The leader and deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council have today called on Nottinghamshire County Council to help them urgently replace every tree being removed to make way the construction of the new £40m Gedling Access Road.
Councillors John Clarke and Michael Payne today made the plea while planting new trees in Gedling Country Park, which is next to where the new road will be built.
Gedling Borough Council has made a pledge to plant hundreds of trees and now want Nottinghamshire County Council to replace the trees felled along the route of the Gedling Access Road and make the same commitment in order to mitigate the removal of the natural habitat.
The new trees being planted at the Gedling Country Park are part of Gedling Borough Council’s pledge to plant 500 native trees across the borough.
The initiative was launched in November, during National Tree Week, and the council say they have already planted 400 whip trees and 100 hundred bean trees at Gedling Country Park, Burton Road Park, Arnot Hill Park, Willow Park and King George V Park.
Hundreds of more trees will be planted across Gedling over the next four years.
The initiative is part of the council’s plan to provide a more sustainable environment in the borough. As well as planting hundreds of trees Gedling Borough Council is also working on ways to promote and protect the environment by minimising pollution and waste. In November, the council declared a climate emergency and has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2030. Councillors unanimously agreed to produce an action plan working with local business, charities and the public sector to take steps to reduce carbon emissions.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said he hopes Nottinghamshire County Council will lend their support to the initiative.
He said: “Nottinghamshire County Council are responsible for building the Gedling Access Road and they are felling 1000s of trees to make way for it. We’re calling on them to immediately join us and do everything they can do mitigate the impact of the new road by replacing every single tree that have felled.
“The Gedling Access Road is needed and is an important part of the infrastructure to provide much needed new homes and less traffic in Gedling Village, however, everything must be done to limit the destruction of natural habitat and wildlife which is why we are planting these trees.”
Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne said: “Our Labour administration made a commitment to plant 500 trees across the borough and we’ve done that in just a single month, we are now going to plant hundreds more trees over the next four years.
In November, we declared a Climate Emergency in Gedling and this is part of a robust plan that will set out our goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.
“This is the responsibility of every local authority and we are keen to see the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Councillor Kay Cutts taking this issue seriously and immediately committing to replacing every single tree felled for the construction of the Gedling Access Road.
