Farnworth Central Park: 'Extensive' tree felling to start

The trees will be cut down on Farnworth Central Park, off Market Street, after were deemed to be ‘diseased.’

They have bene hit by both Ash Dieback Disease and Dutch Elm Disease.

Cllr Paul Sanders, who represents the area on Bolton Council, said: “It is with regret that there will be fairly extensive tree removals taking place in Farnworth Park.

Two diseases have recently been affecting trees in the park (Image: Newsquest)

“These will be predominantly Ash trees which have been impacted by Ash Dieback Disease but will also include Elms which have been hit by a resurgence of Dutch Elm Disease.”

A total of 29 trees are set to be removed.

The park is a well used area of greenspace amid one of Bolton’s most built up areas and Cllr Sanders has warned that the felling could affect the look of the park, but he hopes that efforts will be made to plan new trees.

He said: “We have been advised that the immediate visual impact is likely to be significant, although slightly offset by the twenty new trees we planted in 2020.

“Farnworth and Kearsley First councillors working with Neighbourhood Services will be making best endeavours to plant further trees in Farnworth Park in the coming years, aiming to reflect the historical planting plan for the borough’s oldest park.”

Work is expected to start over the next few weeks (Image: Newsquest)

This comes not long after a similar case of tree felling on Moss Bank Park in Smithills, where some of the local residents were dismayed when the council ordered trees to be cut down.

But in this case, the authority argued that diseased trees are a risk to public safety and that the council has a duty to remove them.

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The council has taken the same approach in the case of Farnworth Central Park.

A Bolton Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we are in process of removing 29 dead, diseased, dying or dangerous trees from Farnworth Park.

“A significant number of these are mature Ash trees which have been impacted by Ash Dieback Disease but will also include Elms which have been hit by a resurgence of Dutch Elm Disease.

“Whilst it’s unfortunate to lose trees, these losses are unavoidable and removes the hazard of the weakened tree.

“In 2020 we planted 20 new trees and will be looking to plant further trees in the park in the coming years.”