City council staff cut trees down outside Oxford flats which could be demolished to make way for a new Westgate shopping centre and asked residents: "When are you moving out?"

Capital Shopping Centres, which owns the complex, is planning a £220m redevelopment, and wants to demolish nearby Abbey Place flats to make way for a bus-turning facility and new housing.

Now, Green county councillor Sushila Dhall complained to the Local Government Ombudsman and has vowed to fight for the rights of tenants.

Christian Pattison, 40, a care assistant for Vincent McKeown, 51, a tenant who has multiple sclerosis, said sycamore trees lining Abbey Place were cut down by council staff last week.

He said: "When one resident asked the workmen what they were doing he said, 'do you know when you're going yet?,' which of course made us think that this was connected with the development of the Westgate Centre. I contacted the city council's planning department to ask them why the trees were being cut down, but they knew nothing about it."

Ms Dhall added: "It turns out the trees were going to be cut down anyway, but I think it was very insensitive to carry out this work when residents are uncertain about their future.

"The remark made by a council worker was extremely tactless and it would have been better not to carry out this work at this particular time.

"A lot of people feel the demolition of homes at Abbey Place has already been decided, but the matter has not yet been discussed democratically and I will fight hard to ensure that the centre of Oxford is not completely cleansed of people who are not extremely wealthy.

"I think it's a shame the trees have gone."

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said a number of trees were cut down after Abbey Place residents requested they should be trimmed to let more light into their homes.

She added: "When the workmen examined the trees, they decided it would be better to remove them completely.

"This has got nothing whatsoever to do with the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre."