The Pulborough Community Partnership has been granted funds from the Horsham District Council Re-Wilding Fund, distributed on behalf of the government, to place six square corten steel (the 'rusty' steel) planters and a corten steel planter/bench on Lower Street and we need to demonstrate community support for this project, which could greatly improve the look of Pulborough’s historic commercial centre. And help to slow traffic through the village.

The tree planters would be located on the pavement outside the following businesses, where West Sussex Highways has agreed that pedestrian access, including disability scooters, and vehicle visibility won’t be impeded:

-Batchellor Monkhouse (1)
-Cubitt & West (2)
-Oddfellows (1)
-On Brooks Way, alongside the funeral home, opposite Oddfellows, to highlight the way to the village car park and the village hall (2)
-Planter/bench – alongside the wall outside Mary How (1)

The map is indicative, not to the centimetre. When the weather improves we will draw outlines in chalk on the pavement.

Taylormade is supplying the planters (£2448) while the three hawthorn and three cotoneaster standard native trees are being supplied by Architectural Plants, along with a silver birch for the Mary How planter (£1323)

Travis Perkins is very generously donating the compost to fill them.

Terra cotta shards to place in the bottom of the planters are being sourced from the community and we will have a community planting day when the license is granted.

The trees will be maintained by the Pulborough Community Partnership, the businesses and volunteer community gardeners. Corten steel needs little to no maintenance, for example it is used by South Downs National Park for signage.

The benefits of street trees are manifold, and include:

-Slowing traffic and reducing road rage
-Reducing toxic air mortality
-Improving mental health
-Encouraging biodiversity and wildlife
-Reducing crime
-Increasing neighbourhood vigilance
-Increasing work productivity
-Increasing health recovery rates
-Insulation, shading & temperature regulation
(https://www.streettreesforliving.org/benefits-of-street-trees

All costs have been met by HDC rewilding funding with money left from the European Union European Regional Development Fund. The money couldn’t have been used for anything other than designated re-wilding projects.

Please could you demonstrate your support for having these trees on Lower Street by signing our Change.org petition?   https://www.change.org/LowerStreetTrees

Many thanks!