MP Launches Orchard Project At Upminster’s Thames Chase.

Hornchurch and Upminster MP, Julia Lopez, visited Upminster’s Thames Chase Community Forest on 31 March, to launch the expansion of their orchard regeneration project. The orchard includes the gradual replanting of up to sixty fruit trees, enhancement of hedgerows and the planting of flowering trees and shrubs to encourage pollinators. In addition, a wildflower meadow is being developed, with a new pathway and boards for visitors to understand more about Havering’s nature.

Mrs Lopez planted a crab apple tree – grown at the Forest’s tree nursery – and met Thames Chase Trustees, staff and Forestry England colleagues to discuss the Broadfield Farm site’s positive impacts on the landscape. 

It is the latest in a series of visits the MP is making as part of her local campaign to create a vast green network of woods, cycleways and walking routes from Havering into Essex as compensation for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), which will see a new road and tunnel built under the Thames to ease congestion at Dartford. Earlier in March, she visited Hole Farm, a huge new community woodland between Brentwood and Harold Wood of up to 150 000 trees that is being driven by the LTC project team. An existing bridleway from Havering across the M25 will be improved to allow easy and safe access for Hornchurch & Upminster residents.

The Thames Chase Community Forest is a remarkable landscape initiative, actively transforming 40 square miles of the landscape in East London and South West Essex, guided by the Thames Chase Plan. It will also be receiving compensatory works from the LTC with plans to build a new bridge connecting Cranham’s Moor Lane to Folkes Lane for walkers and cyclists to safely travel over the A127 and enable uninterrupted and easy access to the new community forest at Hole Farm. Mrs Lopez discussed with Thames Chase trustees what more might be done to connect other community forests as part of that work.

Speaking of her Thames Chase visit, Mrs Lopez said: “It was wonderful to be invited by the Thames Chase Trust to plant a tree in the orchard at the Broadfields site and to see works progressing on the tree nursery expansion. The positive impact of the orchard project in this unique space will benefit the biodiversity of the local landscape and the local community for generations to come. 

“This event comes hot on the heels of my recent visit to Hole Farm, and I am extremely keen for the connectivity of our local green spaces to be improved as the Lower Thames Crossing looks to mitigate its impact. Thames Chase is a wonderful community asset and I’ve worked with the team for some years now on the principle of biodiversity net gain – the idea that construction works should be offset by investment in our green spaces. I will continue to assist Trustees to lobby for any and all environmental mitigations and expansions to our beautiful forests.”

Dave Bigden, Thames Chase Community Forest Director said:“Since its inception in 1990, Thames Chase Community Forest has been an inspirational example of bringing partners together to deliver worthwhile projects for landscape, people, and nature. The orchard regeneration project, supported by our local MP, is another great example of this and a nod to the many benefits provided by Community Forestry in this area.”

Hornchurch and Upminster Mp Julia Lopez planted the tree at Thames Chase.

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