Leicester City Council has faced criticism after spending £90,000 on 12 planters installed on busy shopping streets, with some describing them as "ugly lumpy things." The Labour-run council placed the curved grey planters on Market Street, King Street and St Martins this week, planning to fill them with trees and shrubs in the coming days.
Labour mayor Sir Peter Soulsby insisted the design was "stylish," but Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Porter disagreed, telling 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."
Public Reaction to the Cost
Local estate agent John Ghent also questioned the spending on Facebook, writing: "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 will be filled with small trees, fragrant specimen shrubs and drought-tolerant perennial plants, according to the council. The scheme, a partnership between the council and BID Leicester, aims to "create a more attractive route" between Leicester's New Walk and Old Town areas.
Council Defends the Investment
Sir Peter said: "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," benefiting "the businesses that operate here and everyone who comes into Leicester to shop, work, eat and spend time." He added: "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. We're pleased to be working with Leicester City Council on another practical improvement to the city centre environment."
