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‘Unimaginative’ says Colebrook Row resident Rosie Waterhouse of the gardens |
Streets at war over ‘boring’ gardens
£100,000 landscaping hailed as ‘huge improvement’ but critics remain unimpressed
A WAR of words broke out again this week over a soon-to-be-completed £100,000 landscaping scheme for ornate public gardens at the Angel.
Improvements to the gardens, which run between two rows of Georgian terraced houses, have proved divisive. In the spring, preparation for the work was halted temporarily by claims that some residents had not been consulted properly.
Residents in Colebrook Row, off City Road, have complained about the loss of trees, bushes and shrubs and say the changes are “boring and cosmetic”.
In nearby Duncan Terrace the improvements are seen as allowing more light in and improving security. Bushes have been taken out to stop people using them as toilets.
The new landscaped gardens, due to open in December, have won the backing of government planner Eric Sorenson, chairman of the Angel Association, who says they have “much improved” the area.
He added: “We like the structure and believe the plantings are going to be quite sensitive. The lawn is a good design and complements the gardens. All in all, it’s a much nicer place than it was before.”
But City University lecturer Rosie Waterhouse, from Colebrook Row, is “appalled” that many trees have been removed and shrubs and rockery replaced by a “manicured lawn”. She said: “They were going to chop down 20 trees but we have managed to save some. But they’ve taken away a lot of interesting and mature shrubs. Now it looks really bare. The new gardens look boring and unimaginative.” A central feature of the scheme is a new lawn, which has been welcomed by many in Duncan Terrace.
But Ms Waterhouse said: “It’s a manicured lawn, which is very old fashioned. Even parks don’t have them so often.”
She warned: “It’s going to be impossible to keep people and dogs from treading all over it. They’ve also replaced a traditional York stone path with tarmac. The gardens have lost their intrinsic shade and wildness.”
Another resident in Colebrook Row, who did not wish to be named, fears it will be years before the gardens’ original wooded, shaded areas return.
But Patrick Mackenzie-Gray, co-ordinator of the Friends of Duncan Terrace, has welcomed the improvements, based on a survey conducted by Islington Council before work began in March.
He said: “I’m not saying the scheme is perfect but I hope it reflects the view of the majority of people.
“The lawn, for example, is a huge improvement on what was there before. It’s raised, which means only toddlers are likely to run around on it. It’s a green sward in a woodland park setting.
“I’d rather see that than wild flowers. It catches the sun and is rather delightful. I personally would have liked to see more winding paths, but that said it is a huge improvement on what was there before.” |
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