Bolton Council defends 'legal vandalism' of park trees (From This Is Lancashire)

Bolton Council defends 'legal vandalism' of park trees

9:09am Friday 19th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

TOWN hall bosses have defended the removal of trees from Queens Park, despite critics describing the move as “heartbreaking” and “legalised vandalism”.

The Bolton News has been inundated with letters condemning the tree removal since work started last month.

But Bolton Council says the work is necessary to make the park seem safer and to return it to the way it looked in Victorian times.

Bolton Green Party candidate Alwynne Cartmell said: “These trees were needlessly destroyed at a time when wildlife is preparing to nest.

“Without trees we wouldn’t exist — basic biology lessons taught us that.”

Resident Mike Smith, of nearby Sunlight Road, said: “The council is really being merciless with the removal of trees.

“Surely Bolton Council is better served by thinking about the wildlife of the area as well as making the park a safer place to walk at night?”

The council’s £7.3 million park restoration scheme involved the removal of about 100 trees from the park, mainly around the lakes.

A council spokesman said: “The lakes are an essential part of Queens Park, but over time have become surrounded by trees and silted up.

“The tree removals that have recently taken place are one part of the larger scheme to return many key features of the park to the state they were in in Victorian times, as well as to encourage far greater use of the park by more of the local community.

“The trees have been removed for a variety of reasons including some which are diseased or dying, as well as trees which are too crowded, which cause fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in the park.”

He added that some trees were being removed because they are in inappropriate locations, blocking views across the water or undermining paths and lake edges.

The restoration of Queens Park is being paid for by £3 million of council cash and a £4.3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The scheme started last November with the £500,000 restoration of Dobson Bridge, which is due to be completed this spring.

Dredging of the lakes is due to start in July, and about 200 fish were last week temporarily moved to allow the work to take place.