Critics have slammed the “strange” design and questioned whether the scheme is “good value for money”.
The Labour-run council has insisted the planters are ‘stylish’ (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)
A Labour council has been slammed for spending £90,000 on “ugly lumpy things” in a UK city centre. Leicester City Council installed a dozen planters on busy shopping streets this week, with plans to fill them with trees and shrubs over the coming days.
Labour mayor Sir Peter Soulsby insisted the curved grey design was “stylish”, but others suggested they “could be much better”, given the hefty price tag. Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Porter described them as “ugly lumpy things”.
He told the BBC: “I suppose they’ll look better when they have plants in, but they have a strange pebbledash design that looks a bit 1970s. Some people might like them, but I think for nearly £8,000 each, they could be much better.”
Local estate agent John Ghent also wrote on Facebook: “I’m all for making Leicester look nicer. I love our city and want to see it thriving! But £90,000?! I appreciate there will be trees going into them, and I don’t know exactly where the funding has come from, what the full cost includes or whether the money could have been spent elsewhere. But surely it’s reasonable to ask whether this represents good value for money?!”
The planters, installed on Market Street, King Street and St Martins, will be filled with small trees, fragrant specimen shrubs and drought-tolerant perennial plants, the council said. The scheme, a partnership between the council and BID Leicester, is aimed at “creating a more attractive route” between Leicester’s New Walk and Old Town areas.
The planters have been described as ‘ugly lumps’ by a councillor (Image: Instagram/ranjit_sc82)
Sir Peter added: “This planting scheme will help make Market Street and St Martins greener and more attractive places to spend time. “It’s part of our continued investment in the city centre and will strengthen the connection between New Walk and the Cathedral area, helping to create a more welcoming environment for residents, businesses and visitors.”
Simon Jenner, director of BID Leicester, said the £90,000 scheme would help to “create an attractive, welcoming city centre”, which will in turn benefit “the businesses that operate here and everyone who comes into Leicester to shop, work, eat and spend time”.
“These new planters will bring more greenery and colour to some key city centre streets, while helping to create a stronger and more inviting connection between New Walk, Market Street and Old Town,” he added. “We’re pleased to be working with Leicester City Council on another practical improvement to the city centre environment.”