Council cuts down dozens of trees on the seafront of the ‘English Riviera’, the city of Devon, sparks public outcry
The palm trees that have welcomed visitors to the “English Riviera” for a century were cut down with caution in an act that locals described as “pure vandalism. “
The felling of 40 trees in Torquay, Devon, has sparked a furious public outcry and accusations that the council has “totally destroyed” the seafront.
The beloved palm trees, which some locals consider synonymous with the city’s beach (hapless hotel manager Basil Fawlty even bragged about them in an episode of Fawlty Towers) have been discovered since their inception in Italian gardens, which Abbey Sands Tower first planted in 1924.
But dozens of them have been cut down to their stumps consulted or received by the Torbay City Council, as part of the recovery of the gardens ahead of their centenary next year.
Writing on social media, one resident said: “It turns out that there is an opposite schedule to our beloved palm trees, the iconic and symbolic symbol of Torbay. »
Another wrote: “There is no scenario, not even universe, in which palm tree felling is a reality. A heartless advice, which does not serve its purpose.
The councillor Adam Billings admitted the council had “dropped the ball” on reminding the public about the plans and shared the frustration of residents. He said: “You can appreciate if you were in my shoes, you’d be equally disappointed. It’s clearly not the standard that our local community or indeed the cabinet member expects of the council.”
The council promised that the lawn would be remodeled during the winter and spring, and that more plantings would be planned. He said the palm trees had shown signs of significant degradation over the past 20 years and that his contractors were carrying out work to improve the site.
Public consultation in 2019 identified the Italian Gardens as a priority for restoration, but the scheme was delayed due to the pandemic.
The incident mirrors a similar controversy when 110 trees were removed under the shadow of darkness in March 2023 in Plymouth as part of the redevelopment of the city’s Armada Way. This led to the resignation of the council’s Conservative leader.
Subscribe to the first edition.
Our morning email pinpoints key moments of the day and lets you know what’s happening and why it’s important.
after newsletter promotion
This is the first time Torquay’s palm trees have turned out to be a thorny issue. In 2009, palm trees were uprooted from a flower bed near the harbour and others were moved in a scene that a local councillor at the time described as “carnage”.
In this case, the trees were cut down to prevent crime and anti-social habits from continuing in their shade. Three years earlier, outrage had been sparked by fears that palms placed next to the dots might scratch passers-by.