Contractors moved on to a site near Twickenham Green this morning to start felling trees at the heart of a conservation row.

Residents and the Friends of Twickenham Green have been fighting the loss of trees, which are central to a green corridor that provides a home to bats and other wildlife.

Howard Roberts, who represents FoTG on environment issues, said earlier work to remove shrubs and ground cover had already caused a loss to local wildlife.

"Today, as the trees are removed, this will mean that the whole site will have been ecologically degraded," he said.

"This is a tragic day to see what poor decision making and indifference has led to - the sad loss of an important local wild life habitat. COP 26 seems to mean little around here."

Aside from hedgehogs, amphibians, nesting bird sites, invertebrates, including stag beetles, the site has significant ecological value being home to a variety of species of bats.

The felling of the trees has been opposed by environment group Habitats & Heritage. The charity is officially designated with the role of caring for the natural and historic environment and climate in south and west London.

The organisation has identified that the 'backlands' site makes an important contribution to biodiversity and is used by a number of bat species.

A developer was given permission to fell five trees – two Ash, a Cyprus group, a Sycamore and a Eucalyptus, just before Christmas.

Neighbours of the site, which is off Hampton Road behind the Prince Albert pub, fear the removal of the trees is a precursor to a planning application to build there.

A decision to allow the trees to be removed was made by officials at Richmond Borough Council.

The Council leader, Cllr Gareth Roberts, said flaws in tree protection rules meant they were powerless to stop the felling of the trees.

As a result, the Council has written to the government asking for a change in the rules to allow greater protection for important trees in the future.