Part 1 Open to the Public
ITEM NO.8
REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND PLANNING
TO:
THE LEAD MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT ON 11 JUNE 2007
THE LEAD MEMBER FOR PLANNING ON 18 JUNE 2007
LEAD MEMBER FOR CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT SERVICES ON 18 JUNE 2007
TITLE:
NEWLANDS GREEN STREETS TREE PLANTING PROPOSALS
RECOMMENDATIONS:
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That the Lead Members for Planning and Environment endorse the
Newlands Green Streets programme and give delegated authority to the
Head of Planning and Chief Executive of Urban Vision to agree the
location of individual trees with Red Rose Forest.
That the Lead Member for Customer and Support Services notes the
capital expenditure and makes provision of £3,102 per annum for the
estimated future maintenance costs, rising with inflation, in the
environmental services revenue budget from 2009/10.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This report presents a programme of proposed street tree planting projects around
the approaches to the Newlands LIVIA project area and within the HMR area in
Salford. Funding is available through money allocated by the NWDA via the Forestry
Commission.
Red Rose Forest is responsible for delivery of the project within Salford.
The scheme is dependent on £100,000 match funding. New Deal for Communities
and Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company have allocated funds of £50,000.
It is proposed that the balance of £50,000 be funded through the capital programme.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
Newlands and Green Streets: Urban Greening for Socio- Economic Benefit in
Manchester, Salford and Merseyside.
ASSESSMENT OF RISK:
Low
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
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Capital Programme, New Deal for Communities and Central Salford Urban
Regeneration Company.
COMMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT
SERVICES (or his representative):
1. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
[Provided by: Richard Lester] The
report addresses the need for maintenance and the possibility of highway damage
and tripping claims. There will need to be agreed terms and conditions in the tree
planting licences which will have to be granted by the owners of any private sites.
2. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
[Reviewed by John Spink and Steve
Bayley] Red Rose Forest have secured £100,000 funding for the project from
NWDA . Match funding of £50,000 has been secured from Central Salford URC
and New Deal. It is anticipated that the £50,000 contribution for West Salford will
be secured through the approved West Salford capital programme, although that
is subject to the formal decision of the Executive Board. However, it is
recommended that, in order to secure the match funding, the council’s
contribution should now be committed. A corporate provision is made annually for
revenue maintenance costs of capital schemes coming out of their contractual
maintenance period and it is proposed that future maintenance costs be met from
this budget.
3. PROPERTY:
The impact on council property will depend on the individual tree
locations selected.
4. HUMAN RESOURCES (not applicable):
CONTACT OFFICER:
Barry Whitmarsh
0161 793 3645
WARDS TO WHICH REPORT RELATES:
Irwell Riverside, Kersal, Pendlebury and Swinton North.
KEY COUNCIL POLICIES:
Street scenes issues
Greenspace Strategy SPD
Adopted code of practice for planted areas in and adjacent to highways
DETAILS
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Background
1.1
Green Streets is a project developed by Red Rose Forest/Community Forests
North West to help regenerate communities through street greening projects.
1.2
NWDA have allocated £100,000 to the Forestry Commission for street tree
planting in Salford over the next two years. This funding is subject to a
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matching contribution being made by the city council. The Forestry
Commission has appointed Red Rose Forest to develop and implement
detailed planting proposals.
1.3
The NWDA funding is specifically linked to the Newlands project, a scheme
aimed at reclaiming large areas of derelict, underused and neglected land
across England’s Northwest and transforming them into thriving, durable,
communities. The NWDA funds must therefore be spent on planting schemes
in close proximity to Newlands projects and, where appropriate, in HMR
pathfinder areas. In Salford, the Newlands project is focused on the LIVIA
area, which lies just outside the HMR pathfinder area.
1.4
The monies offered in the proposal by the Forestry Commission would
represent additional funds to those being spent on the Newlands LIVIA
project.
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Context
2.1
The Green Streets programme has links with the following initiatives and
strategies:
o The maintenance and planting of street trees is an integral part of the work
of the Street Scene Cabinet Working Group and the Street Scene Officers
Working Group.
o The Central Salford URC vision proposes significant investment in new
boulevards and corridor enhancements.
o The programme has links with the connectivity element of the SCC
Greenspace Strategy SPD and the issue of street planting may be
addressed in the design and sustainable development SPDs.
o Street tree planting must be integrated with the highways investment
programme, in order not to disturb completed surfaces and waste
resources.
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Newlands Green Streets Proposals
3.1
Although the Green Streets programme deals with a number of different
methods of getting planting onto the streets, the NWDA is particularly keen to
fund tree planting on the streets of Salford. Red Rose Forest have therefore
developed proposals for a programme consisting solely of tree planting on
streets forming approaches to the LIVIA Newlands area.
3.2
The attached plan shows the boundaries of the Newlands Green Streets
project in Salford and the streets where it is proposed to plant trees under
these proposals. The following roads are regarded as being within the
approaches to Newlands and have been identified as appropriate locations for
potential new planting:
 Bolton Road (Specifically the section between the intersection with
Station Road and around St Augustine’s Church).
 Rake Lane
 Clively Avenue
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



Whitehead Road
Langley Road South (within NDC / URC / HMR boundaries)
Littleton Road (within NDC / URC / HMR boundaries)
Agecroft Road
Station Road
3.3
No specific locations for tree planting have yet been identified; this will be
done in consultation with local residents and businesses and the Forestry
Commission on a street-by-street basis, over the course of the programme.
Because of the character of the selected streets, it is anticipated that the
majority will be planted in the adopted highway, increasing the unit planting
cost. Other trees will be planted in open space to the rear of the highway; as
far as possible, such trees will be planted on council owned land, although
consideration will be given to negotiating with private owners, if there are
significant lengths of highway where no publicly-owned land is suitable.
3.4
It is anticipated that approximately 100 trees will be planted through this
programme:
 55 trees in adopted highway with a pavior style tree pit finish
 15 trees in adopted highway with a fixed grille and inset stone finish
 30 trees suitable for planting in grass verges
3.5
Exact species of trees will be chosen to be most appropriate to the location in
which they will be planted.
3.6
The success of the Green Streets programme relies on a commitment from
the community to the planting alongside successful identification of suitable
planting locations. As such, a proportion of the total budget will be allocated
towards design fees, project management and a comprehensive consultation
exercise with the local community and businesses prior to a definitive list of
tree planting locations being finalised.
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Highways Considerations
4.1
The location of trees will have to be agreed with the highways services
section of Urban Vision Partnership in advance of planting and will be subject
to factors such as the location of services, the width of pavements, the
proximity to lighting columns and sight lines, in accordance with the council’s
adopted code of practice for planted areas in and adjacent to highways.
4.2
The specification for street tree planting has been subject of extensive
discussions with highway services. Green Streets has developed construction
details of typical tree pits, which have been agreed, in principle, with Urban
Vision Partnership. The design provides the best possible growing conditions
for the trees while providing protection to services and minimising the risk of
future disturbance to the footpath surface and consequent trip hazards.
4.3
With careful planning, many of the associated pitfalls and problems of
pavement based plantings can be avoided, thus reducing future damage to
the pavement, and associated trip claims.
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4.4
Street tree planting must be integrated with the Highways Authority to coordinate street works under the New Roads and Street Works Act and so unnecessary disturbance of the highway should be kept to a minimum.
Therefore careful planning is required before trees are installed.
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Financial Considerations
5.1
The estimated cost of the scheme and forecast phasing of expenditure are
summarised as follows:
Breakdown of scheme
cost
Planting, professional
fees and first 2 years
maintenance
Fees and expenses
Total
07/08
08/09
Total
£75,000
£75,000
£150,000
£25,000
£100,000
£25,000
£100,000
£50,000
£200,000
5.2
Professional fees can be categorised as those that would be employed for the
purposes of delivering the work. These may include, for example, legal fees,
planning fees, landscape and architects fees, licences and notices. Fees and
expenses relate to costs in relation to community engagement and delivery
management.
5.3
The Forestry Commission has delegated responsibility to agree the NWDA
spend and, as the accountable body, has subjected the Green Streets
proposal to scrutiny. Independent consultants, on behalf of the Forestry
Commission, have appraised the application, and subject to match funding
conditions will be approved. The £100K funding will be re-allocated to
Manchester or Merseyside HMRs if SCC cannot confirm match.
5.4
The proposals straddle the boundary between Central and West Salford. The
exact split will be dependent on the detailed location of individual trees, but it
is anticipated that the split will be in the order of 50:50.
5.5
New Deal for Communities has allocated a contribution of £20,000 to the
programme. Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company has agreed to
fund the balance of the Central Salford share.
5.6
The Chair of the Salford West Executive Board has agreed that the
programme should be a priority within the approved West Salford capital
programme, although the formal decision must be taken by the Board in the
light of other proposals.
5.7
In summary, it is therefore proposed that the match funding be provided as
follows:
Source
2007/08
2008/09
Total
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West Salford capital
programme
New Deal for
Communities
Central Salford URC
Total
£25,000
£25,000
£20,000
£5,000
£50,000
£50,000
£20,000
£25,000
£50,000
£30,000
£100,000
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Maintenance
6.1
The capital works include two years maintenance costs for the establishment
and upkeep of the trees. An approved contractor will maintain the trees for a
period of two years after planting and this includes a one-year stock failure
replacement guarantee. This maintenance will cover weeding, watering,
minor pruning, feeding and mulching, as appropriate.
6.2
Maintenance costs will be minimised through the selection of species
requiring low levels of future pruning and aftercare, for example, the choice of
tall, narrow and slow growing stock that would require little maintenance over
20 years. Initial maintenance costs will be factored into each street treeplanting project; therefore there will not be a requirement to call on existing
mainstream maintenance budgets in the first two years. The propensity for
vandalism to tree stock and future maintenance costs will be minimised
through full community engagement, use of tree guards and tree species
selection.
6.3
After the contract establishment period of two years, (this includes a standard
damage, loss and vandalism clause in the contract) responsibility for future
maintenance of trees on council controlled property will fall on the city council
as local highway authority. The local highway authority’s budget for
maintenance of existing street trees, administered by Environmental Services,
is only £12,000 per annum and there is a backlog of maintenance work.
6.4
The budget for maintenance of highway trees is held by Environmental
Services and it is estimated that the annual budget will have to be increased
by £2,171.30 per annum to maintain the 70 trees located in the adopted
highway and on grass verges. Provision will need to be made in future
budgets to allow for continued maintenance.
6.5
Likewise, In the case of the 30 trees to be planted on other council land,
arrangements for maintenance are still to be confirmed. Based on the
calculations for maintenance of those trees located in the adopted highway, it
is estimated that maintenance costs for these trees will be approximately
£930.56 per annum.
6.6
A corporate provision is made annually for revenue maintenance costs of
capital schemes coming out of their contractual maintenance period and
budget is transferred from here to the responsible directorate to cover the
additional maintenance costs falling on the revenue budget. It is proposed
that an allowance of £3,102 be made from 2009/10 to the Environmental
Services budget to cover the maintenance costs of this project.
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6.7
In the case of any trees planted on private land, responsibility for maintenance
will fall to the owner of the land on which the tree is located.
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Conclusion
7.1
The proposed tree planting will have a significant beneficial impact on
community cohesion, the perception of the area, the local environment, and
its attractiveness to inward investment. This proposal will also extend the
benefits of the LIVIA programme out into the surrounding area. It is
recommended therefore that the authority endorse the planting programme.
7.2
If the match funding were not to be made available, the £100,000 contribution
from NWDA and £50,000 contribution from the URC and New Deal will be
withdrawn and allocated to other areas. It is anticipated that the £50,000
contribution for West Salford will be secured through the approved West
Salford capital programme, although that is subject to the formal decision of
the Executive Board. However, it is recommended that, in order to secure the
match funding, the council’s contribution should now be committed.
7.3
It is therefore recommended:


That the Lead Members for Planning and Environment endorse the Newlands
Green Streets programme and give delegated authority to the Head of
Planning and Chief Executive of Urban Vision to agree the location of
individual trees with Red Rose Forest.
That the Lead Member for Customer and Support Services notes the capital
expenditure and makes provision of £3,102 per annum for the estimated
future maintenance costs, rising with inflation, in the environmental services
revenue budget from 2009/10.
MALCOLM SYKES
STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND PLANNING
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Produced from the Ordnance Survey Map with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office Crown Copyright Reserved Licence No. 100019737.2006
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