The motion calls on council to recognise the wide-ranging benefits of community orchards, including increased access to fresh fruit, the promotion of local food resilience, and the enhancement of green spaces.

It also requests that council commits to supporting the creation and maintenance of community orchards across the city through partnerships with residents, schools, and local organisations.

Cllr Bower has said: “Community orchards are not just about simply growing fruit, they are also about bringing people together to plant, care for and harvest from what can be a highly valuable asset for many communities.

“Which makes it all the more disappointing that we’ve repeatedly seen the removal of orchards in order to clear land for other development. Belfast should be part of reversing that trend.

“This is not a new idea and we’ve seen the benefits they can bring right across the UK and Ireland. They provide vital green space for local communities to come together and work towards common goals, promoting both mental and physical wellness, and community cohesion. They also promote biodiversity, help strengthen our climate resilience, and would represent a huge step forward in council’s efforts to meet its ‘One Million Trees’ targets.

“We have so much to gain from re-establishing our native fruit trees, species we could otherwise potentially stand to lose altogether, where the desire exists in communities to maintain them. I’m incredibly proud to see this motion agreed and excited to see what comes of it.”