A resident on Scotland’s priciest street has hit out at a top golf resort for carrying out a “chainsaw massacre” on the edge of the exclusive housing estate.
Maggie McCaig said Gleneagles had taken the axe to trees near her home on Caledonian Crescent, Auchterarder, where the average house price is more than £1.5 million.
The works, which are taking place on Gleneagles’ driving range, are part of the preparations for next year’s Ryder Cup tournament.
Ms McKaig said it was a “disgrace” to cut trees down for an event that will only last a few days.
“They should be looking after the trees for future generations, not destroying them,” she said.
“It’s been a chainsaw massacre. The trees are at least 150 years old. We have red squirrels and this is their habitat. It’s the only habitat they have round here and they (Gleneagles) are taking it down.
“They promised they would plant new trees but not here, on another part of the estate. How can you replace 150-year-old trees with saplings?”
A Gleneagles spokeswoman said: “As part of the ongoing preparations for the Ryder Cup, we’ve received permission from the Forestry Commission to remove a small number of trees from our driving range.
“Our intention is to replace these elsewhere in the estate, along with 150 additional trees. As a proud supporter of Perthshire Big Tree Country, we are committed to sustainable management of our estate.
“We know that visitors and locals alike come to Gleneagles to enjoy our beautiful rural setting, and always ensure that works such as these are carried out responsibly, with minimal impact on local wildlife.”
A spokeswoman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “There are no planning designations in place such as a tree preservation order or conservation area which would restrict the felling of the trees in this location.
“The Forestry Commission would be in a position to advise whether a felling licence is required.”