A DECISION to chop down “beautiful” trees at a town war memorial should have been handle more sensitively, it has been claimed.

Eco-conscious residents have raised concerns after council workers felled several trees at The Memorial Gardens, in Walton.

Tendring Council employees were seen tending to the trees opposite All Saints’ Church sparking concern from residents.

When approached by a member of the public the cutters are alleged to have said they were removing the trees because they were blocking the view of flats.

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Walton business owner Tina Kennedy, who runs Hidden Beauty, in Mill Lane, looks directly out onto the gardens.

She says the authority’s workers have effectively halved the number of trees, which has left her upset and disappointed.

“They were so beautiful and there was nothing wrong with them,” she said.

“They have left four trees standing which they tell me they are not touching, but they have taken down about five others – what is wrong with our council?

“It is environmentally damaging, the trees are meant to be there, this is the sort of thing that breaks my heart,” she added.

“I just wonder what they have achieved other than making it look like there is now a massive gap in what was once a beautiful row of trees.”

Another resident, who lives nearby, believes the tree cutting was first proposed years ago but was never done.

She claims there has been no consultation with locals over the tree chopping and has also been left feeling disheartened by the council’s actions.

She said: “I sympathise with residents in the flats, but this should have been dealt with more sensitively.

“A few shrubs do not replace the carbon reduction of the trees, nor do they look as nice. It is not good enough.”

Michael Talbot, Tendring councillor for environment, said any trees which were cut down as part of maintenance work would be replaced.

“These trees were stifling the growth of anything else in the beds as well as blocking light to nearby homes," he said.

“Clearing the trees will allow better and suitable flora to grow, more appropriate to the particular setting.

“Tendring Council is planting thousands of trees and where trees are removed we will replace them in the nearby area.

“It should be remembered planting is only positive if the right trees are planted in the right place.”