WORK to revamp junction 16 of the M4 could mean more than a thousand metres of hedgerow being grubbed.

Hedgerows south of the junction have been earmarked for removal ahead of the hiuge project which is set to start towards the end of the summer.

The application, which has been made to Wiltshire Council, states: “The hedgerow needs to be removed to allow construction of embankments (to south) and a drainage pond (to southeast) for the major improvements scheme planned for the area and to allow access for the construction.”

It suggests just under 360 metres will have actually have to be removed, but planning documents between the borough council and Wiltshire planning officers detail three areas measuring 420 metres, 440 metres and 150 metres to the south and east of the junction.

“The area is a mixture of vegetation, some trees, some hedgerow, some scrub, but it is better to cover all of it as part of the application just in case,” said project manager Tim Mann in correspondence with Wiltshire Council officers.

A major redesign of the heavily used junction is a condition of the outline planning permission that has been granted for the housing development at Wichelstowe and must be finished before the 1,100th house is occupied.

Funded jointly by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Wichelstowe Joint Venture, the work is expected to be complete by Spring 2018.

The plans were agreed a decade ago and are intended to increase the capacity of the junction to cope with an expected increase in traffic when the 4,500-home development is eventually finished.

Currently around 5,500 vehicles an hour use the junction during peak morning and evening times, but the number is forecast to increase by at least 50 per cent in the future.

Changes will include widened slip roads, traffic lights replaced and alterations to the roundabout. A new footway from Swindon Road to Hay Lane will be installed and there will be improvements to drainage around the junction along with a dedicated right turn from Swindon Road to Hay Lane.

Consultation on the hedgerow removal is open until August 15 and the application can be seen on Wiltshire Council’s website.

The junction will stay open during the work but disruption is expected.