Belsize Park residents see red over £18,000 bright orange ‘teletubby’ paving

Residents in Belsize Park have taken to graffiti to express their disdain for the council’s taste in colour after bright orange “flexi-pave” was installed around 15 trees in Haverstock Hill.

Councillor Claire-Louise Leyland, who heads the opposition Conservative group at Camden Council, said several people have contacted her to object to the striking hue of the tarmac.

She said: “It appeared over the bank holiday weekend, and it was a bit of a shock to people, including me! I felt like I was walking through a strange, plastic ‘teletubby’ land!”

She added: “Some people have focused on harm to the trees, and I’ve clarified that this is fine - flexi-pave is porous and designed for trees.

“The concerns about harm to the character and appearance of a much-loved shopping area were harder to address, as the orange mounds are very large, irregular and imposing.”

In a mild-mannered display of anarchy, one resident vented their feelings through spray-painted messages on the offending paving.

Messages included “you put tarmac on my roots” and “why this?”

The council said the contractor has now agreed to replace the paving - which cost £18,000 to install a total of 150 square metres - at no further cost to the Town Hall.

Camden’s chief of planning and regeneration, Cllr Phil Jones: “We were made aware of the unsuitable colour of the flexible paving installed by a council contractor in Haverstock Hill, which is not in keeping with the standard colours already used across Camden.

“Council officers have met with the contractors to resolve this error and we are hopeful that the colour of the material once replaced will be to everyone’s satisfaction.”