Consultation Almost Complete

With another bout of door knocking out of the way the project delivery is set to begin in January 2011 with the planting of around 130 street and green space trees on Roughwood Drive, Gilescroft Avenue, Bigdale Drive, Trecastle Rd, Brookhey Drive, and Kennelwood Rd.

If you are a resident of any of the above roads and still want a free tree planted on the front of the pavement or a free water butt to water the tree or your garden please contact the project at mail@merseyforest.org.uk

and mark your e mail 'Northwood Green Streets'.

The Mersey Forest is working with Knowsley Housing Trust, Knowsley Council, local residents groups to bring the project to fruition.

Looking for more information?

Go to 'Older Posts' at the bottom of this set of posts

0r contact the project coordinator Ben Greenaway on 01925 816 217

Funding Confirmed

Knowsley Borough Council today confirmed additional funding to extend planting across the target project area to plant an additional 40 trees. This now means that trees can extend across key walking and commuting route Bigdale Drive and link The Old Rough Park with other green space, residential property and schools.

Rob Allen of Knowsley Council's Neighbourhood Management team said "the additional funding comes from Knowsley's Environmental Blight Fund dedicated to Northwood".

Ben Greenaway Project Coordinator for The Mersey Forest said "it is hoped that additional tree cover will besides the obvious benefits of a beautiful tree lined street will benefit the community by bringing much needed shade on hotter days when older residents are getting from A to B or just waiting for a bus"

Northwood Residents Get Involved

If you think you could help out with this project and could get involved in a small or big way

then why not get in touch with Ben at The Mersey Forest on 01925 816 217 or emailben@merseyforest.org.uk

It might be leafleting,door knocking or getting involved in clean ups,tree or bulb planting or even talking to neighbours about the benefits of trees.

to find out more about the Green Streets project go to www.merseyforest.org.uk/greenstreets

and view photos, the dvd on you tube and more.

Residents can be involved by taking part in our pre project evaluation,helping with this and consultation,helping to formulate funding bids,or getting involved with practical events like bulb planting,tree planting or discussing ideas.

I look forward to hearing from you!

St Marks Grow Project

St Marks Community & Enterprise Centre have applied to The Community Spaces Fund for help with establishing a community garden and allotment project on their site at the church. Currently the land is just large amounts of grass which is hard work to maintain; and not well utilised by the community. The plan is to create a space which is much more user friendly.

It is intended that there will be wheel chair accessible pathways, seating areas, herb beds, trees and a water feature.

Overall, a much more usable and exciting space than is currently in existence at the church!

It is hoped to create an area of raised beds or ‘mini allotments’ which would be intended for various community groups from around Kirkby.

The Richmond Fellowship who work with amongst others, people with mental health problems, hope to use the garden as a form of horticulture therapy for their service users.

These beds will also be available to individuals who request a plot.

They’d be ideal for people who feel a full allotment is too big for them.Intended for use by all members of the community, be it for gardening or quiet contemplation away from the stresses of life.

If the funding bid is successful work will hopefully commence on the site in the new year.

Anyone who is interested in having a mini allotment or helping with the project in anyway should contact Christel on 546 9970 or email christel.stmarks@googlemail.com

John of local garden design specialists www.plantdesign.info said that his company were pleased to offer up their services to inspire the ideas for the project and help bring the project to life when funding became available.

Plan For Northwood Community Site Launched

£60K has become available from Marks and Spencer through Groundwork Merseyside and The Forestry Commisions Setting The Scene For Growth Programme to fund pathworks and fishing pegs around the Northwood pond site behind Shakelady Rd to the north of Northwood.

An entrance will be created at the end of Trecastle Rd off Roughwood Avenue and a 'hoggin' self binding gravel path will link the community to the pond.Soon you will be able to both fish and pond dip from a series of bespoke fishing pegs connected to the path by a board walk.

Plan are still in place to extend the scheme to link up with view points behind the pond and to the east of the site through an entrance on Simonwood through the secural of additional funding available through The Forestry Commission.
This round of works will be completed by March 2011.
Residents turned out to see the plans at a drop in consultation at Northwood Community Centre,November 1st evening.

the plan (click to enlarge)

A boardwalk....

A fishing peg....

A hoggin path.....

Residents Attend Northwood Bulb Planting Event

Several residents and children turned up to plant daffodil and narcisus bulbs in the newly improved green space in Northwood behind the Roughwood Pub off Gilescroft Ave.

Having planted over 280 bulbs in tough conditions they turned their hands to weeding a large new shrub bed on the site in preparation for the spreading of mulch.

Come back to the site in the spring to see a sea of golden daffodils.

Members of local residents group Northwood Mums want to bring more colour to the site and The Mersey Forest have now discussed with them the possibility of planting some small ornamental trees.

Your Questions answered on Street Trees

Click on image to enlarge!

Bulb Planting Event All Welcome

Come along to the small greenspace near Northwood Community Centre that links Gilescroft Aveune and Roughwood Avenue near the Community Allotment to take part in a bulb planting event.
All tools and gloves will be provided and you can wash your hands afterwards at the community centre.
Staff will be on hand to assist parents and children old and young alike in undertaking what promises to be an exciting event that will promise to bring a bit of sparkle to this green space in time for spring.Bright yellow and white daffodils will soon be pushing up the turf this January if you can spare half an hour between 2 and 4 this Thursday 28th October.
See the images in the 'northwood green site...' post below to see what the space might look like.We are also looking to plant a few colourful trees in an upcoming event in January.

So watch this space.

Why not sign up to follow the blog!

Drop In Consultation November 1st 2010 7 p.m.

Come along to our drop in discussion on improvements to the greenspace in Northwood. (see previous posts for a plan of the site)

Thats the space between the estate and the railway line with the pond space in it.

Your views count so come and have your say!

See the proposals for pathworks and fishing pegs and meet members of Knowsley Councils Green Space Team and Groundwork who will be working on this funded project

At Northwood Community Centre Gilescroft Rd off Roughwood Drive and Brook Hey Drive.

See streetview here:

View Larger Map

Residents Attend Northwood Green Streets Drop In Consultation Event

A drop in at Northwood Community Centre (Mon 13th October 2010) attracted young and old alike to see the plans for an ambitious street tree planting scheme across the main streets of Northwood.

Residents could see mock ups of their street lined with trees using The Mersey Forests software www.visualise2D.com

pictured above.

Amongst the visitors there were residents from Roughwood, Brook Hey and Bigdale Drives who signed up for the trees straight away using the tree choice and consent forms.

Amongst the attendees was a resident from Brook Hey Drive who commented that in the past trees had been planted but then removed and paved over a few years later.She was concerned that this didn't happen again and that she was a frequent requester for new trees when consulted by the council. She was now very excited at the prospect of the new trees.

Other residents asked about the potential size of trees planted and possible problems with roots and damage to property.The council tree officer Helen Sullivan was on hand to answer questions: advising that trees next to properties would be of a sturdy initial size of around 3.5m with a considerable steel guard and that most tree species were of ornamental non fruiting types with non aggressive root systems, typically growing to no more than 10m in height.

Having seen the mock ups one visitor commented that her initial scepticism about the project had waned and now she felt that having trees planted in a grey environment helped show you the changing seasons and looked forward to the autumn colours and spring flowers.

Green Streets Northwood Consultation Event All welcome

northwood green site launched

The dream of a green space in Northwood has now been realised by a local group through the Community Spaces fund managed by Groundwork.Northwood Mums worked with Knowsley's Green Space Team to deliver the new greenspace on the junction of Roughwood Rd and Gilescroft Avenue near the Northwood Community Centre. The space includes pathworks, seats, bins , raised beds, borders and a crocodile sculpture.

Let The Mersey Forest know your views on this site and any additional features you might think would enhance your enjoyment of this space e mail : ben@merseyforest.org.uk

bulbs , small flowering trees?

how it might look in spring with flowering bulbs! (click on images to enlarge)
how it might look with ornamental flowering trees to add seasonal variety!

images produced using www.visualise2d.com

how it looks now! skip spell and sit!


See more pictures and a full story of the opening event here:

http://blog.community-spaces.org.uk/2010/09/a-grand-finale-for-northwood-community-allotments/

Green Streets Northwood Explained

click on images to enlarge, once! move bars on screen to navigate round!

Northwood Mums Ideas for Local Green Space

Take a look at the latest plans for the green space between the Roughwood Pub and Gilescroft Avenue near the Northwood Mums allotment space.

The local group worked with community development workers and Knowsleys Green Space Team to get funding from The Community Spaces fund to help design and implement a garden space.Knowsley 20 20 drew up this plan based on the groups ideas.

The group intend to involve the community in a range of artist led workshops to implement elements of the scheme.Watch this space for more news!

from Gilescroft towards the allotment site..

from Roughwood Drive towards Gilescroft around the perimter of the Public House!

Green Space Community Event A Success!

Residents of Northwood came to the Community Centre on Gilescroft Avenue on Saturday 27th February to find out all about intended improvements to their local green spaces in Northwood.

Phil Hurst Green Space Development Officer for Knowsley Council asked residents their views on the 'backy' and spoke to young and old alike about their experiences and desires for the green space.

Follow this here: www.merseyforest.org.uk/northwood

Ben Greenaway Green Streets Coordinator for The Mersey Forest explained about the intention to plant over 90 trees on streets leading directly into local greenspaces at the 'backy' in north northwood;the new greenspace next to the allotment site off Roughwood Rd; and the Old Rough parkland itself to the south of Northwood.

Residents filled in pre project evaluation forms in order to guage their thoughts about their neighbourhood,community,crime,well being and what they get to when outdoors.This information will help inform the success of the project as it proceeds.

Northwood ladies look to trees to link greenspaces

February 2009.....When members of the Northwood Allotment group approached Green Streets Coordinator Ben Greenaway to fund a street tree planting programme in Northwood they soon realised they had a bit of work cut out in order to achieve funding for their desired project.Firstly they needed to ask the community what they felt about their community, their neighbours and if they felt able to make decisions and grow within their area.This formed the baseline for the long road to a successful street greening project......find out more in the next blog update

Residents Drop in Consultation on Green Streets

Residents of Northwood are invited to attend a drop in day and to meet other agencies working in the area.

See flyer for details.

You will have an opportunity to view plans of the intended delivery of street trees and house downpipe attached water butts to water the trees.

Get a chance to share your views about the neighbourhood and tell us what you get up to when you get outdoors!

Green Streets has now identified funding to delivery over 90 trees in the area.

Green Streets Choose Your Shade!

Tree fact - on hot days trees can reduce the air temperature underneath them by up to 8 degrees centigrade so greatly improve human confort whilst out and about!

Northwood Greenspaces Newsletter

http://www.merseyforest.org.uk/northwood/newsletter.pdf