Residents can recommend tree planting sites in Peterborough

Residents can have their say on where new trees will be planted in the city.

Peterborough City Council will be planting new trees between November 2022 and March 2023 and is currently on the search for suitable sites.

The council has pledged to plant 100 oak trees in the city following the controversial felling of an oak tree in Bretton earlier this year.

Funding applications have also been made to the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) Treescapes Fund to top up the council’s existing tree planting budget. A decision on this is due in the autumn.

As part of deciding the tree planting schedule, tree officers will take into consideration barriers to planting – such as underground utilities, ownership, ground conditions and proximity to highways and structures.

Councillor Nigel Simons, cabinet member for Peterborough City Council, said: “Trees are an important community and environmental assets to our city and therefore it’s vital to replace and increase this stock each year during the winter months – when trees are in their dormant cycle.

“Although we don’t know yet how many trees will be planted, it’s safe to say that this will several hundred trees across the city – even more if our Treescapes funding application is successful.

Residents are now being asked to suggest locations to be considered for potential tree planting. There are two online forms, one for areas of woodland and another for street tree planting. Email applications should be sent to [email protected]. Paper applications should be posted to Aragon Direct Services, Nursery Lane, Fengate, Peterborough. PE1 5BG. Make sure you include your name, address, the area you would like the tree to be planted, the reasons you have suggested this site, any preference of tree species and if you could commit to help watering the tree (Ideally a minimum of two years).

Tree officers from the city council will then consider applications over the autumn months and once funding has been decided, and the number of trees to be planted is known, will create a tree planting schedule.