Newly-planted palm trees bring tropical flare to Bognor Regis

It’s hoped the six-foot-tall trees, of the Trachycarpus species, will make for a welcoming gateway to Bognor Regis town centre after they were planted on Friday, March 24.

The trees can be found on Gloucester Road Garden, a junction to the town centre by way of the eastern end of High Street. They were funded by a partnership between Arun District Council and the Bognor Regis Business Improvement District, who, according to a spokesperson, are ‘working together to enhance the town centre.’

Both trees were planted as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s green canopy, a UK-wide tree planting initiative to mark her Platinum Jubilee last year.

Not only are the palm trees beautiful, they are also fast-growing and resilient, growing up to 15 metres tall in their native habitat, and tend to grow up to about ten metres in the UK, after many years.

A spokesperson for Arun District Council and the Bognor Regis BID said the trees “are a welcome addition to the Gloucester Road Garden, contributing to the biodiversity and climate resilience of the area by providing shade, oxygen and habitat for wildlife.”

This is the first of a number of initiatives from the BID and other stakeholders to make the town centre more attractive, using money from the Shared Prosperity Fund grant given to the town earlier this year. New bins and banners are also in the works it’s hoped they will be introduced to the town centre in the very near future.

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