PLANS for a community orchard and the purchasing of artwork and self-watering planters were all given the green light during Gillingham Town Council’s General Purposes Committee meeting on Monday night.

Put forward by the Estate Management and Properties Sub-committee, it was recommended that permission was given for the Gillingham Action for Nature Group (GANG) to use land at Upper Loddon to establish a community orchard, artwork undertaken by prisoners at HMP Guys Marsh would be used to enhance planted areas in the town at a cost of £250, and 11 self-watering planters would be purchased for the town for around £3,380.

All recommendations were passed, with Councillor Mick Hill adding it is “really good value” despite sounding “a lot of money”.