Tree planting gets to the root of Wokingham anti-social behaviour
Four Wokingham oak trees and 30 metres of hedging were planted last week as part of a unique way to weed out anti-social behaviour in a Woodley residential area.
Wokingham Borough Council planted the trees and shrubs after listening to residents' concerns that a patch of land facing on to Crockhamwell Road was a hot-spot for anti-social behaviour, and needed to be filled in with vegetation, to stop the nuisance behaviour as well as screen noise from the busy road.
Neighbours from Penrose Avenue submitted a petition to the Wokingham council last autumn asking for the area to be landscaped. The site was previously a continuous tree belt, but a clearing was made more than 40 years ago for a temporary lorry park. Rhododendrons were planted but failed to grow, so a permanent gap was left.
In order to provide residents with an environmentally friendly and attractive noise barrier, the four oaks and hedging was planted earlier this month. It will also provide extra security for children living nearby as it will act as a natural barrier from the road and will reduce the space available for people to congregate and cause disturbance or act in an anti-social way.
A public bench near to the newly landscaped area has been removed by Woodley Town Council, also requested by residents, as it was used as a late-night meeting point causing noise, disturbance and disruption to neighbours. It has been relocated away from housing by the town council to Nightingale Road – where it will replace a bench that was damaged last year.
Jon Matthews, senior Wokingham arboriculturist, said: "The residents in the area told us they felt that some kind of landscaping needed to be done in the area to provide a noise barrier, extra security and act as deterrent to people congregating and causing disturbance.
"Woodley Town Council offered to move the bench that was there to a more appropriate spot so that we could plant the hedges and trees and now that the planting has been completed the road is tree lined - like many of the 'Green Routes' that the borough is renowned for."
Deborah Mander, town clerk of Woodley Town Council, said: "We were pleased to be able to respond to the views of local residents and to contribute towards what will hopefully be an improvement in their quality of life."
Barry Toms, who submitted the petition on behalf of local residents for shrub and tree planting on the land, added: " Penrose Avenue residents who signed up to request filling a gap in the nearby tree belt are delighted that work has been completed.
"Wokingham Borough Council has been sympathetic to the residents' request and the gap restoration has progressed swiftly.
"It will be interesting to watch the 're-greening' of this space over the coming years."
Wokingham Borough Council planted the trees and shrubs after listening to residents' concerns that a patch of land facing on to Crockhamwell Road was a hot-spot for anti-social behaviour, and needed to be filled in with vegetation, to stop the nuisance behaviour as well as screen noise from the busy road.
Neighbours from Penrose Avenue submitted a petition to the Wokingham council last autumn asking for the area to be landscaped. The site was previously a continuous tree belt, but a clearing was made more than 40 years ago for a temporary lorry park. Rhododendrons were planted but failed to grow, so a permanent gap was left.
In order to provide residents with an environmentally friendly and attractive noise barrier, the four oaks and hedging was planted earlier this month. It will also provide extra security for children living nearby as it will act as a natural barrier from the road and will reduce the space available for people to congregate and cause disturbance or act in an anti-social way.
A public bench near to the newly landscaped area has been removed by Woodley Town Council, also requested by residents, as it was used as a late-night meeting point causing noise, disturbance and disruption to neighbours. It has been relocated away from housing by the town council to Nightingale Road – where it will replace a bench that was damaged last year.
Jon Matthews, senior Wokingham arboriculturist, said: "The residents in the area told us they felt that some kind of landscaping needed to be done in the area to provide a noise barrier, extra security and act as deterrent to people congregating and causing disturbance.
"Woodley Town Council offered to move the bench that was there to a more appropriate spot so that we could plant the hedges and trees and now that the planting has been completed the road is tree lined - like many of the 'Green Routes' that the borough is renowned for."
Deborah Mander, town clerk of Woodley Town Council, said: "We were pleased to be able to respond to the views of local residents and to contribute towards what will hopefully be an improvement in their quality of life."
Barry Toms, who submitted the petition on behalf of local residents for shrub and tree planting on the land, added: " Penrose Avenue residents who signed up to request filling a gap in the nearby tree belt are delighted that work has been completed.
"Wokingham Borough Council has been sympathetic to the residents' request and the gap restoration has progressed swiftly.
"It will be interesting to watch the 're-greening' of this space over the coming years."
Wokingham Borough Council
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