RESIDENTS have hit out after the Ministry of Defence ripped up an area of decades old scrubland from a popular beauty spot in Colchester.

The plants were removed from part of Middlewick Ranges, off Mersea Road, where the Defence Infrastructure Organisation is working on plans to build 1,000 homes.

Richard Martin, who has lived in nearby Mount Batten Drive for 30 years, said he was worried the move was a step towards making the land ready for development.

He said: “We have been told it is due to safety issues.

“The bushes which have been ripped out have been undisturbed for years and I can only think of them as nesting or shelter areas for wildlife.

“I cannot see any operational reason for why this has been done and I can’t see why the scrubland was dangerous.

“It appears to me they are preparing the land to make it easier to develop.”

Earlier this year the MOD blocked off the entrances to The Wick from Abbots Road, saying walkers “often ignored” red flag warnings about firing on site.

Stiles were removed from the access points and mesh fencing put up in a move which angered residents.

Once military operations stop in 2021, Middlewick is set to be sold so housing can be built on the land.

The land has been earmarked for 1,000 properties and is allocated for housing in Colchester Council’s Local Plan.

Mr Martin said he worried the MOD was slowly moving towards stopping residents using the area.

He said: “I think people sometimes underestimate how important The Wick is to people in the area. I have lived here for 30 years but it has never been more used than during lockdown.

“It seems to me they’re making little steps towards stopping the public from using the area.”

A spokesman for the MOD said the shrubland was cleared in the interests of safety and no damage was done to wildlife.

He added: “The MOD carries out regular maintenance works including scrub clearance to ensure that the area is visible and safe to use for service personnel training on the defence estate.

“We take our responsibility to the environment seriously. The estate is monitored for wildlife before and after clearance takes place to ensure that there is no danger to wildlife.”