New trees planted in Ipswich as council goes green
New trees are planted by Ipswich council in Castle Hill park. - Credit: Nicole Drury
Ipswich council has ended 2020 by putting the emphasis on turning the town green - highlighting two schemes aimed at improving the environment.
It has been planting new trees as part of emphasising the need to cut carbon dioxide emissions, with officers and councillors coming together in the Castle Hill area to plant new trees.
Portfolio holder for housing, Neil MacDonald, also visited a home improvement scheme in Chantry to see new solar panels being fixed to council houses in Kingfisher Avenue.
Earlier this year, the borough pledged to plant trees in public spaces across Ipswich as a way to encourage residents to opt for online council tax bills.
Since the campaign launched, more than 6,000 residents have signed up for paperless billing.
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As a result, 60 trees will be planted across four Ipswich parks – Castle Hill, Stonelodge, Dumbarton Road and Orwell Country Park.
The first 30 trees were planted in Castle Hill park just before Christmas by the borough's rangers, who were joined by councillors Sophie Meudec and Christine Shaw.
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Ten of the trees were a combination of Suffolk and Essex apple trees, which will in the future produce fruits.
The initiative aims to support the council’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to promote the benefits which planting trees brings to communities improving the local area.
Ms Meudec, portfolio holder for communities, said: “This initiative was a way for all of our residents to reduce their paper footprint and improve their local communities.
"The benefits of planting trees and their impact on our wellbeing and the environment are well known and this initiative is just one of many that supports our ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030.”
The council is also in the middle of an ambitious scheme to boost green energy - installing solar panels on many of its buildings including council houses.
Neil MacDonald with council officials admiring the new solar panels in Kingfisher Avenue. - Credit: Ipswich Borough Council
Mr MacDonald said: "Ipswich Borough Council is investing £25million in a major works programme to its housing stock over five years to maintain our Ipswich Standard for Council Housing.
"Our local standard exceeds the government’s Decent Homes Standard for social housing.
"We are fitting solar panels to provide eco-friendly energy. These also supply some free electricity to tenants and so help tackle fuel poverty as well as creating local jobs in Ipswich at this difficult time.”
