Council clutter up pavement with giant ugly plant pots
Barmy town hall chiefs have been blasted for endangering pedestrians by cluttering up a pavement- with a gigantic PLANT POT. Residents living in the King's Heath area of Birmingham have branded the display as an "ugly eyesore" and a "monstrosity" since it was erected last week. They claim the enormous dark grey plant pot is putting people at risk by making social distancing almost impossible along the bustling suburb's busy high street. Locals also say putting normal sized plants in the massive planter, which was originally intended to contain a tree, looks "absolutely ridiculous." The feature was installed by Kings Heath Business Improved District (BID) in an attempt to spruce up the road. But critics have pointed out barriers and parking restrictions have been put in place on the same street where social distancing rules are already difficult to adhere by. Mum-of-two Jenny Caswell, 35, from King's Heath, said: "It's a stupid idea and looks absolutely ridiculous.
The pot is way too big for the flowers for starters."I struggle to get a pushchair along this street, which is always busy, so this just forces people to get too close to each other or walk into the road around it. "They have put in all these restrictions and then add an obstacle into the mix.
I'm not sure what they were thinking."Lindsey Lovell, 44, a bar worker from Moseley, added: "It's an ugly eyesore Its way too big for where it is."The pot looks completely out of place and out of proportion and there's only a few little flowers growing from it.
It's a monstrosity. "It's the wrong time to be doing it as well, with all these social distancing measures in place.
This is an extremely busy area and everyone is trying to adhere to Covid rules. "Maybe plant a tree in it further down the line - but it's still a waste of money in my book."George Burgess, 74, a great grandad and retired bricklayer from Kings Heath, said: "It needs to be bigger and more flowers on it to cover it up because it's looking a bit bare."Julie Williams, 72, a retired cleaner, from Kings Norton, Birmingham, said: "There are some near me where people have taken the flowers out.
We'll see how long they last."Kings Heath BID town centre manager Martin Mullaney said they had intended for the pot to contain a tree but feared that roots could grow out of hand. He admitted it was a "dilemma" trying to please everyone but had received some positive feedback from residents. Mr Mullaney said: "We did a survey with shoppers and found out people wanted wider pavements but they also voted for more flower planters and cafes spilling out."So it was a bit of a dilemma when people wanted wider pavements only then to narrow them somehow with planters and cafe furniture."We have still got six metres between the pot and the shops so there should be no social distancing problems. That particular spot is very wide. "The pots were actually selected by a group of residents who manage the planters through the year.
They weed and water them and remove rubbish."It really is a community thing in the first place.
Unfortunately someone has described it as a 'monstrosity'."We think it is very unfortunate because it was a resident-led project and it is what they wanted.
People said they wanted larger plant pots."We will review it at the end of the summer.
At the moment the flowers are small.
By August it will be full of plants and have taller flowers in it."But if anyone has got any complaints about any of the planters they are more than welcome to contact me."
Barmy town hall chiefs have been blasted for endangering pedestrians by cluttering up a pavement- with a gigantic PLANT POT.
Residents living in the King's Heath area of Birmingham have branded the display as an "ugly eyesore" and a "monstrosity" since it was erected last week.
They claim the enormous dark grey plant pot is putting people at risk by making social distancing almost impossible along the bustling suburb's busy high street.
Locals also say putting normal sized plants in the massive planter, which was originally intended to contain a tree, looks "absolutely ridiculous." The feature was installed by Kings Heath Business Improved District (BID) in an attempt to spruce up the road.
But critics have pointed out barriers and parking restrictions have been put in place on the same street where social distancing rules are already difficult to adhere by.
Mum-of-two Jenny Caswell, 35, from King's Heath, said: "It's a stupid idea and looks absolutely ridiculous.
The pot is way too big for the flowers for starters."I struggle to get a pushchair along this street, which is always busy, so this just forces people to get too close to each other or walk into the road around it.
"They have put in all these restrictions and then add an obstacle into the mix.
I'm not sure what they were thinking."Lindsey Lovell, 44, a bar worker from Moseley, added: "It's an ugly eyesore Its way too big for where it is."The pot looks completely out of place and out of proportion and there's only a few little flowers growing from it.
It's a monstrosity.
"It's the wrong time to be doing it as well, with all these social distancing measures in place.
This is an extremely busy area and everyone is trying to adhere to Covid rules.
"Maybe plant a tree in it further down the line - but it's still a waste of money in my book."George Burgess, 74, a great grandad and retired bricklayer from Kings Heath, said: "It needs to be bigger and more flowers on it to cover it up because it's looking a bit bare."Julie Williams, 72, a retired cleaner, from Kings Norton, Birmingham, said: "There are some near me where people have taken the flowers out.
We'll see how long they last."Kings Heath BID town centre manager Martin Mullaney said they had intended for the pot to contain a tree but feared that roots could grow out of hand.
He admitted it was a "dilemma" trying to please everyone but had received some positive feedback from residents.
Mr Mullaney said: "We did a survey with shoppers and found out people wanted wider pavements but they also voted for more flower planters and cafes spilling out."So it was a bit of a dilemma when people wanted wider pavements only then to narrow them somehow with planters and cafe furniture."We have still got six metres between the pot and the shops so there should be no social distancing problems. That particular spot is very wide.
"The pots were actually selected by a group of residents who manage the planters through the year.
They weed and water them and remove rubbish."It really is a community thing in the first place.
Unfortunately someone has described it as a 'monstrosity'."We think it is very unfortunate because it was a resident-led project and it is what they wanted.
People said they wanted larger plant pots."We will review it at the end of the summer.
At the moment the flowers are small.
By August it will be full of plants and have taller flowers in it."But if anyone has got any complaints about any of the planters they are more than welcome to contact me."
