A SCHOOL has been criticised for removing a hedgerow to make way for a new car park.
Cleethorpes Academy has grubbed a large section of foliage at its Grainsby Avenue site, as part of a £7.7 million refurbishment programme.
The school's technology block will be knocked down and the entire area at the front of the academy will become a landscaped car park in 2013, as reported.
However, retired firefighter and nearby resident, Graham Maddison, believes it was not necessary to take so much of the hedge out.
The 64-year-old, of Ormsby Close, Cleethorpes, said: "I noticed the hedge had been torn up.
"It looked perfectly healthy to me and it was a really nice hedge that would have had lots of birds nesting in it.
"It is a real shame and I can't see a reason why so much of it was taken up.
"It has been there for about 30 years, if not more. All that is left on that side of the road are black railings, and it doesn't look as good.
"It has had a big visual impact on the street, not to mention an environmental one.
"The school must have better things to spend its money on than ripping up perfectly good hedges."
As well as a new car park, the redevelopment will also include the refurbishment of the teaching block for maths, modern languages, English, business and ICT.
Principal Martin Brown said: "There are two reasons why the hedge was taken up.
"The first is part of a £7.7 million refurbishment programme of the school and part of that involves knocking down the technology block which will become a car park.
"Where the hedges were will eventually be re-landscaped along with the car park.
"Once this takes place the view will be greatly improved.
"The second reason is because the hedge is our responsibility to maintain.
"It often overhung the footpath and there was a fence with metal wiring in the centre of it which meant it could only be cut back so far.
"We didn't want people getting snagged on the hedge and we also need the footpath to be as wide as possible.
"The site will look better once the planned work is finished."
