New plan for Diana memorial

A row has broken out over plans to renovate the Diana Memorial Fountain.

The Royal Parks Agency has proposed laying a new gravel path around the £3.6 million ring-shaped memorial to cope with the huge crowds it attracts.

As many as 5,000 people an hour visited the fountain in Hyde Park in the first two weeks after its opening last July. But this turned much of the surrounding grass into a mudbath.

Now the agency, which runs the park, has proposed laying a greygreen footpath and two " hardstanding" areas beside the "moat-without-a-castle" design by Kathryn Gustafson.

But its £150,000 scheme has been criticised by Westminster council's planning officials, who describe the introduction of a gravel path as "regrettable" and say it will compromise the "elegant simplicity" of the fountain's design.

The officials also object to the use of temporary fencing around the memorial, and say shrubs should be planted to protect the Grade I listed park's landscapes.

However, their report to the council, which meets on Thursday, concedes that the agency is taking a "reasonable approach" to tackling problems created by the high visitor demand.

The Hyde Park Estate Association has also objected, saying that

children will injure themselves on the new path. It warned of "constant problems and expensive, intrusive solutions".

Simon Davies, chairman of the 500-strong association, said: "This particular scheme has been a disaster and reflects badly on the judgement of those who were responsible for making the decision. It's become a bit of a laughing stock. Would it not be better for them to grass it over and leave it at that?"

Kenneth Stern, chairman of the Friends of Hyde Park, said the Royal Parks Agency was having to pay out double the expected £120,000 maintenance each year on the memorial.

"The Royal Parks budget is very strained and simply can't afford that sort of money," he said. "It means the money has to be found by neglecting some maintenance at another royal park."

The fountain was closed only two weeks after its opening last summer when three visitors, including a child, had to be taken to hospital after falling in the water.

Security guards were later introduced to prevent people walking or running in the water. A temporary fence was erected, and plastic decking was laid in December.

Since January the memorial has been closed to allow the new path to be laid along with longer, harder-wearing grass. Original plans to re-open on 1 May have slipped a week, with 6 May now the provisional date.

A Royal Parks spokesman said the agency hoped to reach a compromise with the council before or after the meeting to enable its work to be completed on schedule.

He said it took all objections seriously but, under ancient laws governing the park, was allowed to ignore the council's ruling.