Sustainable planting projects that help high streets burst with life and support the environment have received a share of more than £32,000 in grant funding from South Gloucestershire Council.
The funding will help multiple projects from across the district to ‘Green the High Street’ in a way that responds to the changing climate, increases biodiversity and creates spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Greening the High Street grants were open to applications from organisations with environmentally friendly ways to brighten up areas in or near our high streets.
Successful applicants include community-led projects with plans to install planters instead of hanging baskets, proposals to nurture climate-resilient plants, planting more trees and creating nature havens for wildlife and pollinating insects.
The project was funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and a total of 12 community-led projects have benefitted:
- Dodington Parish Council to improve the area outside the Heron Way shops, Chipping Sodbury.
- Downend in Bloom to add an additional three planters to Downend High Street.
- Hanham Community Centre to fund new planters in the Memorial Garden, Hanham High Street.
- Filton Town Council to introduce sustainable planting to locations in the Filton Avenue shopping area.
- Friends of Kingswood Park/Kingswood Town Council to introduce new planting to the High Street.
- Sodbury in Bloom to further improve and enhance the look and feel of Chipping Sodbury High Street with new planters and plants.
- Southern Brooks to introduce a community planting project to The Parade, Patchway.
- Staple Hill and Mangotsfield Parish Council to add sustainable, pollinator-friendly planting to existing planters.
- Thornbury in Bloom to introduce additional planting on Thornbury High Street.
- Wick and Abson Parish Council to add a planter to the wide pavement area outside shops in Milford Avenue.
- Winterbourne Parish Council to add greenery to brighten up the area outside the shops in Flaxpits Lane.
- Yate Town Council to improve the space outside the Parish Hall and YMCA on Station Road with planting, bug hotels and living roofs.
Councillor Leigh Ingham, Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place, said: “We are delighted to support so many community groups and town and parish councils to help our high streets buzz with life. Urban settings such as town centres don’t have to be places where biodiversity and nature can’t thrive; this funding will help projects that support the local environment while making our high streets places people want to visit and spend their time.
“In order to become net-zero, we all need to play our part and work together to understand how street planting can impact climate change, improve air quality and provide vital wildlife habitats. I want to thank those who are putting the environment first and thinking of future generations.”
Staple Hill and Mangotsfield Parish Council plan to introduce sustainable, pollinator-friendly planting to existing planters as one of its first community initiatives. Community sessions are to be held to plant then maintain the planters – and it is hoped that this will be a catalyst for further greening projects in the area.
Councillor Ian Campbell, Chairman of Staple Hill and Mangotsfield Parish Council, said: “I’m delighted that we have secured this funding. The grant will enable us to continue the great work already carried out on the High Street by the community with an emphasis on enhancing the look to attract more visitors to our brilliant businesses and markets.”
For more information on sustainable planting, including best practice and the best plants to choose, visit www.southglos.gov.uk/GHSG
The council continues to work with local chambers of commerce, trader partnerships, community groups and residents. Independent high street retailers can contact the council to find out what support is available by emailing the council’s high streets team at highstreets@southglos.gov.uk.
For more information on our high streets, visit www.southglos.gov.uk/shopsouthglos.
