordered to return the land to how it was by the Forestry Commission.

Borough councillor Elaine Still, who represents Chineham, previously told The Gazette: “I’m disgusted with the way it’s gone forward, and the complete devastation of wildlife. I know there are bats there, and dormice. And I have heard there have been lots of deer killed on the road since.”