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Residents in Paddock Wood were devastated when they saw a large number of trees in Church Road torn down.
The felling was carried out by Countryside Properties ahead of the firm starting work to build 300 homes on Church Farm.
But now it turns out that the company may have jumped the gun.
In February 2018, the developer was granted planning permission to build 300 homes , but Tunbridge Wells council attached a whole string of conditions that the firm had to fulfil first.
Among them was Condition 21 that stated: "Prior to the commencement of any phase of the development within any part of the site, the following details relating to that phase, shall be submitted for the approval of the Local Planning Authority: a schedule of all proposed tree works; a tree protection plan and an arboricultural method statement, detailing all suitable methods required to ensure the effective protection of trees to be retained."
The company submitted the requested details for approval on September 16, but they have not yet been approved by the borough council.
Nevertheless the bulldozers arrived just five days later and began grubbing up the trees that front Church Road.
Nicholas Robinson, a resident in Church Road, was incensed. He said: "To me, this is an act of blatant vandalism and the developer deserves to be punished and to have its reputation shredded for it.
"The mature trees were not only attractive in themselves, but also provided habitat to wildlife such as barn owls, which we used to hear hooting at night-time.
"Lockdown has brought many of us closer to nature, and nature has had a positive impact on mental health for many of us.
"This wanton, unnecessary and unauthorised destruction of that same nature has precisely the opposite effect."
Tunbridge Wells council's enforcement team have now instructed Countryside to stop all tree-felling until the council has approved and discharged the planning condition.
A council spokesman said: "The trees that have been felled are ones that are included within the existing planning permission and will be replaced as part of the new development.
"It was brought to the attention of planning enforcement officers that work on the trees had started and they reviewed the matter.
"An administrative process should have been completed before work started and the developer has been advised about this."
A spokesperson from Countryside Properties said: “Countryside is working closely with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to address the issue swiftly as per their guidelines.”
