ANGRY residents of a cul-de-sac were unexpectedly woken this week by chainsaws and bulldozers building an access road.

Landowners KGS Balfour cut down nine mature trees at Quoitings Drive to make way for an access road to a paddock.

The paddock, on the edge of a conservation area, has had its original access blocked by an exclusive development, Quoitings Court, being built by Berkley Homes.

Residents calling Wycombe District Council were told that KGS Balfour did not need to seek permission to chop down the trees or build the road.

Lisa Rechlin, 33, of Quoitings Drive, said: "They have carved an access road through our cul-de-sac and we knew nothing about this.

"They got into the fields with the diggers to do the work from the other side so why do they need this new access, why cause such destruction, changed our environment, our view, the way we live?

She added: "Firstly these trees are a landmark and have been here longer than any of the houses and secondly the road is totally unsuitable for access."

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council said the paddock is part of the old Quoitings House estate owned by KGS Balfour. As the trees are on KGS Balfour's land all they were required to do was to inform Wycombe District Council they would be choppping down the trees.

The council could have slapped preservation orders on them but after investigitaing the site felt that was unnecessary.

The spokesman said creating access onto an unclassfied road, such as the paddock area, does not need planning permission.

A spokesman for KGS Balfour: "The paddock at the back of Quoitings Court will be totally landlocked once the Berkley Homes develpoment is completed later this year so we would have no access to maintain that land. We had to make the entrance at the end of Quoitings Drive and in doing so had to pull a few trees down.

"The executives consulted the authorities who were happpy this should happen. We don't see what else one should do but we are sorry the residents were upset."