Plymouth trees chopped to stop people using the area for sex and drug-taking

Palm trees have been removed from an area of Plymouth in an effort to stop people using the site for sex and drug-taking. 

Palm trees growing in the Hoe area have been cut down by Plymouth City Council to “make it more welcoming and safe for both residents and visitors”.

The council said they’d received feedback from the community which has triggered the clean-up as part of the “regular programme of maintenance”. 

The statement said: “The area around the Belvedere shelter has suffered from growing anti-social behaviour, with council officers regularly having to clean up sex and drug paraphernalia.

“Over the past few years we have already carried out improvement works on two other shelters, which has received positive feedback.”

The work saw large shrubs and cabbage palms removed, which the council say will be replaced with plants to improve biodiversity.