Stone pillars in a seafront garden area in Douglas can remain in situ, councillors have decided.

The stone pillars in the Kaye Memeorial Garden, near the bottom of Summerhill, originally supported a pergola but this was removed when it decayed and became unsafe.

The pillars themselves also faced demolition but now, following structural reports, two by the council’s own structural engineers, they have been reprieved.

Councillor Ritchie McNicholl told councillors at their monthly meeting: ’I thought that they should stay. Our in-house engineers seem to be at loggerheads about whether they are dangerous or fine as they are.

’We rely on the reports of experts so does the chairman have confidence in the reports that he gets? The first report recommended that they (the pillars) were gone.’

Councillor Karen Angela also spoke in favour of retaining the pillars but added: ’It’s worrying that we have people in-house, where some think they are dangerous and some don’t.

’I appreciate that they are going to be left because they enhance the look of the area.’

An initial report on the stone pillars advised if they were to remain they would need extra support to stabilise them and this would involve extra cost.

Members of the council’s Regeneration and Community Committee decided the pillars should be removed but then a further report offered different advice, suggesting the columns could remain in place and were capable of supporting hanging baskets without any extra support. After yet more discussion, councillors agreed the columns could stay in place.

The decision marks the start of a minor revamp for the gardens. Subject to planners’ approval, stone paving will be removed to allow space for landscaping and extra shrubbery. Hanging baskets are to be put on the stone pillars during the summer and extra seats will be installed.

Regeneration and Community Committee chairman, Councillor Stephen Pitts, said he was in favour of planting extra greenery in the garden.

’I don’t believe the slabs should be left there. There’s a lot of paving and not much green at the moment. It shouldn’t cost a lot of money. The hanging baskets are already in place,’ he said.

In November last year, the report recommended removing the columns but a further one in February 2017 said they posed no danger.