Campaigners are furious after dozens of mature conifer trees were cut down at a cricket club.

A total of 78 trees that used to stand along the boundaries of Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis and Squash Club were cut down over the weekend.

The land on the site is owned by the cricket club and the trees are not protected by any orders from the council.

The site is close to an area on Wood Street where developer IPE is planning to build two blocks of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, three mews houses and additional commercial space.

Outline planning permission for 29 housing units on the site was granted by Waltham Forest Council back in March 2017.

Campaigners were worried these plans may have led to the cricket club felling the trees. But a spokesperson for IPE Developments clarified: “We have nothing to do with that, nor is this near or within our boundary.”

In an email shared to the LDR service, a spokesperson for concerned environmental campaigners wrote to the management team of the cricket club and said: “I would like to assume that it was complete ignorance of the facts which led to the decision to fell these trees.

“There is a climate emergency. It is our children and grandchildren who will suffer because of thoughtless actions like this.”

It is thought that for every one tree felled, almost 100 saplings would have to be planted in its stead to mitigate the loss of biodiversity and environmental benefits, which could remain missing for decades.

Estimates show some 50 per cent of newly planted trees do not survive past their first five years after planting due to environmental stresses.

Campaigners are concerned by the loss of habitat for creatures such as moths, butterflies and other insects.

Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis and Squash Club has been contacted for comment.