The Leylandii cypress trees at the outdoor pool were originally planted as a
hedge around the pool to act as a screen. These trees are fast growing and
have in the past been reduced in height by 30% when they have become too
tall, they have again grown way beyond this and are now very dense, and in
some areas are in poor condition. The arboricultural plan for Jesus Green has
previously included a recommendation that the Leylandii around Jesus Green
Lido be managed to point where they were fully removed and replaced with a
natural hedgerow.
The Leylandii are now restricting a large part of the natural sunlight available
during the days around the internal areas of the pool on three sides of the
facility, overshadowing nearly all of the grass surrounds along with parts of
the pool water throughout the day. Whilst the natural shade is welcome in
parts around the pool, the overshadowing now covers mostly all of the grass
area, all day, which accounts for over 60% of the space available for
sunbathing and relaxing which is now in shade throughout most of the day.
The overshadowing not only now covers most of the grass area, but does
encroach on the pool water at certain times of the day and restricts the
sunlight from the pool. As the pool water is not heated it relies on the natural
sunlight to heat the pool water up and temperatures in the past being around
24oc during the height of summer, have only been reaching around 21-22oc
these last few seasons and is thought in part to be due to the amount of tree
shade cast over the pool increasing over the last few years.
Requests have been received from the Friends of Jesus Green Swimming
Pool, to have the conifers removed, and this is high on their agenda as they
feel that this will make a great improvement to the enjoyment of the pool,
enable the pool surrounds to be used more widely, rather than overcrowding
of spaces that are not affected by the shade created by the Leylandii, and will
help naturally heat the pool water to higher temperatures.
The width of some of the Leylandii are now becoming an issue both inside and
outside of the pool.
Encroachment of limbs inside the pool area are taking around a 4m wide strip
along the whole length of the facility off the grass areas, and cannot be used
by the public, for seating and sunbathing, and ultimately has the effect of
reducing the capacity of the pool.
