DEVELOPERS who caused outrage after mistakenly knocking down an ancient hedgerow in Bridport have revealed how they plan to replace the vegetation. 

Barratt Homes and Vistry Group apologised for cutting down the foliage in November at their 760-home Foundry Lea development just off West Road.

The companies offered 'reparations' in the aftermath of the incident, promising to reinstate the space.

It has now been announced what will be planted in place of the ancient hedgerow as works are due to start imminently on the housing scheme.

Barratt and Vistry said that 19 semi-mature trees, which did not have Tree Protection Orders, and 'lengths of hedgerow bramble scrub' were wrongly removed.

"Future works to enhance the hedgerow for biodiversity would have included the removal of all bramble scrub, but all trees would have been retained," the developers added.

"Works to reinstate the hedgerow and bring forward proposed future enhancements will now take place before March 2023."

The developer added it is in 'open dialogue with all stakeholder parties' to establish the types of replacement trees that will be planted, which are likely to be a mix of oak, field maple and hornbeam. 

"A new hedgerow will be planted with the species mix proposed for other new hedgerows across the site," it said. 

"The species are targeted to benefit dormice and a range of important invertebrate species including green hairstreak butterflies.

"All stumps are to be retained where possible and will produce new coppice growth within the first year to contribute to hedgerow structure."

Barratt and Vistry also said that 'further enhancement work' will be brought forward adjacent to the hedgerow.

This includes planting a woodland to 'ensure an area of substantial habitat'.

"This woodland will be well connected to the remainder of the sites green infrastructure and will provide a significant resource for dormice and other wildlife," they added.

Developers said in the aftermath of the blunder that they planned on using the accidentally chopped down trees as wooden benches.

A spokesperson for the developers said: “Our plans for reinstatement are designed that they can be achieved quickly, so that the area is left cleared for no longer than necessary and wildlife can return."

A meet and greet session will take place at Bridport Town Hall on Wednesday, March 1 from 2pm to 7pm where a timeline of the housing build can be viewed and people can ask questions.

It comes as there is still no word about when work is due to start on the development, said Bridport town councillor Sarah Carney. 

Cllr Carney added that one of the key details she was looking to learn from the session was the plan for a new roundabout on the A35 to replace the existing junction near Symondsbury.

"We are really worried about how that is going to be managed safely as there will be two loads of construction traffic," she said.

The councillor added that the developer is required to build the roundabout as part of its legal agreement which came with planning approval - and it must be built before any of the new homes are occupied.