War has broken out between millionaire homeowners and a developer who plans to fell 12 trees on their luxury estate, allowing their less well-to-do neighbours to peer into their properties.
It’s an ‘excessive’ measure to chop down the protected trees and will ‘destroy their privacy’, the wealthy inhabitants say.
Residents of Oxlease Meadows in Romsey, Hampshire, have said that developers Stratland Homes have ‘crossed the line’ by destroying the small woodland that separates two housing estates.
The woods are made up of alder trees and are home to deer, birds of prey and otters, but the developers have earmarked 12 trees to be ‘ripped up’.
Councillors have also weighed in, saying that sawing down the trees could breach ‘strict rules’ around the designated site of special scientific interest.
Oxlease Meadow dwellers fear that those living in the estate next to them will be able to see into their homes if the plans go ahead.
Mr Richardson, a 52-year-old psychotherapist whose house backs onto the proposed site, said: ‘We opposed the plans online on the planning portal and then we went and opposed the plans at the council meeting.
‘It just seems really excessive to rip out all these trees.’
Georgina Harris (pictured) has her back garden on the edge of the doomed woods. She said that the developer has blocked a passageway, meaning her son ‘now has to go through lanes with no lights’ on his way home
12 trees have been earmarked for felling by developers Stratland Homes but it has been met with outcry from residents and the council
‘Not to sound cynical but I think they’re doing it so the houses will have bigger rear gardens to make more money.’
Meanwhile, the average value of the 64 buildings on the Oxlease Meadows estate is £1.02million.
Residents say that those who moved into the exclusive estate more than three years ago were promised that there would be no further building works.
Mr Richardson continued: ‘The council also have concerns that they’re not working to specs and are dumping rubbish in the spring that’s there.
‘We’re concerned about privacy because there’s an estate of 60 houses on the hill just behind those trees. Without the trees, we’ll lose privacy to our bedroom, bathroom and rear garden.’
He said that he had expected there would be more building at the site despite assurances after he moved there four years ago, but added, ‘You have to draw the line somewhere. Ripping out the trees is unnecessary.’
The developers initially had planned to build 49 homes on the plot and, in their planning application to Test Valley Borough Council, marked out the 12 trees they wanted gone.
However, now only nine new homes will be built after the council rejected the extra 40.
Resident Mr Richardson said ‘You have to draw the line somewhere. Ripping out the trees is unnecessary.’
Romsey Town Council has said it ‘strongly objects’ to the felling of trees, not only in the name of privacy but because of fears of flooding without trees binding the soil.
The logistics of the development are also an issue for residents, like local government worker Georgina Harris, 46, who said: ‘They’ve closed a byway that was the only point of access of the estates.
‘Now the traffic has to go elsewhere and it gets backed up which is a real problem.
‘And I have a 13-year-old son who walked that way home from school. He now has to go through lanes with no lights, which isn’t great in the winter when it gets dark at 4pm.’
She also said that some of the trees have tree protection orders on them, including one she lodged for herself.
She said: ‘We call it “the fizzy tree”, which sounds silly, but it’s an aspen that’s between 30 and 60 years old.
‘Because of the wind and the leaves in the summer it always looks like it’s ‘fizzing’.
‘The woods are next to a wildlife reserve and act as a passage for deer, birds of prey and even otters. What’ll happen to them when it’s gone?’
Homes on the exclusive Oxlease Meadows estate are valued at an average of £1.02million
Tony Brown, a retired development manager himself whose house also backs onto the site, said cutting the trees down ‘could have been avoided’.
He said: ‘It’s unnecessary. In the original plan they had houses in a place that meant trees didn’t need to be cut down.
‘We have concerns about privacy but we know it’s even worse for our neighbours. We only moved in two years ago so we did know that houses were going to be built – just.’
Mr Brown’s wife, Sue Brown, said: ‘There are problems. We’re not at all happy. Cutting the trees down could’ve been avoided.
‘I would only support it if it was really, really necessary. It could have been avoided.
‘When they lodged the plans we objected – everyone on the street objected – but it didn’t matter. They’re not affected by the objections.’
Gurdve Tut, whose house also backs onto the copse, added: ‘It’s nature, isn’t it? They’re destroying nature.
‘They shouldn’t build at all around there but they’re doing it anyway.
Residents of the luxury estate are worried that if the trees are cut down their less well-off neighbours will be able to peer into their homes
‘When we bought the house five years ago, we were told they weren’t building anything else here. That’s why we bought this house.
‘The traffic will be a problem here too, with all the construction vehicles..’
Romsey town Councillor and retired solicitor Ian Culley said: ‘The main issue here is the Site of Special Scientific Interest and potential drainage problems.
‘The law is very strict- if the SSSI could be damaged or affected by outside activities, any approving body must refer to Natural England.
‘We as a council are under duty to write to Natural England- not only for the building, but tree works too.
‘Romsey Town Council objected to the application when it was heard in December and decided to object for the second time, on the grounds that the project is an unjust and excessive removal of trees and is not based on disease but “just happen to be in way”.
‘They also agreed that there is a strong impact on the SSSI and urged that Natural England has been properly consulted.’
Romsey Town Council said in a statement: ‘RTC strongly object to this application as it is an unjustified felling of several healthy trees in a diverse natural habitat.
‘The felling will diminish a significant screen between developments and destroy any privacy that existing residents have benefited from thus far.’
Seb Clarke, Development Director at Stratland Homes, commented: ‘Stratland Homes received original planning permission in February 2022 for the development of four detached dwellings with access via Oxlease Meadows. As part of that application, consent was granted for the removal of six trees, which were felled a few months ago prior to the commencement of works on site.
‘A revised planning application was subsequently approved in August 2025 to allow for changes to the approved house types. The revised scheme was designed to better reflect the character of the surrounding area, adopting a more agricultural appearance comprising one farmhouse and three barn-conversion style dwellings.
‘Following the setting out of the approved dwellings on site, it became apparent that the removal of additional trees may be required due to their impact on the gardens of two of the new homes we are building as well as giving us sufficient working space for construction on consented dwellings.’
Mr Clarke said Stratland Homes had conducted ecological surveys, so is aware of the protected wildlife and is following regulations with the construction.
He added that there is no confirmed presence of otters on the site, but will include a pond to accommodate them if they appear. The nearest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) runs along the western boundary of the site, and the ecological assessment raised no issues in this regard, Mr Clake said.
He continued: ‘The trees proposed for removal are located at a sufficient distance from neighbouring gardens and are separated by an existing compound. Furthermore, additional planting is proposed between the site boundary, the compound and neighbouring properties to offset the loss of the trees and provide enhanced screening.
‘An application was submitted specifically seeking consent for works to protected trees. This application focused on the health and condition of the trees, identifying 31 trees in total, of which the removal of 12 was proposed and arboricultural works (including the removal of ivy and deadwood) were recommended for a further 19 trees.
‘However, it should be noted that no application has been made to remove 30 trees [which had been previously thought] and all permitted works have and will be done in accordance with planning consents from Test Valley Borough Council.
‘As of this morning (Thursday 5 February), Test Valley Borough Council has granted partial consent for the proposed tree works, allowing the removal of five trees and arboricultural works to 15 trees. No works have been undertaken to these trees to date.
On the issue of access ways being blocked off, Mr Clarke said: ‘There is a private access owned by Stratland, which is not a public footpath. It is unlit and, for safety reasons, has been closed during construction. Notwithstanding this, Stratland opened it for public use over the Christmas period while the site was closed and will reopen it again once the site has been completed. Nevertheless, there is an alternative route between the two neighbouring developments.
‘It is ironic that the same objectors who are raising concerns about the trees also objected to the houses themselves being granted planning permission. These objectors are living in houses for which Stratland also obtained planning permission in the countryside.’
Comments are closed.