by Heather Pickstock

People living next door to Bristol International Airport are fuming after waking up to find a car park being built at the bottom of their gardens.

Residents of Downside Road woke up Friday morning to find workmen had moved onto a paddock at the rear of their properties and were cutting down a number of 50ft conifer trees to make way for an airport car park extension.

Neighbours say the first they knew about the plans to use the land on the northern fringe of the site for 85 new car parking spaces was when they heard the contractors start work.

Lynzie Gadd, 43, has lived at her cottage at Downside Road for five years and said the car park was being built alongside her rear garden.

Lynzie, who is five months pregnant, said: "This car park is going to have a real impact on us enjoying our garden – it will literally be next door.

"The first thing I knew about it was when I saw the workmen on site and we've not been told anything about this work by the airport.

"The conifers do provide not only some privacy from the airport, but also a sound buffer from the noise of the plane engines.

"The airport has said it will plant more trees to shield properties from the car park, but these are not going to grow overnight.

"I'm also concerned why we weren't informed by North Somerset Council."

Ms Gadd, an exams officer, added: "I know there's a badger sett in the paddock as I've seen the tracks and there are deer which live in the area. Apparently the airport has done an environmental impact survey, but I don't think they've really taken the wildlife issues into consideration."

Residents say they are concerned about the noise and disturbance from the 24-hour car park.

Barbara Hawker, 76, has lived at her bungalow at Downside Road for 32 years and the new car park will back directly onto her rear garden.

She too only discovered what was happening when she looked out of her garden yesterday morning and saw the trees being cut down.

Mrs Hawker said: "The paddock used to be owned by a farmer before the airport bought it and was used by people to walk their dogs and keep horses. I am very worried that the headlights from the cars using this car park will shine directly into my house.

"There will also be noise from the car park day and night which will ruin my peace. It will also look right over the back of my house, leaving me no privacy at all."

Bristol Airport spokesman, James Gore, said the work being carried out was classed as 'permitted development' – work to extend or alter an existing facility which does not need planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act.

Airport bosses have previously tried to pass plans to create a two-storey walkway between the terminal building and the western apron under permitted development rules, although in that case they had to seek and were later granted planning permission after an outcry from environment campaigners.

Mr Gore said: "The car park works are permitted development and we consulted North Somerset Council on the scheme in August.

"We received confirmation that there were no objections to the scheme in September and we are now proceeding with the work.

"The work involves the removal of a large number of Leylandi and these are coming out now."

Mr Gore said airport representatives met residents yesterday to discuss their concerns.

He added: "We've undertaken to review the landscaping scheme to increase the size of planting and to add a screen fence. We think this will ensure that they will be no worse off after the project is complete."

North Somerset Council was consulted by airport bosses about the car park extension, but raised no objections subject to landscaping work being carried out.

Planning officers said that the car park would have "little impact on neighbours" and are believed to have said no consultation with residents was needed because the work was being carried out under the permitted development rules.

A North Somerset Council spokesman said: "The work which is currently being carried out falls under the permitted development rights."