Gardens are saved thanks to council offer (From Gazette & Herald)

Gardens are saved thanks to council offer

A HELMSLEY widow has won her fight to retain a shrubbery outside her home which was her husband's pride and joy.

Mrs May Edon was returning with her family from her husband's funeral in the market town two months ago, when she found council officials planning to clear the attractive garden area, which her horticulturalist husband Malcolm had cared for and developed since it was put in by Wilson Connolly Homes at The Limes estate on the outskirts of the town.

Mrs Edon and her neighbours asked the Gazette & Herald to help save the garden and now, following publicity, the town council has stepped in and agreed to take over its maintenance.

Lord Feversham, the chairman, said: "The gardens on the estate are a real asset and are greatly valued by the residents. It would have been a great shame for the shrubbery to have been lost."

The builders had been told by North Yorkshire County Council's highways department that the shrubs and trees would have to be taken out and grassed because it was possible there were utility services in the area of Crosland Close.

The campaign to save the shrubbery and other garden areas has been led by one of Mrs Edon's neighbours, Len Bradley, on her behalf.

He said Mr Edon had enhanced the area and planted numerous other shrubs, small trees and daffodils.

"The shrubbery will be a lifelong reminder to Mrs Edon of his creativity and dedication to horticulture," said Mr Bradley in a letter to the town council.

A site meeting was held between the house builders, NYCC highways department, the residents and county Coun Val Arnold, who represents Helmsley at County Hall.

Mr Bradley said that at the meeting the county highways department had said one solution was for the town council to sign a contract to maintain the areas and the department would then adopt the estate roads.

His plea to the town authority has now been successful. Mr Bradley told councillors: "You can rest assured that if such a contract is entered into, the residents will continue to maintain the areas with no expense being incurred by the town council.

"All the residents appreciate that if, in the unlikely event of emergency access being needed to the service strip areas, disturbance of the shrubberies is inevitable but such is the community spirit that help will be at hand to restore the strips to an acceptable standard."

Mrs Edon said: "I am very grateful to the town council, my neighbours and the Gazette & Herald for their wonderful support. The shrubbery is a lovely garden and Malcolm took a real pride in tending it."

Updated: 09:15 Wednesday, October 16, 2002