High Road trees

In Summer 2010, four new trees finally appeared in the High Road (not in front of Centric Parade from where they were removed in 2005, but between there and the Coop Travel agency) - Ginkgo biloba, the maidenhair tree.
Three trees on private property in front of the Centric Parade shops* were felled by request of the shops’ landlords when the enhancement works began and they refused to have them replaced. These trees were part of the town centre plans, and LRA was determined to have them replaced.  So, ever since, we have been battling with the County Council and the District Council and our unrelenting pressure has paid off – particular thanks go to LRA Cllrs John Markham and Chris Pond. We are grateful to the District Council for agreeing to keep them watered.
We would love to see more trees on Centric Parade and will look for suitable  opportunities, but the cost (of the trees themselves and of the investigations needed to find out where all the pipes and ducts go under the pavement) and the problems of getting agreement from all the parties involved mean that it may take a long time. 
In the meantime, we will keep an eye on the progress of the newly-planted Ginkgos.

*Although the old front gardens appear to be part of the pavement, they still belong to the shop-owners. In order to get the whole of the pavements resurfaced (and avoid a patchwork of old and new pavements), the Council had to get the agreement of the shop-owners.