WORK on Bradley Road, Trowbridge, on the site of the former district council offices, has revealed views of the nuclear bunker which was hidden underneath the building.

The West Wiltshire District Council offices were built during the Cold War, when many municipal buildings were provided with underground shelters, meant to house key staff in case of a nuclear attack.

The land has now been sold by Wiltshire Council for homes to be built there, and the removal of the bunker left a huge crater on the site.

Workmen on the project have also angered nearby residents by chopping down some of the trees on the Bradley Road frontage, which they had thought were to remain standing during the development by Newland Homes.

Wiltshire councillor Horace Prickett said: “To make the district council buildings look rural they planted trees in 1973 and there was a wide green verge.

“This was on the approach to the town so it was to make it more pleasant and to hide the 1960’s style building.

“It was inherited by Wiltshire Council who didn’t need it as they had their base just down the road, and was then sold.

“It was suggested that the trees on the green verge should stay to make the approach to the town more rural.

“I was rather alarmed to see that the developers had started to cut down the trees.”

Cllr Prickett received calls from two residents who also shared his worries about the trees being cut down, as they too thought they were to be left.

He added: “I had people ringing me to ask if I knew what was going on as they were surprised to see the trees being cut down, but I wasn’t able to tell them.

“It now looks like they have cut down almost every other tree and half are still there so I hope those remaining will stay.”

The Wiltshire Times approached Newland Homes for a comment on the trees being cut down at the site on Bradley Road but didn’t receive a response by the time the paper went to press.