Eight tonnes trees planted in time for spring…

Three large leaved time trees weighing up to 8 tonnes each were planted at the entrance to the new Alconbury Weald residential development this week.  This is the first phase of 128 homes around the newly created entrance, off Ermine Street, close by the main junctions to the A14 and A1.

The homes lie among extensive landscaping and public open spaces including a Causeway between large ponds, a large park, woodland trails and play glades and more than 18,000 trees. The homes are adjacent to the first primary school which is being run by the Diocese of Ely and is due to open in September.

The trees are Tilia platyphyllos (to give them their Latin name), which are a deciduous tree native to Europe and the rarest of our native limes. The three trees range in girth size from 100cm to 120cm, are between 12m - 14m tall and are around 35-40 years old.

Ian Collins, Commercial Manager for Whiting Landscape said ” The biggest challenge planting these trees was the weight, with each tree weighing so much we needed the use of a large 200 tonne crane.  We are pleased to be working with Urban&Civic because they are an organisation that appreciates the value that a high quality landscape scheme can add to a project.”

David Randall, from landscape architects BMD, who designed the entrance to the new development said “Fostering a sense of community is as much about creating the right the landscape setting as providing new homes.  We have been working hard across the Urban&Civic design team to develop a scheme that provides instant impact and enduring presence to create a place people can call their own .”