Harrogate Borough Council has made a dramatic U-turn this evening and agreed to remove plastic grass from planters in the town centre.
The council’s decision to install the artificial grass sparked a fierce backlash, which saw protesters from Extinction Rebellion replace the turf with plants.
The council initially defended the £800 scheme, claiming it had received “lots of positive feedback” despite complaints it looked “cheap and tacky” and was damaging to the environment.
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It then said it had failed to communicate the move properly but now, after 400 people signed a petition in the last 24 hours calling for the fake grass to be removed, the council has issued a mea culpa.
It said in a statement posted on social media:
“We got things wrong with the artificial grass in the planters on Cambridge Street.
“The artificial grass was a last resort, and the decision to use it was made with the best intentions, but on reflection it was the wrong one.
“We will be removing the ‘grass’ and keeping the planters while we continue to find a better solution.
“We hope to have something installed by the end of June that provides a vibrant display of colour all year round.”
The statement added it considered using stone or bark instead of the plastic grass but ruled it out because “we felt it will most likely end up being used as an ashtray or thrown around”.
It added the saga had detracted from other initiatives, such as planting 5,500 wildflowers on the Stray and the upcoming white rose project, that will see thousands of trees planted.
