Tree-mendous work - Trafalgar Place wins Forestry Commission Award
Find out about Trafalgar Place's Forestry Commission Award. Trafalgar place recognised for preserving mature trees.
- 4 Dec 2019
It won the Forestry Commission’s ‘Trees and Development’ award, supported by the Mayor of London, at a ceremony held at City Hall on 10 July.
Trafalgar Place was recognised for the importance of integrating trees into developments, and the variety of roles they can play, from providing new habitats for wildlife to relieving pressure on London’s sewer network by acting as sustainable drainage.
Entrants had to demonstrate their commitment to tree planting or management, evidence of long-term involvement, commitment or ambition, and examples of innovation or good practice that could be taken up by other businesses.
‘THE AWARDS RAISE AWARENESS OF THE FANTASTIC WORK TAKING PLACE IN LONDON,’ SAID CRAIG HARRISON, FORESTRY COMMISSION LONDON MANAGER. ‘I HOPE THEY INSPIRE OTHERS TO PLANT AND MANAGE TREES THAT HELP ENSURE THE CAPITAL REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CITIES IN THE WORLD TO LIVE, WORK AND INVEST IN.’
It is not the first time this site has been recognised by the Forestry Commission. In 2013, the local community was rewarded for its campaign to ensure the trees at Trafalgar Place were retained. Today, thanks to that community effort, Trafalgar Place has 25 mature trees from the former Heygate Estate, and more than 70 semi-mature trees have been planted as part of the new development. This all helped Trafalgar Place to triumph at this year’s ‘Tree Oscars’.
The awards have been organised by the Forestry Commission since 2008 to celebrate the work of individuals, communities and professionals to protect, improve and expand the capital’s tree and woodland cover.
The judging panel was chaired by Tony Kirkham, head of the arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens. When presenting the award, he said Trafalgar Place had made ‘a key contribution to London’s urban forest’. Also on the judging panel were Shirley Rodrigues, deputy mayor for environment and energy, and Sir Harry Studholme, chair of the Forestry Commission.
Trafalgar Place was the first phase completed by Lendlease as part of its regeneration of Elephant & Castle, in partnership with Southwark Council. Designed by architects de Rijke Marsh Morgan and shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2016, it provides 235 high-quality homes, as well as the new Hej coffee house.
For more on the London Tree and Woodland Awards, click here.