For years, the planters on Chillingham Road formed part of a bee and butterfly corridor, helping to support pollinators, making Chillingham Road a greener, more welcoming place. The lush greenery and vibrant plants brought joy to residents and encouraged visitors to our high street. They were carefully curated to be both pollinator rich and joyful, and they were maintained through the hard work of local residents alongside the previous councillors, who invested time and effort into improving our neighbourhood.
It is true that concerns were raised about some of the trees. When the planters were cared for, the council’s tree specialist inspected the trees and confirmed they were healthy. Since then, however, the planters have been allowed to deteriorate through a lack of maintenance. Bees and butterflies have disappeared, plants have dried out, and trees are now struggling because they have been neglected.
Neglect should never be used as a justification for removal.
Before the election, the Heaton councillors were working to bring even more trees to Chillingham Road and the Avenues. A plan was in place to open the Avenues tree pits bringing a substantial increase in Heaton’s tree canopy and explore moving the planters to one side on Chillingham Road so trees could be planted in the tree pits below without losing the undoubted benefits that the biodiversity in the planters brings.
The answer is not to let valuable community assets decline and then remove them. The answer is to care for them, restore them, and build on what local people have already achieved.
Please sign our petition to save the planters below.
Petition wording
The Chillingham Road planters were a vital local asset. Cared for by residents and previous councillors, their pollinator perennials and colourful flowers provided a joyful bee and butterfly corridor loved by residents and visitors alike.
Since May, they have been badly neglected and plans to remove them were announced.
We urge the new councillors to rethink this decision and call on the council to demonstrate its commitment to biodiversity by stepping in to save the planters and restore the bee and butterfly corridor on Chillingham Road.
Heaton deserves investment, care, and a commitment to protecting biodiversity.
Stop this neglect.