Brighton: Council orders woman to prune lavender plant on pavement

Louise Barrell received a letter ordering her to cut back her plant by tomorrow, August 24, otherwise Brighton and Hove City Council would cut it back and charge her.

The 52-year-old said it is admired by people who walk past and smell it and is used for pollination by insects.

She put a note on the bush slamming the “soulless, mean spirited, spiteful person” who reported the lavender to the council.

Louise said the plant is popular with people walking past and is used for pollination by insects (Image: Supplied)

The community and councillors were outraged that the “beautiful” plant outside Louise’s home in Fernhurst Crescent, Hollingbury, Brighton, would have to be cut back.

But the council has now agreed to let the bush be pruned at the end of September when fewer bees are pollinating.  

Louise said: “I have got quite a few lavender plants here that came with the property.

“This one we wanted to keep because the bees love them.

“So many people stop and stare at them and smell them. So many people love them.

“I got back from holiday and found a letter from the council saying they had had a complaint about them.

“No one has ever approached me about them.

“I think everyone is just a bit shocked. It’s not dangerous.

“I thought they must have really grown while I was gone but they haven’t.

“I don’t want to dig it up, especially in the summer. I think if I did it would kill it.

“There’s loads of bees, especially in the summer.

“When you see what there is around there’s loads of more important problems.

“It is a bit hypocritical of the council when they are not tackling weeds.

“This is just soft lavender, I can’t understand what the problem is.

“Of all the things that are around the neighbourhood this seems to be quite hard to understand when people enjoy it so much.”

People are all smiles after hearing the plant does not need to be cut back until Autumn (Image: Supplied)

The council originally wrote to Louise stating that the lavender was "causing problems for pedestrians, particularly those with sight impairments or mobility difficulties".

Alistair McNair, Conservative Councillor for Patcham and Hollingbury, said he went to see the plant for himself on Monday evening.

He said: “It was a huge lavender bush which the council wanted her to cut back. If she cut it back it might well have killed it. It was not really obstructing the pavement.

“We emailed the council yesterday evening to say we understand the need to keep pavements clear but can we preserve it until after the flowering season.

“You can go all over Patcham and Hollingbury and see pavements covered with weeds and rubbish lorries blocked by branches.

“They said Louise can cut away and train the bush away from the pavement in September.”

The council committed to use new machinery across the city in its “war on weeds” after councillors voted to end the use of glyphosate in 2019.

A council spokesman said: “Lavender is lovely, but the bush in question clearly needs cutting back.

“However, we recognise the value of such bushes to bees and other insects.

“So we’ve told the property owner that the bush doesn’t need to be pruned back for a few weeks until the bees aren’t pollinating as much.”