A new community tree-planting has been approved by Chesham Town Council – which will see between 100 and 200 new trees being planted in the town.

The new £30,000 investment brought forward by Cllr Nick Southworth and Cllr Jane MacBean was approved by the town council’s planning committee after receiving unanimous support from fellow councillors.

The aptly named Communi-Tree Project will see the trees planted across Chesham over the next 18 months in a series of phased planting projects.

The first area of focus will be in the Air Quality Management Area, which is along Berkhampstead Road and Broad Street alongside other ‘pollution hotspots’. The first trees are expected to be planted in November of this year.

Cllr Nick Southworth said: “Councillor MacBean and I have been working on this project for several months now and are both passionate about increasing the number of trees and enhancing the natural spaces around the town.

“This will undoubtedly help to make Chesham a healthier and greener place to live in, work in and visit, and Jane and I are really pleased that our colleagues are fully on board with what we’re trying to achieve.

“Our fantastic Parks team are fully engaged and will help to deliver the final planting, and the whole plan has been made possible because we’ve had a strong Conservative group for the last four years who have been committed to sound financial management of the Town’s finances so that we can fund ambitious social projects like this.”

Cllr Jane MacBean said: ““We are incredibly lucky that we have so many natural spaces in Chesham and are surrounded by the area of national beauty but I see how our blue and green infrastructure is increasingly put under pressure, and everywhere we turn more concrete is being added to the urban landscape.

“Many of our residential roads have been eroded by the removal and loss of trees and shrubbery and Nick and I felt that it was time to take some drastic action to make a real difference and bring our streets back to the tree-lined avenues they once were.

“All the Chesham Councillors will be working together over the next couple of months to engage with the community. We are aiming to make this a real community team effort by inviting residents to work with us.”