Trees and shrubs in Scarborough's South Cliff Gardens to be removed ahead of £7m improvement scheme

Scarborough Council today approved the spend as part of a £7milllion scheme to bring the historic gardens back to their best.

The removal of the trees will give access to contractors to start the works for the Heritage Lottery funded scheme.

The removal will start later this month and run through until February so it takes place outside of the birdnesting season.

A report prepared for cabinet member Cllr Janet Jefferson (Ind) stated the work would “reinstate key historic views within the park and across the park, from the Esplanade to South Bay”.

It added: “Where trees will have to be removed, new compensation tree planting will take place as part of the following main contract works in 2020-21.

“The new trees planted within the south cliff gardens will be restricted to smaller and more ornamental varieties to ensure succession but also make it easier to maintain the historic views in the future.

“Elsewhere, an offset policy of planting two trees for every one cut down in south cliff gardens will be implemented across a number of planting schemes elsewhere in the borough.”

The report added that diseased and dangerous trees would be removed to allow the remaining trees to thrive. The trees had been identified following an independent and impartial arboricultural survey and the South Cliff Community Group has given its backing to the work.

Cllr Jefferson approved the council entering into a contract with Rennison Tree Specialists for the sum of £91,285 to carry out the removal, with the funds coming from the project budget.

The South Cliff Gardens project is being funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund grant of £4,665,700.

Scarborough Council is contributing £1.5 million with the rest coming from other contributions, including Section 106 money and £100,000 raised by the South Cliff Gardens Group.

Once at the heart of Scarborough’s seaside resort; the South Cliff Gardens were the place to go to improve health and wellbeing, socialise, explore and enjoy the extensive sea views.

The gardens include 14 timber and concrete shelters, believed to be the largest number of historic shelters in any public garden in the country and feature 19th Century Egyptian gates,

Italian steps designed by Joseph Paxton, iconic Italian gardens, the first funicular railway in the country, Holbeck Clock Tower, the world’s first beach chalets, rose garden and the much-loved Clock Café.