Sladen Estates covered 11 trees with netting on its Walnut Tree Park site near the River Wey in Guildford where it plans to build 361 student bedrooms, even though work has not yet started.

Developers are banned from damaging bird nests so sometimes net trees off during the nesting season. However, Sladen admitted that it had no plans to start working on the site until the end of the year, long after the nesting season is over.

The company had faced backlash from social media users and the wider public for the large nets.

One particular tweet from novelist Melissa Harrison, which gained more than 2,500 retweets and 4,500 likes, described the netting as “upsetting”.

Guildford Borough Council (GBC) said it had liaised with the developer on Monday (March 11), which had agreed to remove the netting within 48 hours.

A spokesman for Sladen Estates said: “We understand the strength of reaction to the netting of trees at Walnut Tree Park but want to reassure everyone that we have taken the correct advice.

“Due to a delay in planning, the nets are now set for removal as soon as practically possible and the company remains committed to sustainable development.”