In July 2020 government announced that under the Towns Fund programme they were offering Hereford a grant of £750,000 to fund capital projects that can be delivered this financial year. This grant will be used to support capital spend within the intervention framework as set out in the Towns Fund Further Guidance.

This project was split in to two specific schemes:

Scheme 1: City Centre Landmark Trees:
• Planting opportunities directly into the ground in the city centre are limited due to the organic growth of Hereford City leading to significant recorded and unrecorded underground services across many suitable areas.
• The solution as utilised in many other cities and towns is to plant specially selected species and forms of trees in large planters that involve little or no site preparation and no excavation. Planters also provide the opportunity to minimise ongoing revenue costs through incorporation of watering and ‘feeding’ systems.
• The planters provide their own visual amenity and can brighten up the local cityscape. They can also offer additional features benefiting visitors to the city such as seating, shade and shelter from wind funnels created by enclosed streets. Planters also offer a safe and secure opportunity for trees to be present in busy street setting by raising potential hazards well above reach of the public.
Scheme 2: Residential Trees and Trees on Public Open Space.
• A recognised constraint on increasing tree (and canopy cover) in historic urban areas such Hereford City is finding suitable planting sites, including limited suitable sites within the control of the council. It is recognised that private gardens and spaces owned and managed by businesses and other organisations and groups create the necessary opportunity.
• Lack of support and encouragement plus cost of ‘garden trees’ is a constraint. A scheme is proposed to facilitate the provision of a selected range of trees suitable for smaller spaces and ’garden’ situations.
• The selection would include a range of fruit trees so providing even greater biodiversity potential and a direct benefit on health of the residents.
• Maintenance would be secured by a City Tree ‘Magna Carta’ that recipients would sign up to so as to engender ownership and care and ensure they manage and maintain their tree. A clear guidance leaflet about planting, caring and any interesting facts about ‘their tree’ and promoting the wider benefits of trees will be supplied with each tree.
• The records kept would support any future monitoring and evaluation of the scheme that might help inform similar schemes nationwide.