A MATURE and beautiful communal garden will be turned into a “bare, soulless barrack yard” if a housing company’s landscaping plans go-ahead, according to a group of residents.

James and Susan Pearse, of Crickley Drive, have spent 15 years lovingly creating the garden with support from their neighbours and fear the environmental upgrades proposed by Fortis Living, which owns the social housing, will ruin the outdoor space they are so proud of.

The green-fingered residents began their project in 1999 when the garden was overgrown with weeds and waist-high grass and have since transformed it by planting shrubs, flower beds and vegetable patches and installing sheds, a greenhouse, bird baths and wooden decking.

But all of these additions will have to be removed in time for Fortis Living’s works next month, which will include new seating, planting and drying areas, improved surfaces and the relocation of bin stores.

Mr Pearse, who specifically opposes the re-landscaping of the garden for 23 to 45 Crickley Drive, said: “It is a garden built by people who care about the environment we live in and who enjoy planning for the seasons ahead.

“It is also a hobby, a reason to get up in the morning and a joy to work collectively through the year.

“The garden brings the community together and is a great place for social gatherings like barbecues as well as a haven for wildlife.

“We were encouraged to beautify the open space by previous regimes at Worcester City Council and Stewart Mountfield, former chief executive officer of Worcester Community Housing, even personally donated us a petrol mower.

“Why destroy a mature, well-loved open space and replace it with a bare area of grass, tarmac and resin gravel?

“This action will be removing pleasure from and reducing the quality of life of tenants, even though our work has saved community housing thousands of pounds over the years.”

The aggrieved resident added he could not understand why funds were being spent on landscaping when, in his opinion, other aspects of the buildings such as non-insulated front doors, inadequate noise control and old sewage pipes were in more urgent need of upgrading.

He also claimed a petition against the work had been signed by nine out of the 12 properties affected.

Fortis Living however has been granted planning permission for the developments and contractors will begin landscaping in November.

The company stated the work will “improve the amenities of the site” while the removal of additions such as sheds and the greenhouse, which it labelled as “unapproved”, would make the garden safer for children.

It added that a community consultation exercise revealed six customers supported the work, one did not want it completed, three did not mind and two failed to respond.

Claire Huyton, executive director for housing care and communities at Fortis Living, said: "It is great that customers take pride in their neighbourhood but we always have to be aware that communal areas are for all who live there, not just a select few.

“We have to ensure everyone has equal access and also an equal opinion as to what they want to see happen there. We have listened to everyone's views and, where possible, changed plans to accommodate their requests.

“Extra front parking, additional lighting and security railings have all been added as a direct result of what customers said.

"We are confident that everyone living in Crickley Drive will benefit from the improvement work and hope they will continue to take pride in their communal area."