Improving infrastructure does mean we have to make some difficult decisions and, sometimes, removing trees and vegetation is unavoidable. It’s a fine balance and important that for every transport scheme, there are appropriate and robust environmental measures to match the scale of the project.
Our scheme designs always aim to avoid environmental impact. If that’s not possible, we try to minimise it and, if necessary, mitigate for any issues on site. When geographical constraints make this impossible, we will mitigate nearby or in a place in the city that would benefit from increased biodiversity. The guiding principle is trying to put in more than we take out.
Any new planting schemes or green spaces like parks that are included as part of a transport scheme are in addition to the fabulous work that goes into delivering a more environmentally friendly Plymouth through schemes like the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest and, the day-to-day activities of the Council’s environmental planning function.
To make the improvements at Woolwell we will unfortunately need to remove around 130 individual trees (as well up to 15 small groups of trees), as well as shrubbery and vegetation.
We know that many people will be concerned about this but we would like to reassure everyone that, throughout the entire design and development process, we have always sought to minimise the footprint of the scheme and try to retain as many existing trees and as much green space as we possibly can.
Our aim is to provide a 10 per cent overall increase for biodiversity (biodiversity net gain), putting back more than was lost. Some of this can be accommodated within the scheme area but some will need to be provided further away.
We recognise that replacing lost trees is very important to the local community and it is very important to us too.
However, we will be working within a very constrained environment as we try to minimise the width of the scheme and therefore reduce our impact on third party properties, while also negotiating our way through the vast amount of underground utility apparatus such as pipes and cabling.
This severely restricts our ability to plant trees in the immediate area but, wherever possible, we will, including working with local schools and community groups such as Woolwell in Bloom on potential tree planting schemes. We will also be looking into the possibility of providing a small public garden using remaining land from properties that have had to be demolished to accommodate the scheme, as well as tree planting in other nearby public spaces.
In addition, we are currently reviewing the use of giant containers or planters in efforts to increase the number of trees that we can put back.
There are often other effective ways that we can improve wildlife habitats and increase biodiversity. For example, as part of the recently completed Forder Valley Link Road scheme we planted vast areas of species-rich grasses that encourage a wider variety of insects, bugs and wildlife into the area. This was accompanied by wildflower planting, as well as a wildlife pond.
New areas of grassland, wildflower and native shrub planting will be incorporated within the Woolwell scheme design to provide homes for wildlife and increase biodiversity. Bird and bat boxes will be installed within the retained woodland to provide roosting and nesting opportunities. Hedgehog, amphibian and reptile ‘houses’ will also be installed around the new native shrubs and plants.
We will also be looking at potential locations for ‘Devon hedges’ (earth banks covered with stone and topped with shrubs) to replace and improve wildlife habitats.
We are finalising our full landscaping plan, which will include further detail on this. Environmental surveys have been undertaken to identify and protect wildlife such as bats and reptiles and an environmental team will be on hand throughout.
Tree removal: locations and estimated dates
These dates are estimated and the programme may be subject to change. We will aim to keep them updated as regularly as possible.
Winter 2024 (around two weeks): Clearance of the remaining tree group and vegetation on the inbound side of Tavistock Road, along the Tesco car park boundary (within scheme phase 1 area).
Early 2025 (around four weeks): Clearance of trees, three tree groups and vegetation at and around Woolwell Roundabout and on land we own on both sides of Tavistock Road on the approach to the roundabout (within scheme phase 2 area).
Autumn 2025 (around four weeks): Clearance of trees, six tree groups and vegetation along both sides of Tavistock Road on land not currently owned by us (within scheme phase 2 area).