Share of £1.2 million urban greening fund will help grow Great Yarmouth's tree canopy

The borough is one of seven locations which are project partners in Trees for Cities, which has secured funding of over £1.2 million from the Government's £40 million second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a multi-million-pound boost for green jobs and nature recovery.

Historically, Great Yarmouth town was richly planted with many urban orchards, avenues of trees and planted areas, and the planned programme of tree planting will help re-establish these areas with avenues and landmark trees, giving local residents who have limited access to green spaces a sense of connection with the natural world and providing a lasting legacy for future generations.

In addition to the Trees for Cities grant of £75,546, the project in Great Yarmouth will also receive funding from the Towns Deal, and further financing is being sought. It will see the planting of 500 semi-mature trees over the next two winters, joining up different areas of the town and dovetailing with wider landscaping works for the redevelopment of the Market Place and The Conge. It will also provide for the maintenance and care of the trees for three years as they establish themselves, and bring a range of volunteering and training opportunities as part of the Community Renewal Fund project.

The Trees for Cities urban greening project specifically focuses on increasing tree cover in small coastal cities and towns with low tree canopy cover and high levels of socio-economic deprivation. The charity is planting 55,000 trees across 83 locations in seven coastal towns and cities. In Great Yarmouth, it will work with the Great Yarmouth Borough Council to deliver community tree planting events, including celebration of the Queen's Jubilee.

The other participants in the project are Bexhill on Sea, Brighton & Hove, Hull, Portsmouth, Ramsgate and Stockton.

Leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Cllr Carl Smith said: "The importance of enjoying time outdoors and connecting with the natural world became more apparent to so many of us during recent Covid lockdowns. We are hugely grateful to receive this funding. It will help not only to enhance the urban environment in the town and progress our plans to make Great Yarmouth a greener place, but also bring health benefits to residents and visitors alike."

David Elliott, chief executive of Trees for Cities, said: "We know that planting trees in cities has a hugely positive impact on people and our environment and that there is a strong correlation between low canopy cover and social deprivation. This funding will help us and our partners work together with local communities to provide green jobs and cultivate lasting change in neighbourhoods and coastal communities for generations to come."