Blackpool receives £1.8m grant to plant trees

Saturday, 21 December 2024 09:33

By Shelagh Parkinson

Blackpool has received a grant for £1.8m towards planting new trees across the borough as part of a strategy to green up the town.

The cash has been awarded to the council by water company United Utilities and will help fund urban trees which can cost around £10,000 each due to complexities including the need for specialist drainage systems.

Coun Jane Hugo, cabinet member for climate change said: “We are delighted that Blackpool Council has been awarded £1.8m from United Utilities Green Recovery Street Trees Project.

“The tree recovery initiative will enable us to plant more trees to increase our canopy cover, increase tree population, tree resilience and biodiversity, and is another great step forward in our vision for a greener Blackpool.

“The council already works in partnership with people and organisations to manage, protect and expand the town’s trees and woodlands. This new funding means we can go further, helping to create a greener and healthier future for residents.

“The first wave of these trees will be ready for the 2025 planting season. We’re really looking forward to this work taking place, and to see the positive impact it will have for many years to come.”

A 10-year Tree Strategy is currently in place up until 2030 with thousands of new trees already planted in Blackpool which has one of the lowest tree canopies in the country.

Blackpool has a tree canopy cover of only around five per cent compared to an England-wide average of just over 16 per cent in urban areas.

Specialist company Green Blue Urban has now been appointed to deliver the council’s Green Recovery Street Trees project, including to provide the specialist tree root and sustainable drainage systems required.

A report says this will enable the council “to plant trees in priority

areas to increase our canopy cover, increase tree population, tree resilience, increase biodiversity, improve the public realm, and improve public health.

“The funding will take into account surface water management, as specialist tree pit designs will utilise surface water to water the tree and filter the remaining volume for natural filtration into the drainage systems.”

Recent urban tree planting has included new trees in the town centre on Cookson Street and Edward Street, where specialist root and drainage systems meant each tree cost £10,000.

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