Another first for Chester, as the new Supertrees are making their way to the Hoole Way Sunken Garden.
The three 7.5m high Supertrees have been created offsite and will be brought into the city in sections for building during August. The first sections will arrive on 5 August. The trunks for the trees will arrive at the end of August, to allow access for a crane, one lane will be closed on the roundabout but timed to avoid rush hour traffic.
The subways into the garden area will also be closed whilst construction works take place.
Work started earlier this year, preparing the site that is a main entrance into Chester city centre from Newtown, Brook Street, Chester Train Station and Chester Bus Interchange. The unique public open space sits below ground level in the middle of a busy roundabout.
Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “I’d like to thank the many people involved with this exciting project.
There has been a lot of activity on and off site.
“This is only really the beginning though, the Supertrees will take a few years to establish the plants growing on them. The area is being transformed and not only provides a new area to enjoy but is creating a new welcome for the city”.
The project was the idea of the ForEST (For Eco Supertrees) community group and is supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Steven Hughes, Chairman of the ForEST group said “The inspiration for the Chester Supertrees project came from the Planet Earth II documentary Sir David Attenborough did, in the final episode it shows the success of Supertrees Grove in Singapore’s nature park. It shows the species and ecosystems that exist within cities across the world, but finishes with the Gardens by the Bay project, where the Supertrees are located. They create an environment for a variety of plant life that would not normally exist in a City. Chester’s are on a much smaller scale but still aim to achieve the same environmental goals and social inspiration as they have done in Singapore.”
Landscaping has been completed and volunteers have planted seeds in the newly created flower beds.
The steel structures, in the shape of trees will be planted with various climbing plants in September, increasing the plant diversity, which in turn will increase the animal and insect diversity. It is expected to take between two to three years for the climbing plants to reach the top of the trees.
The Supertrees will introduce a new locally distinctive and visually stimulating focal point. The sculptures will create an environment for biodiversity that would not normally exist within the city.
The project includes re-landscaping around the trees. There will also be a new mural in the subway.
Chester Zoo and the ForEST group are working together to make sure the space is used as an educational space, funded and maintained to a high standard for years to come.
The ForEST community group plan to add to and develop the garden, if anyone is interested in joining as a volunteer they can contact the group at: chestersupertrees@gmail.com or on Twitter.
The ForEST group raised funds through various community based events, they also secured funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Pocket Parks Plus grant. A grant was provided through FCC Communities Foundation Action Fund. Section 106 funding and New Homes Bonus funding has also been used for this project.
Chester’s Supertrees are on a much smaller scale but still aims to achieve some of the same environmental and social goals as Singapore.
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