Blackpool street trees cost £10k each, council admits

The trees were planted in Cookson Street in the town centre

A set of new trees planted in Blackpool town centre cost £10,000 each, it has emerged.

The total cost of the ten trees on Cookson Street was £100,000, councillors have been told.

Councillor Gerard Walsh said the figures were given to him and and fellow councillor Christian Cox by a senior council officer.

Deputy council leader Gillian Campbell said priming the ground to stop the roots spreading had hiked the cost.

Councillors expressed amazement at the figures during a recent meeting, the Local Democracy Reporter Service said.

Mr Walsh asked Ms Campbell: "Does she think £100,000 spent on trees in Cookson Street given all the cuts and austerity is good value for money?"

Councillor Walsh queried if the trees were value for money

Conservative group leader Tony Williams said it had cost less than £10,000 to plant 100 trees in his Anchorsholme ward, while independent councillor Maxine Callow added trees in Norbreck cost £350 each.

But Ms Campbell said: "These trees were incredibly expensive but there is a reason for this.

"They were picked because they will withstand the elements in Blackpool - wind, pollution and rain.

"They have put in a special system that holds the roots of the trees in to prevent them growing into the roadway and that part is very expensive."

The councillor added she hoped more trees would be planted in the town and she would provide figures for the cost.

Cookson Street is among a number of town centre routes which have been upgraded since 2017 as part of the town's Quality Corridors scheme.

The project cost £7m in total, funded by a £6.6m grant from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership's Growth Deal and a £740,000 contribution by Blackpool Council.