PEOPLE living on the edge of the Sheerwater regeneration area were shocked to find that an 8ft high hoarding has been put up to create a narrow alleyway in front of their homes.

Residents of Murray Green now fear fire and ambulance crews could find it difficult to get to their homes in an emergency.

They are also perplexed over why a grassed patch that could be used as a temporary car park for householders has been fenced off as a tree protection zone.

The black-painted fence was put up on the edge of the footpath along the front of the homes in Murray Green, which is between Albert Drive and Bunyard Drive.

The fence surrounds a block of houses whose residents have been moved out for “phase purple” of the £372m regeneration project and an area which will be used as a construction yard. The empty homes will be demolished, and new housing built at a higher density in a scheme which will increase the number of homes on the estate by more than 400.

“No-one consulted us about the line of the fence,” said Richard Albury, who has lived in Murray Green for 20 years. “If they had spoken to us, we would have asked for the fence to be set back at least two feet from the edge of the path.

The leader of Woking Borough Council, Cllr David Bittleston, commented: “Site hoardings are put in place to protect residents and tree protection areas are put in place to protect not just what you can see above ground, but also the root systems below ground."

For the full story get the 22 August edition of the News & Mail