AROUND 100 trees will be cut down in Matchborough by Redditch Council at the end of this month.

A 200 metre roadside section of poplars between industrial units at the South end of Matchborough Way is to be felled - leading to significantly disrupted woodland area and lane closures.

Many of Redditch’s estimated three million trees are in areas of woodland where all the trees were planted at the same time during the 'new town' expansion.

It means all those trees start to die off at the same time, and then need to be cut down.

The 'new town' era poplars are now older than their expected lifespan of about 50 years.

A council spokesman said: "They will all be felled, and the Norway Maple trees that are already starting to colonise the site will then be encouraged to grow, promoting the natural and sustainable regeneration of the area for future generations."

Councillor Brandon Clayton, Redditch Borough Council’s portfolio holder for environmental services, added: “We try to let people know when these projects are coming up because nobody likes to see trees felled especially if they don’t know the reason for it.

"Basically when you plant a hundred poplars, in 50 years you’ve got to sort out a hundred poplars as they all die off at the same time and potentially become unsafe, especially near roads.

"Obviously it’s not done like that anymore, as woodland management techniques have changed, but as it stands this remains an essential part of the ongoing work we do to maintain Redditch’s amazing woodlands.”

The work, at the South end of Matchborough Way where it meets Icknield Street Drive, is expected to start on January 28 and take at least two or three weeks.

Disruption to the road is expected to be limited to one week of a single lane closure with traffic lights, from January 28.