Residents set to choose trees to be planted

As regular readers may remember, I have a passion for street trees - I think they can change how a road looks and feels for residents, help the environment and create a great impression for visitors.  So I find myself continually speaking to the Trees and Woodlands Team trying to find the best way of ensuring we maintain our street tree cover both for now and for future generations.

I believe that residents need to be involved in the decisions regarding which trees should be planted on their road and so I am delighted that the Council are allowing residents of Brocklebank Road a say in which trees are planted as replacements to those set to be removed. 

We are asking residents to let us know which of the six species of trees identified by the Trees & Woodlands Team as being suitable for this road they would like to see planted on Brocklebank Road. 

The tree species available are

1. Acer platanoides Deborah 
2. Acer platanoides Princeton Gold
3. Acer pseudoplatanus Spaethii
4. Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer
5. Sorbus intermedia Brouwers
6. Ulmus Lobel
It is possible to plant one of each or a mixture.  Evidence suggests that having a mix of trees is better for the environment and can help prevent losing all the trees in a road due to disease.
These trees will be planted at the beginning of this year’s planting season, that is at the end of November or beginning of December, which will give the saplings the best chance of survival.  The trees will be planted in slightly different locations to the trees removed.

If you have any questions on the above or would like more information please email sue@bluefountain.com

Brocklebank Road Success

I am delighted to confirm that your Liberal Democrat team have now secured funding to plant replacement trees on Brocklebank Road.

These trees will be planted at the beginning of this years planting season rather than immediately. The decision to plant the trees at the end of November or beginning of December will mean the trees planted have the greatest chance of establishing themselves and are least likely to need removal and replanting.

This action follows contacts made by residents on Brocklebank Road contacting your Lib Dem team with concerns regarding the proposed removal of 8 trees along Brocklebank Road.  We have contacted the Trees and Woodlands Department on your behalf to confirm that these trees must be removed.  We did ask if the removal could be phased with the trees being removed over a 2 year period however we were told that the trees pose a potential Health & safety risk and as a result must be removed together.

A key concern of residents was the lack of any replacement trees which the Council said was down to a lack of funding.  Again we have checked with the Trees & Woodlands Department to confirm that this is actually the case.  Normally funding for trees can be obtained from Section 106 money I.e. Money paid by developers as part of a new build or development in an area however this source of funding has been reduced since the amount of development in the area has lessened.