MAJOR progress has been made in the first week of a project to replace trees in a Minehead town centre street.

Three out four planned new trees were replanted in The Avenue as the town council’s amenities team collaborated with contractors Upton Tree Services and CJ Lynch.

The lime trees, Tilia cordata ‘Streetwise’, were sourced from Riverside Plant Nurseries, in West Quantoxhead, to ensure high‑quality stock well suited to Minehead’s environment.

Upton Tree Services removed the old stumps and CJ Lynch installed the new tree pits before the council’s in-house team carried out the replanting.

Town Clerk Ben Parker said the professionalism of the staff and their care and technical expertise had ensured each new tree was planted to the highest standard, providing the best possible foundation for healthy establishment in the years ahead.

Mr Parker said the fourth and final tree would follow shortly.

The remaining stump was scheduled to be ground out this week, after which the tree pit would be reinstated and the tree replanted to complete the first phase of the project.

Mr Parker said: “This is a fantastic milestone for Minehead and has been a long time in planning.

“Our partner contractors and our amenities team have done an exceptional job completing this work within just a week, and we are incredibly proud of the skill and dedication they have brought to the project.

“Projects like this highlight the town council’s vital role in investing in, and co-ordinating, the long‑term appearance of our town.

“Only a week ago, we had one failing tree and two unsightly stumps.

“Now, we have three beautiful, healthy tree specimens, ideally suited to a street‑side environment and protected with new cages that will help retain this much‑loved feature of Minehead.”

The replacement trees have been jointly funded by Minehead Town Council, which has set aside up to £11,000 for the work, and a financial contribution from local resident Shonie Millward-Usher, who walked from Minehead to Barrow Gurney to raise funds to support the project.

Mr Parker said due to its current financial pressures, Somerset Council, which was responsible for the street trees, was not in a position to proactively replace the removed trees.

The town council was therefore stepping in where it could to preserve the town’s valued tree‑lined streetscape.

The project was originally costed in 2024 at about £8,000 but delays caused by the internal restructuring of the unitary authority had seen the estimate rise by up to £3,000.

Town councillors have agreed to take responsibility for maintaining the new trees for 10 years, including watering, epicormic growth control, and formative pruning, after which they will be passed to the Somerset authority.

Mr Parker thanked residents, businesses, and visitors for their continued support as the important restoration project approached its completion, and Somerset Cllrs Mandy Chilcott and Andy Hadley, whose support and engagement had helped to ensure effective collaboration with Somerset Council throughout the programme.

Mr Parker said: “The Avenue is looking greener and better than ever.”