RESIDENTS have been left “disappointed” after Hampshire County Council has removed more trees as part of the redevelopment of the Brighton Hill roundabout.
Milestone Infrastructure Limited has been appointed by the council to upgrade the roundabout, work on the £20 million scheme started on Monday, January 24.
As part of the scheme, the first activities on-site included vegetation and tree removal.
SEE MORE: Major redevelopment of Brighton Hill roundabout to start next week
One resident shared their views on Nextdoor, a social network where anyone can share their opinions.
They said: “Today I was disappointed to see that our councillors have yet again allowed more well-established trees to be cut down. Not content with removing the avenue of trees on the A30 coming into Basingstoke from the M3. Also agreeing to [the] removal of trees at Basingstoke golf course for houses and now at it again on Brighton Hill roundabout. The councillors who have allowed this should be ashamed of themselves.
“So, I would like to see them plant ten small trees to replace every tree they have cut down. So come on councillors how may [many] have been planted in Basingstoke in the last year against how many cut down/removed”.
The council has responded to concerns and said replanting of trees will take place throughout the scheme, which they hope will give increased canopy cover and a more varied and sustainable range of species.
Councillor Rob Humby, deputy leader of Hampshire County Council and executive lead member for economy, transport and environment, said: “In order to make way for constructing the improvements to increase capacity at the roundabout, we needed to first clear some vegetation which included the removal of a number of trees.
“However, I can reassure residents that we will be mitigating any tree loss by planting many more new trees, of differing varieties, along Brighton Way and throughout the scheme.”
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Many residents shared the disappointment and said that it is a huge shame for wildlife.
One commented: “It breaks my heart to see them taking the trees away from the birds and squirrels.
“They may take the trees down but one thing person’s [people] can never do is fight nature it will carry on when we are not here.”
The scheme, which will see two years of works, will see traffic lights placed on all arms of the roundabout and the subways filled in, to be replaced by surface toucan crossings.
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