Plans to spend around £12,000 on decorative planting on the A167 Chilton roundabout have drawn criticism from residents and local councillors, write volunteer community journalists, Mona Schulze and Anton Weineck. The proposal was put forward by Reform UK County Councillor for Chilton, Stephen Bowron.
After the old was removed, the new roundabout planting got underway on Monday, 27 April.
The design will include the shape of a St George’s Cross and is funded by using Section 106 (S106) contributions, which are intended to benefit the local community.
Section 106 money
Section 106 is a legally binding agreement under UK planning law requiring developers to contribute to local infrastructure as part of new building projects. In Chilton, these funds come from recent housing developments and are intended to benefit the local community. That is precisely the point on which members of Chilton Town Council took issue to object to the plans for the roundabout.
Opposition from members of the Town Council Chilton
At a town council meeting on 11 November last year, members of the Chilton Town Council spoke out clearly against the proposal:
“We did not feel that it was a good use of S106 funding. We would prefer to see this funding directed to community projects that improve essential infrastructure and address the current challenges our community faces,” said a member of the council of Chilton.
Councillor Stephen Bowron made the proposal to redesign the roundabout in Chilton. Documents state that initial consultations carried out by Cllr Bowron himself were described as “favourable”, but members of the town council are still questioning the public value.
Durham County Council said consultations on the roundabout were carried out in line with standard procedures. In response to the objections, Stephen Reed, the city council’s head of planning, said: “The points raised by the town council were carefully considered, however, the proposals were found to meet the requirements of the Section 106 agreement and would, it was felt, deliver clear improvements to the open space provision in the area.”
Public reactions
Sue Reece, a member of the town council, posted on a social media community group about the start of the works. After that many residents responded negatively and questioned the value, especially because of the costs.
One Facebook user said: “It’s incredibly frustrating to see an estimated £12k of S106 funding spent on decorative planting when our community is facing far more pressing needs. That money could make a real difference elsewhere.”
Another Facebook user said: “I want to know how it costs that much to put flowers in. As much as it looks lovely, that kind of money for someone to put flowers in is shocking.”
Why £12,000?
In response to a query from South West Durham News regarding the costs, Durham County Council said: “The final cost of the works will only be confirmed once the scheme is finished, as variations to the amount are still possible.”
The council did not provide a detailed breakdown of the estimated £12,000 cost or clarify how the funds will be allocated.
The St George’s Cross
The original plan from Cllr Stephen Bowron was to create a St George’s Cross pattern using white poppies as a tribute to veterans. The plans changed after members of the military criticised the association of white poppies with conscientious objectors. The decision was then made to use gravel instead.
It won’t be the first time a St George’s will appear on a roundabout. In summer 2025 the patriotic display appeared on roads across the UK. Authorities often declared the act as vandalism and removed hundreds of the symbols.
As a reaction, flags of St George were attached to lampposts by organised groups who are often associated with nationalist beliefs. Interpretations of the symbol displayed in public ranged from patriotism to xenophobia. In Chilton the St George’s Cross is now being planted through official channels.
What now?
Despite the debates around the proposal, the work on the project began on Monday, 27 April. Temporary closures are now in place in sections of the A167, C36 and Chilton Way. Restrictions apply from Monday to Friday between 9:30am and 2pm.
Story written by a volunteer community journalist for SWDN. If you would like to contribute, including writing articles, attending events on our behalf and/or taking photos, email volunteer[@]swd[.]news to get started or register interest for next workshop here.
Mona Schulze
Anton Weineck
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
