Call for ringfenced funding for Brighton & Hove’s trees

CPRE Sussex says trees are more than just a ‘nice to have’ for Brighton & Hove following packed public meeting.

The director of CPRE Sussex has written to Brighton & Hove city councillors last night’s packed and passionate meeting about the city’s trees.

Paul Steedman is calling for the council to ringfence an initial £250,000 of the £3.6 million available from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to help restore the city’s trees, with more ambitious plans to follow later.

The levy is due to be discussed by cabinet members on Thursday.

“There is huge public upset and anger about the very significant losses of trees on streets, in parks and in woodlands,” said Mr Steedman. “These losses are being exacerbated by ash dieback and elm disease.

“At Monday’s meeting, there was acknowledgement from all sides that the council’s public communications around felling programmes, necessary as some of them may be, has fallen well short of what was needed.

“There is also a very strong desire to know how we go forward to turn the situation around. Yet an apparent lack of funds is one of the major blockers to woodland restoration and planting new trees. The very significant sums of money accrued and expected from CIL can help to answer that question.”

CPRE Sussex is not suggesting money is diverted from the recommended seafront works, communities fund or the neighbourhood ward top-up.

It wants to see the council allocate an additional sum of money for tree planting, as well as encouraging councillors to bring forward street tree projects with groups in their areas to be funded by the Neighbourhood CIL element.

“Public trees must not be seen as ‘nice to have’ bonuses,” said Mr Steedman.

“They are critical infrastructure for the city, delivering on the council’s goals around physical and mental health, air quality, climate change, flood prevention, biodiversity and more.”

Find out more about how CPRE Sussex is supporting tree planting across Brighton & Hove here.