COUNCIL leaders are waiting to assess public reaction to a new boulevard of palm trees before deciding whether to extend the scheme.

A dozen palm trees have been planted along the St Paul’s end of Holdenhurst Road in a bid to spruce up the area and give it a more continental feel.

The scheme could be extended further up the road but only if residents and traders deem it worthwhile.

There are also plans to formally rename this area as a boulevard sometime in the future.

Councillor Robert Lawton, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “It was always our intention to complete the first stage of the project and then stop and pause to assess the public reaction and scope for extending the work on Holdenhurst Road.

“Extending the tree line would ultimately mean a loss of some on-street car parking in order to allow buses to pass through safely.

“Therefore before making any decision it would be necessary to carry out public consultation in order to assess the views of residents and traders.

“At this stage we have decided to hold off any further work while we continue to assess public reaction to the completed section of the tree-planting.”

Ozman Yilmaz, owner of Genie’s Cafe on the Lansdowne, said: “Trees are an excellent idea.

“This area needs something like that.

“Close the road two or three days a week for market days.”

Sarah Price, 22, a Boscombe resident and team leader at The Inferno bar, said she was concerned drunk students could damage trees, or drivers who speed along the road could crash into them.

“But aesthetically, it would do so much good for the street,” she added.