Take a look at our gallery from the central Ellesmere Port photo competition entries - all sent in by you.
Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council is a partner in a project called the Mersey Forest. This is a major long-term initiative to create new woodland landscapes around the Mersey area, turning derelict and neglected land into green areas.
The Mersey Forest recently expanded to include the western side of the borough, which provides further opportunities to access funding and advice on improving woodlands, trees and hedgerows in the borough.
This will provide valuable new amenities for local people and visitors and by creating better settings for businesses, will help to attract investment and change the image of Ellesmere Port. It is about much more than just planting trees.
There are nine local authority partners in the project together with the Forestry Commission, the Countryside Agency and many other private and public organisations. Funding is available to help with tree planting, particularly for community groups and businesses. Advice is also available on planting, woodland management and habitat creation.
In Ellesmere Port we have had a very successful track record in delivering new tree planting schemes over the last decade. In fact we doubled the woodland cover in the Ellesmere Port area between 1992 and 2002.
Fortunately we have access to funding from the European Union, the Forestry Commission and the North West Development Agency, to help pay for new trees.
The Mersey Forest team have helped us to involve local communities in some of these tree planting projects such as the recent improvements to Whitby Park in the town.
Last winter, planting took place on a number of sites in Ellesmere Port including Stanney Mill Lane, Newbridge Road and Lees Lane.
The photographs below show some of the work associated with the Lees Lane project. This has involved improvements to a well-used link between Wolverham and the Shropshire Union Canal. The improvements include new fencing and access gates, the creation of a wildflower meadow and the building of an innovative green screen to reduce the visual impact of neighbouring industrial units. The project has been funded by ERDF monies, Envirolink and by Section 106 planning contributions from the neighbouring housing development.
Environmental improvements have recently been carried out on land immediately alongside the M53, using funding from the ERDF and NWDA. This included areas at Thornton Road, Lime Street and the lorry park near Powell's Bridge. Work on all three sites was completed in spring 2008. Before and after photos of the Lime Street footpath are below.
The Mayor of Ellesmere Port, Councillor Ted Lloyd, visited Lime Street in March 2008 to see what changes had been made to the area. He is pictured with Mike Worden (Planning Policy and Projects Manager, EPNBC), Rory Chisholm (UPM Tilhill) and John Hewitt (project manager for EPNBC). UPM Tilhill carried out the works and the project was funded jointly by the NWDA Small Sites scheme and the ERDF.
Earlier this year we sent out questionnaires to local businesses to find out their views on the environmental attractiveness of the borough, and how this affected their decision to locate their business here. To read the results of this survey, click the link below:
Please contact the Planning Policy & Projects team on 0151 356 6554 for further information or visit the Mersey Forest website at:
The Mersey Forest Partner Report for 2006-2007 describes the achievements of the Mersey Forest Partnership in Ellesmere Port and Neston. For more information click the link below:
