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1.
REPORT TO:
Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee
REPORT NO:
HHPPE/47/15S
DATE:
8 April 2015
LEAD MEMBER:
Councillor David Bithell
Lead Member, Environment and Public Protection
Councillor Mark Pritchard
Leader of the Council and Lead Member, Governance,
Corporate Support, Finance and Planning
CONTACT OFFICER:
Martin Howorth (Tel: 729630)
SUBJECT:
Tree and Woodland Strategy (2015-2025)
WARD:
All
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To consider the aims and objectives of the Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy.
2.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.1
The Housing, Public Protection and Environment Department have worked closely with
the Community, Well Being and Development Department to unify tree policies that
cover planning, enforcement, trees on private land and the active management of
Council owned tree stock. The existing policies have been reviewed and new policies
set out in a long term, ten year strategy for trees and woodlands across the County
Borough.
2.2
The Strategy sets out ambitious targets to increase the urban tree cover in the County
Borough to 20% across the ten year plan, to help in terms of climate change, pollution,
flooding and biodiversity. This will be achieved by ensuring the correct policies are in
place in terms of planning and local development, targeted work will be undertaken to
improve the wards with the lowest tree cover and the opportunity for grant aid will be
utilised.
2.3
Utilising the detailed information from the i–Tree Eco Study, the Strategy highlights the
need to protect existing large trees, ensure that when planting new trees, in the right
locations, larger specimens are used that grow into larger trees and a variety of species
are planted to help protect against pests and diseases.
2.4
It is proposed that the Strategy is sent out for public consultation during the summer
and the Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee can then consider the comments
and a final draft of the Strategy in the autumn, prior to publication.
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1
The Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee considers and comments on
the Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy and support the public consultation on the
Strategy, prior to final consideration by members.
3.2
Members of the Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee receive a report on
the outcome of the consultation in the Autumn of 2015, prior to Executive Board
consideration of the Strategy.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
(i)
Members are able to consider the Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy and enable the
public consultation to be undertaken to gain wider views on the Strategy’s aims.
4.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
4.1
The Environment Department produced a Tree Strategy for Council owned trees 20082013 (CeO/05/08). This Strategy is now out of date and when Members approved this
original Strategy, they recommended the next Strategy should be a single document
covering tree matters for the whole Council and include planning and tree preservation
orders.
4.2
The Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy has been jointly written by the Housing, Public
Protection and Environment Department and the Community, Well Being and
Development Department.
4.3
The Strategy has been informed by the extensive research undertaken on trees within
the County Borough, through the i-Tree Eco Study (HHPPE/93/14, Wrexham i- Tree
Report). This study circulated to all members as an information report, with the “Tree
Cover in Wales’ Towns and Cities” study (2009) reveals that Coedpoeth has one of the
lowest urban tree canopy covers in Wales. Four other urban areas; Chirk, Wrexham,
Rhos, Penycae and Ruabon also have very low urban tree canopy cover (below the
Welsh national average).
4.4
The i-Tree Eco Study also indicated in addition to increasing urban tree canopy cover,
the retention and planting of trees and woodlands in the rural parts of the County
Borough should not be neglected.
4.5
The i–Tree Eco Study data indicates, our tree population is predominantly made up of
young trees, with very few mature or older trees present. This highlights the need to
retain as many of our older, large growing trees as possible to ensure we do not lose
their valuable benefits of carbon storage, biodiversity and interception of flood water.
Trees are lost through development, safety reasons and diseases.
4.6
Taking into account the data from the i-Tree Eco Study, the Tree and Woodland
Strategy sets out ambitious targets to increase the urban tree cover in the County
Borough to 20% across the ten year plan, to help in terms of climate change, pollution,
flooding and biodiversity. Towns such as Llangollen have a 28% tree canopy cover,
Neath, 23% and Pont y pool, 24%. The Wrexham County Borough average tree canopy
cover is 17%, but this figure covers a wide variation across the urban areas, with
Coedpoeth having a 6% tree cover, Wrexham Town Centre 13% and Cefn Mawr, 24%.
4.7
The increase in tree cover will be achieved by ensuring the correct policies are in place
in terms of planning and local development, targeted work will be undertaken to improve
the wards with the lowest tree cover and the opportunity for grant aid will be utilised.
4.8
The Strategy also highlights the need to protect existing large trees, ensure that when
planting new trees, in the right locations, larger specimens are used, that grow into
larger trees and a variety of species are planted to help protect against pests and
diseases. The strategy underlines the role of trees in the mitigation of flooding, by
intercepting rainfall and by absorbing the run off and slowing the rate the water reaches
the drains and water courses. Trees can also help reduce the effects of noise pollution
and when planted on impervious surfaces, such as car parks, reduce air pollution.
4.9
Members’ attention is drawn to the Action Plan of the Strategy, with details of its
implementation and the Council’s Tree Policies in relation to the management of
Council Owned Trees, as set out in Appendix 2 of the Tree Strategy.
4.10
Wrexham County Borough Council, as the Authority responsible for the Strategy, will
lead on implementing the Strategy’s aim and objectives. However, without local
community involvement it will be difficult to achieve many of the Strategy’s aims and
objectives.
4.11
Policy Framework – The Tree and Woodland Strategy fits within the Wrexham Council
Plan (2013-17) and will support the emerging Local Development Plan. It also fits within
the long term Welsh Government Strategy Woodland for Wales (2009).
4.12
Budget – The Strategy puts forward an increase in tree planting across the County
Borough. This will be funded through existing Departmental budgets and opportunity
taken through private landowners and developers ,Section 106 agreements, urban
renewal capital schemes, Welsh Government future woodland grants, and other
greenspace grant schemes.
4.13
Legal – The Tree and Woodland Strategy fits within existing tree legislation.
4.14
Staffing – It is intended the Strategy will be delivered through existing staffing
resources.
4.15
Equality/Human Rights – An Equality Impact Assessment has been
undertaken(ENV/EIA 00021/2015) . There appear to be no equality implications from
the proposals.
4.16
Risks – The risks if an increase in tree planting as identified in the Strategy are not
implemented are related to climate change, such as flooding and pollution and the
economic and social consequences.
5.
CONSULTATION
5.1
Once Members have considered the Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy, it is proposed
to undertake public consultation. A summary of the key points of the strategy will be
used for consultation with the public via the internet and at public access points, such
as the visitor centres in the parks. The results of this consultation exercise can be
considered by Members in the Autumn with any subsequent amendments prior to a final
Strategy being considered by the Executive Board in the late Autumn of 2015.
6.
EVALUATION OF OPTIONS
6.1
The Tree and Woodland Strategy puts forward a number of actions which Members can
consider. Members have the option of approving, amending or rejecting the Strategy.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
LOCATION
(CeO/05/08) Draft Wrexham Tree
Strategy and Guidelines, 3rd June
2008.
Copy of original Strategy
can be obtained by
emailing
martin.howarth@wrexha
m.gov.uk
(HHPPE/93/14, Wrexham i- Tree
Report, information report circulated
to all Members.
Copy of report can be
obtained by emailing
elton.watson@wrexham.
gov.uk
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