The HTA launched a new campaign at the Labour Party Conference to encourage councils and developers to plant more in the UK’s urban streets and gardens.

The ‘Greening the UK’ campaign was launched by Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government who planted an English ‘My Valentine’ rose bush in Bournemouth to mark the occasion.

The campaign, which is responding to recent HTA research which identified a ;massive decrease’ in green planting by developers in urban areas, will urge planning officers and local councils to plant more trees, shrubs and grass on new developments, streets and gardens. It will seek to ‘remove the blight of concrete jungles’, reduce potential damage from flash flooding and cut crime, whilst improving air quality.

The campaign’s spokesperson and director general of the HTA, said: “Hazel’s support for the campaign is a real boost. It is vital that we soften urban landscapes and ensure that people living in our towns and cities benefit from more planting and green space. Green space is disappearing and we are seeing the cost of this through increased crime, poorer health, worsening air quality and increased damage from flash floods Planning officers have a responsibility to local residents to provide more than poorly thought-out concrete jungles.”

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