Huw Merriman, MP for the Bexhill and Battle constituency and Sally-Ann Hart, MP for Hastings and Rye visited GreenBlue Urban based in Bodiam. The company which started in a domestic garage in Hastings in 1992 is celebrating 30 years in business this year.
GreenBlue Urban was set up to research and provide solutions for assisting trees in their battle to establish in urban spaces and has gone onto support local authorities, landscape architects, engineers and other related professionals on best practice for tree planting and implementation. The business works with both UK-based and international partners, and it employs dozens of local people.
CEO Dean Bowie welcomed the MPs to the Head Office in Bodiam where they learned about the innovative products which began the company’s journey to becoming industry-leading experts in successful urban tree planting. The MPs also had a tour of the manufacturing premises to see the products being made hot off the production line.
The presentation and tour gave the MPs a valuable insight into the industry-leading expertise that the company has developed since its founding thirty years ago. This is especially the case in relation to their ArborSystem which gives trees planted in urban environments the best opportunity to survive and thrive to maturity. On average 30% of newly planted trees in towns and cities in the UK will not survive more than 12 months after being planted, according to the Forestry Commission, with mortality rates often reaching as high as 50%. A mature tree provides a wide range of benefits to local communities and the environment more generally. For example, planting trees remains one of the cheapest, most cost effective means of drawing excess CO2 from the atmosphere and one mature tree has the same cooling effect as 10 room-sized air conditioners – this can reduce local energy consumption by as much as 10%.
The companies tree planting systems also offer a means to help better manage urban surface water to reduce the amount of it entering storm overflows which remains an issue nationally, including in Hastings and Rye. The crown of a large tree is a free standing anti-flood reservoir and one hundred mature trees can capture over 260,000 gallons (1 million litres) of rainwater each year.
Commenting on the visit, Sally-Ann said:
“Small and medium-sized business are the lifeblood of Britain’s economy, and it was a pleasure to visit the Rother-based GreenBlue Urban recently to learn more about the work they do, see their facilities and meet some of the staff.
In thirty years, this business has grown into an industry leader in tree-related technology. It addresses key urban landscape issues, employs local people, and exports its services across the country as well as internationally. The information they shared on the day was invaluable, and I look forward to seeing this local company – as well as many others – continuing to go from strength to strength.
Huw Merriman added:
“GreenBlue Urban is an amazing local business which started from humble beginnings 30 year ago but now has a global and presence and continues to grow. Their innovative products and passion for urban landscaping was inspiring and really brought home how important landscape design is in the planning process for both housing and commercial developments.
“I share their vision that landscaping and tree planting should be central to good urban design and not an afterthought. Careful landscaping is good for the environment and can provide solutions for sustainable drainage and biodiversity as well as providing green outside spaces which are good for people’s health and well-being.”
