Scores of trees on a former iron forge site which have been protected since 1992 could now be cut down.

Plans to fell 89 trees at the old Tin Plate Works site in Waterloo have been lodged with Caerphilly County Borough Council.

A Tree Preservation Order (TPO), made by the council in 1992, has protected trees on the site for the past 28 years.

But in December, a new order was made by the council, recognising that the original TPO was “causing problems with the management of trees on the site.”

More than 1,000 trees were individually tagged on the site in 2012.

But permission is now being sought to cut down 89 trees which will no longer be protected under the new order.

The trees are being removed as part of “site management.”

They remain protected for the time being, with the old order unlikely to be revoked before the start of next month.

Once the order has been revoked, the landowner will be able to remove them if planning permission is approved, with work potentially taking place in the summer.

Permission is being sought to start ground works ahead of the spring nesting season though.

It is a criminal offence to interfere with the nest building process in the spring season.