Six new trees to be planted after Bournemouth Christmas ice rink row
A cherry tree that was unlawfully cutdown to make way for Bournemouth’s Christmas ice rink will finally be replaced
Six new trees are due to be planted in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens this autumn, months after a cherry tree was removed to make way for an ice rink that never received planning permission.
The replacement planting has been announced by the council after concerns were raised over the removal of the cherry tree and the planning process surrounding the Christmas attraction.
In November last year, planning officers recommended refusing an application for the ice rink, saying insufficient information had been provided.
Alex McKinstry questioned what action had been taken against Bournemouth Christmas Company Limited, which operated the Christmas attractions in the Lower Gardens in 2025.
He asked what penalties had been imposed for breaching contractual requirements relating to planning approval, and whether a separate penalty had been issued over the removal of the cherry tree.
Councillor Andy Hadley said the tree had been removed by the park operations team after it was assessed by the agricultural team as “not thriving”.
He said other cherry trees in the park had also been removed in recent years for similar reasons.
The Bournemouth Christmas Company has offered six trees as part of mitigation for the site, with the council planning to order and plant them in the Lower Gardens this autumn.
Cllr Hadley said autumn was the best time to plant trees and confirmed the work would be funded by the Christmas company.
The issue has prompted wider questions about how future events in the gardens should be managed.
Resident Roger Mann called on the council to ensure future events learned from previous problems, including issues around planning, environmental protections, community benefit and funding. He also urged the authority to consider alternative locations.
Councillor Richard Herrett said the council maintained regular communication with event operators, including a debrief after each year’s event, and said there were currently “no unmet restoration commitments outstanding”.
He added that potential partnerships would be considered through the council’s procurement processes and in accordance with its statutory obligations.