Three planters placed on a piece of wasteland in Ashford to prevent cars parking on it are being protected by their very own CCTV camera.

Ashford Council’s Town Centre Action Team (T-CAT) installed the planters on the parcel of land in Park Street, under the ramp that leads to the Edinburgh Road car park, at the end of last month.

A sign on the side of each planter reads: ‘WARNING! This planter is fixed to the ground and monitored by CCTV. Do not attempt to move it.’

It is hoped the wooden boxes, containing plants, will enhance the area, which was once used as a ‘free car park’ by shoppers before bosses at Park Mall shopping centre, who own the land, decided to cone it off with bollards in October 2013.

It is understood the shopping centre team feared the parked cars would cause problems when stock for the centre’s shops was being loaded or unloaded, or they would be a potential fire risk.

Now, the cones have been removed, and three planters have been placed on the land instead.

Samantha Stone, from Ashford Borough Council, said: “The Town Centre Action Team built and placed these planters.

“The land is owned by Park Mall who, a while ago, placed cones there to stop vehicles parking under that ramp as there was a potential fire risk.

“It was suggested by a councillor during a walkabout that the cones didn’t look very nice. So with the consent and full support of Park Mall, the T-CAT constructed some planters to place there to enhance the area and continue to stop inappropriate parking.”