The airport is almost exclusively used for transporting cargo

The airport wants to start operating cheap flights to 11 European destinations from March and planning permission is being considered for a new passenger terminal.

The airport wants to reduce the height hundreds of trees in the area, including 500 at Chantry Wood, as part of the plans.

The owner of the wood Alex McCurry said a lot of the trees could die as a result.

New jobs

"Trees such as the silver birch and pine would not survive because if you take the tip away you have a dead tree."

Holiday company Thomson announced in December the introduction of a new low-fares airline, Thomsonfly.com, based at Coventry Airport.

More than 200 jobs would be created at Coventry Airport in the first year, with the surrounding regions also expected to benefit as increased numbers of passengers boost local businesses.

Bertie McKay, Warwick District Councillor for Baginton, said: "You have to question the motives of an organisation which is submitting a planning application for a passenger terminal and then announces a deal with an airline which would start, according to them, on 31 March."

Coventry Airport said the scheme to reduce the height of the trees was a safety measure but could not say how many trees would be affected.

The airport is currently used almost exclusively for transporting cargo and has one of Europe's biggest parcel distribution centres.