A NEW new woodland area could be created in Prescot in the new year.

Members of Knowsley’s Climate Emergency Scrutiny Committee heard the Council is launching a public consultation to ask residents’ views about creating six new woodlands in the borough.

This includes one at Lloyd Road, Prescot, near to Eccleston Park.

The other proposed locations are at:

  • Woolfall Heath, Huyton
  • Altmoor Road, Huyton
  • Alt Park, Huyton
  • Wastelbridge Park, Huyton,
  • Cowper Way, Huyton 

Public consultations

There will be public consultations over the Lloyd Road proposals taking place. 

These will be at:

  • Saturday, December 9 (11am-1pm) – Phoenix House, Eaton Street
  • Thursday, December 14 (4pm-6pm)  – Evelyn Community Primary School

Planting of the new woodlands is proposed to start in February 2024.

The issue of woodland has been a hot topic in the area recently following Knowsley Council's bid to convert part of Whiston Woods to extend Knowsley Cemetery, at Fox's Bank Lane.

Action plan

Climate Emergency Scrutiny Committee members heard that the council is committed to maintaining existing woodland and increasing tree coverage throughout Knowsley and has identified a potential 30 hectares of land for woodland creation in future years. These initiatives will help the borough tackle climate change as well as supporting benefits to public health and wellbeing.

Woodland creation and management are key themes in both the council’s 'Climate Emergency Action Plan' and the 'Net Zero Delivery Plan (2022-2025)' which focuses on working in partnership with the Mersey Forest to develop new woodland planting schemes and updating the Woodland Management Plans for Knowsley’s existing woodland sites. There are also plans to survey the borough’s tree stock to identify further opportunities for tree planting.

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In 2019 the Council secured £1.376m via the Urban Tree Challenge Fund to plant 2,728 trees across the borough. In 2023 a further £50,000 was secured from the Coronation Living Heritage Fund to plant 10 community orchards across Knowsley.

In 2023 a further £50,000 was secured from the Coronation Living Heritage Fund to plant 10 community orchards across Knowsley, with more information on how communities can get involved in this to follow.

Figures from Friends of the Earth revealed Knowsley has 14.4% of tree coverage, higher than average for England and highest in the Liverpool City Region. Knowsley Council is the landowner for 48 publicly accessible community woodlands across the borough.