The Friends of Twickenham fear Council chiefs are not doing enough to save a group of important trees.

Council officials have given a developer permission to fell five trees, including two Ash, a Cyprus group, a Sycamore and a Eucalyptus, on a site near the Green.

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.

Residents feel let down by the Council, which announced a decision on the trees before the environment charity, Habitat & Heritage, had a chance to lodge objections.

As a result, they argue that the decision is fundamentally flawed and should be reconsidered.

The Council is arguing that the current Tree Preservation Order (TPO) laws do not allow local authorities to stop the removal of trees in these circumstances.

However, councillors have pledged to lobby the government for a change in the law to offer greater protection in the future.

Howard Roberts, who represents Friends of Twickenham Green on environmental issues, said: "We welcome the action that the Council intends to take, raising the issues of TPOs. However, none of this will save the site behind 24 Hampton Road.

"The Council could insist that the tree removal application be included with the final building application. That way, if the building application is rejected, the land will still retain its wildlife and habitat.

"Allowing the planning application to proceed purely relating to the removal of the trees, will mean the ecological degradation of the site, with no future alternative to building."

A wildlife survey has discovered that the area is vital for a number of important bat species and a nearby roost.

Mr Roberts said: "With regard to the bats, only the Council can save the save their roost. As it is private land, with no public right of way, how can any of us know when the bats habitat is destroyed?"

A council spokesperson has since reached out to Nub News and said: "The information that Mr Roberts from Friends of Twickenham Green has given you for this article, is not correct.

"It is a matter of fact - the Council does not have power to insist that the tree removal application be included with the final building application."