However, Stuart Allen, Green Party councillor for Leigh Ward, said: “I don’t know how not to be rude. I think this is ridiculous. I thought it was an actual joke. Artificial trees are not going to provide shade for people or air generation. It’s crazy.”
Daniel Cowan, leader of the council also dismissed the plan as fantasy and said it would actually cost the council far more. He said: “Here we have a completely uncosted Conservative idea. The cheapest tree made out of plastic of a reasonable size is about £2,500. We’re talking £375,000 that’s for plastic trees.
“If you are talking about fibreglass that’s £8,000 a tree. You’ve not costed this. You’ve pulled this out the air. It’s a complete and utter nonsense.