PLANTING fruit trees around a popular Stockton Heath beauty spot would amount to “abandoning health and safety” issues it has been claimed.
Stockton Heath Parish Council heard Warrington Anglers planned to put the trees on the banks of Ackers Pit, to replace trees that had been removed.
Coun Sonia Boggan said: “It is absolutely ludicrous for fruit trees to be planted. Health and safety would go right down the plughole.
“We would get youngsters scrumping and falling, getting broken legs or falling into the water. Can we not just have blossom trees without fruit.”
Coun Sheila Dean said: “It would have been nice to be consulted. We are just presented with a fait accompli, we should be choosing the trees.”
Coun Robin Wilson said the planting should be done as part of an overall plan, taking ecological issues into account.
Coun Stephen Taylor said fruit trees were not native to the site. It would be wrong to put them near the water because if fruit fell in the pit there would be problems.
“If we think leaves cause problems with the water, just see what fruit does,” he added.
He said the anglers should be told to consult the parish council before planting anything.
Coun Marilyn Timmins said: “Why can’t we go for something like rosehips and things that are naturally found in the countryside.”
Members heard that work on removing a further 16 trees along Ackers Road would soon start and would cost £4,750 including traffic management.
1 Comment
“We would get youngsters scrumping and falling”
I remember it well, it was called growing up naturally without assistance from killjoy councillors.