Report from the Enfield Council Scrutiny Panel Meeting to discuss Network Rail plans for replanting trees on the Grange Park embankments

We have a full report from the meeting, including videos of the statements made and a summary of the agreements...

Network Rail outlined the proposed vegetation and trees they plan to reinstate to the embankments of Grange Park, covering all sides of the area including Green Dragon Lane, The Grangeway, Merridene, Deepdene Court and Nestor Avenue.

• The Trees and vegetation replanted will be chosen by local residents from a list approved for the embankments.
  The Trees will eventually grow to 5-6m in height
  
• The Council agreed to facilitate the input of local residents and interested parties to the scheme.
  
• The Network Rail plans will be available from the Council shortly

The Enfield Council Scrutiny panel met on the 1st March 2011 to discuss the Network Rail proposals to replant trees and vegetation along the embankments in Grange Park. The meeting was chaired by Councillor Alan Sitkin, who opened the meeting by outlining it's scope.

Network Rail had a team of four people at the meeting. Two of the team made a presentation detailing the proposed replanting of trees and vegetation, which is shown below. If you would like to download the Network Rail presentation in pdf format, click here

Meeting Report
The Enfield Council Scrutiny meeting was a much more sober meeting than the highly charged event in The Church in the Orchard.

The main presentation by Neil Strong - Network Rail Tree specialist, outlined the planting scheme proposed by Network Rail. A hedge will be planted on two rows of the embankment as well as a hedge all round the perimeter of the site. This hedge is likely to grow to 5-6 m in 20 years time. In the flat areas at the base of the Deepdene Court and Merridene sides, 2-3m fruit trees will be planted - apple, plumb, pear, and cherry. Network Rail also proposed that the residents that lived closest to the line be asked for their tree preferences to be incorporated into the scheme in addition to the fruit trees. 

An "approved" tree list was offered to the residents. The trees and plants will be sourced locally and Network Rail would work in conjunction with the council. Andy Robinson from Enfield Council fully supported the Network Rail proposals and was working with Network Rail to appoint suppliers of the trees and hedges. Here is his statement from the meeting.

Kristian Alexander from Network Rail clarified that the replanting was unlikely to reduce the noise levels from the track, it was purely to restore the character of the area. Oak and Sycamore trees may be considered by Network Rail at the very foot of the embankments. 3-4000 Hawthorne whips will be planted, and approximately 100 fruit trees, as well as the trees chosen by residents.

All this is different to the working Group that Network Rail agreed at the meeting in The Church in the Orchard it would be setup to establish the replanting proposals. Gary Barnes from Enfield Council agreed to organise the communications with Network Rail over the replanting proposals, so contact Mr Barnes if you would like further information or to comment on the proposals.

One good point to come out of the Grange Park devastation was that the Scrutiny Committee was now aware of the works that Network Rail is carrying out in other areas of the borough - particularly Winchmore Hill and Palmers Green, and now would review the plans of Network Rail in these areas before the work was done.

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