OVER MY DEAD BODY! SOME PEOPLE ENRAGED AT COUNCIL'S 'WHITE PALM TREE' PROJECT

                                                                   

Will it happen? The proposed white palm tree

THE deputy leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr John Fenty, has revealed the extent of public anger towards the proposed installation of a 72ft fake palm tree on Cleethorpes' North Promenade.

At a full meeting of the authority, he said as many 20 per cent had said of the project: "Over my dead body!"

The public has not been formally consulted over the scheme, so Cllr Fenty's estimate was based on personal feedback from the community.

However, by contrast, he said 60 per cent were in favour and 20 per cent were undecided.

Cllr Fenty himself is a fan of the illuminated palm tree, believing it will provide a tourist attraction and stimulate business in a relatively neglected stretch of the seafront.

"Public art is by its nature often controversial," he said. "There was strong initial opposition to the famous Angel of the North, but now people in the North-east have taken it to their hearts."

Why, as yet, has there been no start on the Cleethorpes project?

The delay has partly been blamed on Natural England which has expressed misgivings about the adverse impact on fast-declining shorebirds, such as curlew and redshank, which feed within metres of the proposed site.

A greater threat is to migrating songbirds which are attracted to bright light in mist or conditions of poor visibility, killing or maiming themselves when they collide with the structure.

When the beam from the 128ft-tall Spurn lighthouse was operational, hundreds of birds were killed annually during spring and autumn.

It is understood that engineers have also had to assess whether the ground to support a structure of such size.

So far fees paid to architects and designers are understood to be approaching £10,000.

However, the money is not coming out of NELC's coffers but from a Whitehall-backed grant.

According to Cllr Fenty, there have been several expressions of interest from firms interested in manufacturing, installing and illuminating the 'tree'.

"The project is currently out to tender," he said.

                                         

Checking the integrity of the ground

The plan is to uplight the 'tree' from the base