UCLan's Tree-mendous plan to green up Preston skyline

Michael Ahern and Suntosh Kaur with the rootball of opn of the trees in Corporation Street

Eco-friendly university bosses have come up with a tree-mendous way to help improve the Preston skyline.

As part of it’s multi-million pound redevelopment plan, the University of Central Lancashire is planning to plant hundreds of trees.

The major project to ‘green up’ the campus and surrounding areas has started with the planting of the first cluster.

The six new trees – each already weighing around one tonne and which will grow up to 35 metres in height – have been planted in Corporation Street next to the new £35 million Engineering Innovation Centre.

Michael Ahern and Suntosh Kaur at the site of the new trees in Corporation Street

They are the first of 300 new trees which will be planted as part of the development over the next two years.

The initiative will see the total number of trees across the university campus grow to more than 700, providing a greener environment for students, staff and local residents.

Specially selected ‘London Plane’ trees, shipped over from Germany, have been picked because they have exceptionally long trunks which means the foliage will grow well above the traffic lines.

UCLan’s chief information and infrastructure officer Michael Ahearn said: “Our new £60 million Student Centre and Civic Square development will include approximately 40 new trees as well as a significant number of other flowering plants and shrubs. On a wider scale we’ll be planting hundreds of additional trees across the campus all of which will provide habitat and support to the local wildlife as well as making it a great place to live, work and study.”

Suntosh Kaur, president of UCLan Students’ Union, added: “As well as having a positive impact on wellbeing and learning, a greener and more pleasant environment will make the University more accessible and enjoyable for current and future generations of students as well as everyone in the local community.”