Council defends removal of trees in €10m revamp

ENGINEERS defended a decision last night to remove five trees lining Cork’s historic Grand Parade as part of its €10 million revamp.

They said the removal of four of the trees within the last few days was planned.

However, the fifth tree, which was cut down three weeks ago, had to be removed because it had become dangerously unstable.

The mature London Plain, close to the junction of Oliver Plunkett Street, had to be cut down after a footpath was removed from around its roots.

The other four trees which were removed before the weekend were either diseased or considered poor specimens not worthy of saving, a council spokesman said.

At least one of those trees had shelled — its inner core was rotten.

The trunk of a second tree had been damaged and warped by impacts over the years from trucks.

Grand Parade project manager John Stapleton, said the city council was not in the business of destroying greenery.

“It’s quite the opposite actually,” he said, “One more tree close to the Bank of Scotland will have to be removed.

“It doesn’t fit in with the overall design but eight will be replanted in its place.

“All the other trees are staying. And we are replanting up to 42 mature trees in the area as part of the project.

“When people see the finished product, it will be a tree-lined avenue, totally enhanced.”

The new trees will be at least 25-years-old and bigger than the new trees planted on St Patrick’s Street as part of that area’s revamp.

They will have to be lifted into place by crane, Mr Stapleton said.

The Grand Parade will be transformed as part of the project.

Catalan architect Beth Gali, who also designed the new-look St Patrick’s Street, has designed a wide pedestrian friendly plaza with widened footpaths, dozens of new benches and in-floor lighting, to complement the St Patrick’s Street look.

The redevelopment is advancing ahead of schedule, Mr Stapleton said, and is due to be completed by December 2007.