MAJOR progress has been made within the first week of a undertaking to exchange trees in a Minehead city centre street.
Three out 4 deliberate new trees had been replanted in The Avenue because the city council’s facilities workforce collaborated with contractors Upton Tree Services and CJ Lynch.
The lime trees, Tilia cordata ‘Streetwise’, had been sourced from Riverside Plant Nurseries, in West Quantoxhead, to make sure excessive‑high quality inventory effectively suited to Minehead’s setting.
Upton Tree Services eliminated the outdated stumps and CJ Lynch put in the brand new tree pits earlier than the council’s in-house workforce carried out the replanting.
Town Clerk Ben Parker stated the professionalism of the employees and their care and technical experience had ensured every new tree was planted to the very best normal, offering the very best basis for wholesome institution within the years forward.
Mr Parker stated the fourth and ultimate tree would observe shortly.
One of the newly replanted trees in The Avenue, Minehead, with some of the prevailing mature trees seen within the background. (MTC)
The remaining stump was scheduled to be floor out this week, after which the tree pit could be reinstated and the tree replanted to finish the primary phase of the undertaking.
Mr Parker stated: “This is a fantastic milestone for Minehead and has been a long time in planning.
“Our partner contractors and our amenities team have done an exceptional job completing this work within just a week, and we are incredibly proud of the skill and dedication they have brought to the project.
“Projects like this highlight the town council’s vital role in investing in, and co-ordinating, the long‑term appearance of our town.
“Only a week ago, we had one failing tree and two unsightly stumps.
“Now, we have three beautiful, healthy tree specimens, ideally suited to a street‑side environment and protected with new cages that will help retain this much‑loved feature of Minehead.”
The replacement trees have been collectively funded by Minehead Town Council, which has put aside as much as £11,000 for the work, and a monetary contribution from native resident Shonie Millward-Usher, who walked from Minehead to Barrow Gurney to lift funds to assist the undertaking.
Mr Parker stated attributable to its present monetary pressures, Somerset Council, which was accountable for the street trees, was not able to proactively exchange the eliminated trees.
The city council was subsequently stepping in the place it may to protect the city’s valued tree‑lined streetscape.
The undertaking was initially costed in 2024 at about £8,000 however delays attributable to the inner restructuring of the unitary authority had seen the estimate rise by as much as £3,000.
Town councillors have agreed to take accountability for sustaining the brand new trees for 10 years, together with watering, epicormic development management, and formative pruning, after which they are going to be handed to the Somerset authority.
Mr Parker thanked residents, companies, and guests for his or her continued assist because the vital restoration undertaking approached its completion, and Somerset Cllrs Mandy Chilcott and Andy Hadley, whose assist and engagement had helped to make sure efficient collaboration with Somerset Council all through the programme.
Mr Parker stated: “The Avenue is looking greener and better than ever.”
