The Government’s plan to line new developments with trees should also be extended to include existing communities, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has said.
While the RTPI has welcomed the government’s initiative to ensure all new developments have access to ‘tree-lined streets’, however they also call for streets in existing communities to also enjoy positives of living in close proximity to nature.
The RTPI call for all people, regardless of their address, to benefit from aesthetic joys, wellbeing, increased air quality, and positive environmental impact, by asking Government to supply the necessary resources to Local Planning Authorities for the retrofitting of trees in existing spaces and communities.
‘We were delighted to hear the Housing Secretary saying last year that tree-lined streets should become the norm in new developments, but it is essential that we don’t forget about the majority of the population,’ RTPI President Wei Yang FRTPI commented.
‘Trees and nature should be accessible for everyone – not just those who buy a house in a new development.’
A recent survey conducted by the RTPI indicated that planners overwhelming support a nationwide tree-planting agenda across both new and existing developments. 96 per cent of respondents suggested trees are vital to their work in creating healthy, attractive, environmentally and climatically sustainable places.
However, the respondents agreed that trees should not simply by placed thoughtlessly into existing developments, but require the contribution of planners and local authority tree experts in order to reach an optimal solution for each space.
Based on these findings, the RTPI has launched the #ReTreeFit campaign, which Wei Yang invites everyone to get involved with on social media.
