Landscaping Work – Roebuck Green
We have some exciting breaking news for you. It has been a number of years since we first started to look into the possibility of upgrading the Green in front of the shops, and we’re happy to say that DLR County Council will be starting work this coming Monday (29th). Due to Covid the timing of Council projects has been quite erratic, so we’ve only just been told that works are to begin next week, which was a bit of a surprise. We’ve been informed that this first phase, the laying of a new path, and the hard landscaping work, will take approximately two weeks. Hopefully works won’t be too disruptive, and it’ll be short term pain for long term gain. As we get more information as to how this project will progress, we’ll let you know.
What will be included?
This will be the first time the Council has done substantial landscaping work on the Green since it was created in the 1950’s. It was definitely time for a bit of an upgrade. The plan is for the Council to do the heavy landscaping work, and for us (the Tidy Districts group) to do a good portion of the planting. Some of the new features you can expect to enjoy once work is completed are:
- 4 benches
- A new beige tarmac path
- A number of new trees
- Flat grassed areas suitable for holding outdoor events
- Landscaped grassed mounds
- A mix of cobblestone and timber edging to the path
- Hoggin paved areas
- Mixed planting, shrubs and plants
- Community notice board
Where did this idea come from?
In our first year as an Association (2015/16), we began the task of reviving the Green by setting up a grass-cutting rota, planting flowers, painting the bench and introducing planters. Our Tidy Districts group and the Committee started thinking about what we might try to do to improve the Green in the long term. It was decided to devise a plan that would transform the Green, rather than improving it haphazardly. We engaged a landscape architect with this in mind, Austin and Associates. Our plan is to create a space where people can relax and chat, rest or read, in a safe and enhanced environment. It’s called “place-making”, with the emphasis on the community living in the area, as opposed to those just passing through. The plan is to improve and increase the seating, improve the pathway, and re-landscape the space, including some banking which will be planted with shrubs, and will reduce traffic noise. We are also planning to include a notice board for residents and a small container for Tidy Districts’ gardening tools. The Committee and the Tidy Districts group have been through a number of iterations of the plans with the Council to achieve the best possible outcome for the community.
We are looking forward to a beautifully landscaped Green that will be used by the whole community for years to come.