Haringey Lib Dem councillors Gail Engert and Bob Hare have secured almost£1,000 of new plantings, including six new trees, for the council-owned Summerland Gardens car park at the rear of Marks and Spencer, Muswell Hill.

Council officers released the report and costings for the car park last weekfollowing a site visit with the councillors in August.

The report highlights manyissues that will be addressed by Haringey Council in the coming months after thecouncillors raised to them on the site visit. These include:

* Six new trees to be planted around the car park

* General tidy up of areas that have become overgrown

* Information boards to be re-positioned at rear of Marks and Spencer to allow for more trees

* Some pruning of current trees to improve lighting and regular inspections to continue to be carried out

* Investigating the cost of installing bicycle stands in the car park to stop trees being damaged

On Cllr Engert’s suggestion, Haringey Council has agreed to approach Marks &Spencer and seek some help in paying for these improvements, as many of thecar park users are customers of the store. A meeting is to be arranged inthe next couple of months.

Environment spokesperson Cllr Hare is pleased with the news so far and hopes that residents will see theseimprovements as soon as possible.

Cllr Hare comments: “The site visit has created a good plan for greenimprovements. Just because this is a car park, it shouldn’t be an eyesoreand I think the new plantings and other improvements suggested will make thearea more aesthetically pleasing.

“I hope now that Haringey has a plan, these ideas can be implementedsoon.”

Cllr Engert (Muswell Hill) adds: ” Marks and Spencer benefits greatly fromthe location of the car park. With that in mind I am hopeful that they willassist Haringey Council in funding these improvements.”