Dolores Tobin was lauded by the Town Hall for her green fingers

THE Town Hall has given a gardener – who it once awarded prizes for her colourful balcony displays – 48 hours to remove her plants.

Teacher Dolores Tobin, who lives in Fellows Road, Belsize Park, is a past first prize winner for the “best window box” at the council’s annual Camden In Bloom awards.

They were set up to encourage residents to help bring colour to the borough, but Ms Tobin has now been told they are a fire risk.

“I won awards in the past for my flowers which, apart from brightening up the flats, keep them cool in the summer,” she said. “Now years of work has been destroyed overnight.”

Ms Tobin, who has lived in her block for more than 20 years, was on holiday last week when residents were given the short notice to move their planters in a letter.

They were told to remove “anything that could catch fire or get in someone’s way”. Initially there was a 48 hour to clear their balconies, a notice period later extended to five days.

Residents still feel the council’s approach had been “heavy-handed”, Ms Tobin said, adding: “Camden are imposing a sudden knee-jerk reaction on tenants without allowing any discussion.

“A consultation would have been good. Not only did we have no consultation, it’s been done so quickly that we didn’t have a chance to contest it. They should sit down with tenants of the estate.”

Vesna Urosevic on the balcony in Fellows Road

Meanwhile, resident Vesna Urosevic said she had been forced to move the sun rose plants she has tended to from her balcony over many years.

“They weren’t obstructing anyone,” Ms Urosevic said. “We have these initiatives about greening our areas. You have people who produce spaces for the plants, so we have more bees and more greenery, that’s not just eye-pleasing but more environmentally friendly – and now we’re just stripped naked.

“Without having any consultation, it feels like it’s just completely arbitrary. It just feels so unfair.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “Fire safety is our prime concern, and as part of ongoing fire safety works, we’ve been surveying communal areas in our properties, including walkways and balconies, for items belonging to residents that could obstruct access or be a fire risk.

“There has been extensive communications on this matter sent to residents and the simple message is that if an item can catch fire or if it’s in the way, then it should be removed. “Teams have been visiting residents to explain why they may need to remove these. We ask residents who have any concerns to speak to their housing officer.”

SEE ALSO CNJ’S BIRTHDAY – SUPPORT CAMPAIGNING JOURNALISM

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK. CLICK BANNER.