A COURT injunction is being sought to stop building work being carried out on a site where dozens of trees have been felled.

As reported on The Gazette website earlier today, the forest area along Dixon Road, near Sherfield Park, has been flattened and the trees burnt during the last week.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has now confirmed that, following concerns raised by residents, the council is in the process of seeking an injunction from the courts this afternoon, to prevent any building, engineering or other operations “in, on, over or under the land without planning permission; or making a material change in the use of the land by using it for residential purposes.”

Rumours have been circulating that the site has been bought by travellers. It is not known who owns the land. 

Karen Brimacombe, the council’s corporate director, said: “This issue came to our attention last week and we have visited the site a number of times since then. Unfortunately, by the time we were notified many of the trees on the site had already been felled.

“None of these were the subject of Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) and therefore there was no direct action that the council could take. However, we have referred the matter to a number of partner agencies, including the Forestry Commission. In addition, we have served a TPO on many of the remaining trees.”