Over 100 trees at Harpenden Common Golf Club are to be chopped down.

Harpenden Town Council’s application to remove 106 trees was approved in July, but was only recently uncovered by club members.

Birch trees, hornbeam trees, hawthorn trees and 58 oak trees, many of which are said to be mature, are all slated for felling

Club member John Green said: “Mature ones are the worry because once they are gone they are gone.”

Thirty-two of the oak trees, along with six hawthorn threes and two birch trees, will be recycled as biomass under the plans.

The felling permission from St Albans district council is valid for two years from July 13, 2018 and the work is scheduled to start in the New Year

The club had its AGM on Thursday, when the council’s plan was discussed and several members asked for it to be reviewed.

Harpenden Common Golf Club general manger Terry Crump said: “I will be talking to Harpenden Town Council about some amendments.”

Council clerk Carl Cheevers said: “Our current programme of Common works includes two types of items: firstly, those that are essential in delivering our management plan objectives and secondly, those that have been flagged to us by the golf club as being issues that are impacting on their management of course.

“The focus for this work is on improving our acidic grassland and meadow areas.

“As set out in the management plan, the acidic grassland and meadow areas on Harpenden Common are a scarce and important habitat locally.

“Nationally, areas of acid grass and heathland are recognised as scarce and fragmented habitats that are gradually succumbing to scrub and woodland encroachment and shading, as well as development pressures, and changing agricultural practices.

“Our management plan aims are to conserve, enhance and increase areas of species-rich meadow and acid grassland.

“As Harpenden Common is in a Conservation Area we are required to gain approval from the Trees and Woodlands Department at St Albans district council.

“We have already engaged this department and secured permissions for all the works.”