V.D.S. - 9 Trees and Hedges Parish Council
Trees and hedges are the essential, unifying characteristic of the parish and they: are the basis of the natural landscape in the parish; maintain the semi-rural feel to a parish that is becoming more suburbanised; hide buildings behind their greenery; link residential to country areas; give attractive village entrances; soften developments such as the M42; provide homes to a variety of wildlife; offer a sense of seclusion and peace; give residential roads the appearance of country lanes; provide boundaries for much of the property in the parish.	In areas where tree cover is greatest, such as near the Country Park, farmland, green belt and Special Wildlife Sites, the flora is mostly of native species such as oak, ash, beech, holly, hawthorn and Scots pine. Hedging, too, is normally of native species. In residential areas native species again dominate because of the nature of settlement but there are also non-native species. Many are large, mature trees of amenity value. Hedges here tend to be tall and solid, providing a screen between the property and the road. They are mostly native species hedges. Some gardens have double hedges. The hedges of the two Anglican churches have over 7 tree specIes. Many tree-rich, hedged property boundaries predate the motorcar and entrances to older houses are narrow. This has implications when current sight-line regulations are applied.
	Figure 25 -Spirehouse Lane connects the village with the countryside and is unkerbed, narrow, twisting and is lined with mature trees, hedges and vegetation. Narrow entrances are cut into the hedged bank.
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Last Updated 27/06/2005