WORK to assess the safety of a popular woodland trail has begun despite protests from a local interest group.

Bradford on Avon Town Council is completing its planned tree safety works in the ancient Becky Addy Wood near Avoncliff.

As part of it the public footpath through the wood will be closed and the woodland fenced off while work and ecological surveys are undertaken.

The council said: “The scheduled work follows a careful ecological approach to the management of the woodland in the light of the deadly ash dieback disease.  

“Each tree will be surveyed individually by ecologists and arborists to ensure only essential work is carried out.

“This approach will also focus on retaining and creating bird and bat habitats as part of the town council’s overall management of the wood.”

During the works the council will increase the number of habitats in the woodland for wildlife, carve artificial cracks to replace bat and bird habitats, and create bat roosts.

The works were first identified from a tree inspection carried out in October 2021, which members of the Friends of Becky Addy Wood group said was flawed.

Last year, the FROBAW group protested after the council began the most urgent tree works for public safety reasons.

The council closed the public footpath saying that some of the trees were in danger of falling down and were a risk to life.

But the FROBAW members claimed the works were “unnecessary” and were based on inaccurate footfall figures for the number of people walking through the wood.

They said the works could potentially drive away rare species during the bird nesting and bat breeding season.

They condemned the council for acting without having a full independent ecological assessment and claimed some of the trees could have been saved from lopping and felling.

But the council said it was acting “with minimal intervention and great sensitivity” to preserve the health of the woodland.

It said the council’s plans for long-term woodland management “will improve Becky Addy Wood so that the whole habitat including flora and fauna can be better protected, as well as being enjoyed safely by the community”.

The FROBAW group wanted to buy the wood but the council voted unanimously to withdraw the wood from sale at its full council meeting on September 6.

The council claimed the group had not met contractual terms or deadlines. FROBAW said it was “shocked, dismayed and betrayed” by the council’s action.