THE borough council has been accused of destroying the habitat of various wildlife after it razed vegetation to the ground as part of improvement works.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, in partnership with Southwest Rail, is asking for comments from the public prior to developing a pedestrian link off Lyford Road between South View and Basingstoke Railway Station.

Read more: Thousands sign petition to save green space in Basingstoke from development

However, residents have complained that the work has begun before the consultation period ends on March 14, with the council clearing the entire site of established vegetation possibly destroying the habitat of wildlife including hedgehogs, slow worms, lizards, and bats.

The borough council claims the proposals will “enhance the surrounding open space areas including scrub land currently being cleared next to the allotments”.

It adds: “The aims of the project are to provide safer walking routes whilst creating a more open site that can be used for informal recreation as well as improving wildlife habitats.”

However, residents say that rather than improve wildlife habitats the council has destroyed them, scaring off any wildlife that may have been living there.

The leader of the Hatch Warren Nature Group, Paul Beevers, said questions were being asked of the council regarding its approach to the project.

He added: “There is no doubt that the two-acre site is run down, attracts fly-tipping and people can feel unsafe taking the path through the area. The site has been left unmanaged but now has been totally cleared of all vegetation except for two brutalised hedges all before any consultation with residents.

“There is a report of slow worms and lizards both of which are priority species for protection. The council only recently passed a motion recognising that there is an ecological emergency and the council plan says the council will ‘protect and enhance the environment’.

“This has a potential as a community project to encourage local people to reconnect with nature and help their local biodiversity incrementally through gradual change but that opportunity as well as the wildlife that lived on the two acres have been lost in a matter of hours.”

One resident said they had seen “loads” of hedgehogs and slow worms at the site, adding: “With the scrub going or gone there will be no habitat for them.”

Another added: “Oh no, they’ve just bludgeoned everything.”

One concerned member of the public pointed out: “The council claims to want to create wildlife areas within this space but there’s no wildlife left there to inhabit it.”

The borough council’s plans include enhancing the walking routes by installing 1.2m wide macadam paths; planting mixed native hedges; installing a timber rail fence; and creating a biodiversity zone.

Comments on the plans can be sent to the council’s natural environment team by emailing landscape@basingstoke.gov.uk before March 14.

The borough council has been asked for a comment about the work that has already been carried out.

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