THE company behind a housing development in Ludlow has set out its reasons for the need to remove trees at the edge of the site.

Shropshire Homes is building houses at Fishmore Quarry.

There has been criticism of the removal of trees.

But Andy Sheldon, land director of Shropshire Homes, says the clearance was necessary.

“We are constructing a housing scheme at the site of a former quarry on Fishmore Road,” said Mr Sheldon.

“To the rear of the site there is a former quarry face that requires works to stabilise it for the benefit of both the future residents of our development and several existing properties on Bringewood Rise and Castle view Terrace, whose boundaries lie adjacent the quarry face.

“Some historic land slippage has occurred with the passage of time and part of the works will be to prevent that occurring in the future.

“The stabilisation works are a requirement of the planning permission for the Fishmore Road development, the details for which have been submitted and approved by Shropshire Council.

“Part of the works required the clearance of vegetation from the rock face; this has now been completed and is in full accordance with the details approved by Shropshire Council under the planning permission for the development.”

Mr Sheldon says that the work needed doing in the interest of people living in the area.

“Whilst we understand a number of residents are concerned about the loss of vegetation; the works undertaken are vital in completing the stabilisation works for the benefit of existing and future residents and are in accordance with the planning permission received for those works,” he added.

“The stabilisation works also offer the opportunity to re-establish some of the landscaping that we have had to remove to facilitate the works and we will be working closely with Shropshire Council to finalise those details in due course”.