DOZENS of angry Bewdley residents grilled bosses of a military charity over the destruction of a protected hedgerow and their plans for development during a public meeting.

Around 80 people packed out Far Forest Society Pavilion, in Callow Hill, on Friday (October 30) to discuss the future of an orchard on Longbank, just off the A456, which is owned by Forces Support.

Residents in the area were left furious when Forces Support removed a protected hedgerow from the area without relevant permission - prompting Wyre Forest District Council to serve a Hedgerow Replacement Notice on the charity last month.

At the public meeting, which was also attended by Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier and councillors, Forces Support chairman Bill McCance apologised for removing the hedgerow and assured residents that it would be replanted.

The charity also discussed its plans for the land, including the creation of a remembrance garden for fallen soldiers, workshops to be used by the families of servicemen and women, office and storage space as well as parking.

But residents criticised Forces Support for the removal of the hedgerow and the lack of dialogue with them. They also raised doubts about the viability of the planned development.

Resident Matt Skelton - who has set up a Save Longbank Orchard Facebook page - said: “Forces Support has put a lot of thought into what they want to do with the orchard.

“But residents cannot see how anyone can remember fallen heroes next to the busy A456. There are places to remember them and Longbank is not it.

“We feel that the charities money could have been spent in a way to help the families of fallen soldiers and not on dealing with enforcement notices from the council.

“We are not anti-Forces Support and we are pro-development in the right place. We just don’t feel that this is the right development and that they haven’t gone about it in the right way.

“Now, we will await a planning application and see what they put forward and whether they’ve taken on board our views.”

Mr McCance said: “We apologise for the removal of the hedge. We originally removed bushes and brambles but that left the hedge in a mess so we decided to take it out and that was a mistake.

“This meeting was useful as we were able to listen to residents and tell them what we plan to do there now we have bought it. But it’s at a very early stage at the moment.

“People are concerned and I understand that. But we want to work with them and come up with a solution that everyone is happy with.”

Mr Garnier added: “I think Forces Support are a good and well meaning charity and I’m sure their intentions are honest.

“But there are good and bad ways to do things like this and I’m afraid Forces Support have redefined what a bad way is. Their actions have led to a feeling of a Machiavellian plot and created animosity.

“What I now want to see is them building bridges with residents. It will be difficult but they need to extend a hand to the community to move this forward.”

John Elkin, who lives near Longbank, said: "Nobody who attended the meeting disagrees with the aims of the charity. I support two military charities so it's not about that.

"I believe someone has made a mistake by purchasing the orchard as this development is totally inappropriate and we expect to see some work to put the hedgerow back.

"The manner with which Forces Support appear to be bulldozing this through with no dialogue with the residents is what we object to."