Council leaders have no idea when a storm-hit park will reopen. Clough Hall Park, in Kidsgrove, has been shut ever since a mini-tornado ripped through Kidsgrove on Thursday, December 5.
It uprooted around 160 trees. Now a sign informs visitors that the park – operated by Newcastle Borough Council – remains closed.
Councillor David Hutchison, cabinet member for sustainable environment, said: “The wind in Kidsgrove on the Thursday night before Storm Darragh arrived was brutal, with some residents calling it a tornado.
“Around 60 healthy trees, which had been routinely inspected only a fortnight earlier, were uprooted in Clough Hall Park, along with another 100 or so in the woodland area. In the days immediately after officers had to deal with the consequences of Storm Darragh across the borough by prioritising trees directly threatening public safety, such as damaged ones near homes or pavements. And since then other spells of high wind have caused staff and equipment to be diverted to deal with another 29 trees fallen elsewhere.
“The size and scale of the work at Clough Hall Park is by far the most we have faced in recent times: there is widespread damage to be cleared up and scores of other trees which need to be checked and made safe where necessary. We understand the public’s frustration at the closure and we appreciate their patience. We are working as fast as we can, but we have to make sure everything is alright before we can officially reopen the park.”
The sign at Clough Hall Park
Lost trees will be replaced in due course.
Mr Hutchison added: “The council has a policy of providing a sapling for every lost tree, as well as a long-standing tree-planting strategy which has seen more than 19,600 trees planted in recent years. We see that as vital investment in the community’s future: both supporting nature recovery and capturing carbon emissions. In February and March 2025, we will be planting more than 4,400 more broadleaf and fruit trees in 10 locations across the borough, which will then stand for generations.”
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