Neighbours on the Haslar estate in Lancing made their voices heard when they blocked the workmen's excavator on private land adjacent to their homes (The Argus, March 9).

The residents claim the land is a habitat for foxes, rabbits and birds and this extreme measure was their way of protecting that habitat.

The contractor doing the damage was said to be carrying out a major tidy-up, just clearing the land of old bushes.

I well understand the residents' concern as over the past year I have seen similar small habitats disappear in my own area. Land tidying is often too extreme - any area of land that has been unattended for a time must be treated with caution, as wildlife will certainly have moved in.

As for the clearing of bushes, March is not a good month to do it, as birds are nesting.

Many brownfield sites and private gardens are being developed and the trees and shrubs on these areas need to be seriously considered before planning consent is given.

Too much is often removed, driving wildlife out. The replanting that follows rarely brings wildlife back.

I would like to see more care taken in ground contracting work and planning applications, leaving as much as possible of the existing habitat.

-Gloria Wheatcroft, Hove