MORE than 25,000 saplings and semi-mature trees are to be planted to create "an urban forest" along the route of Edinburgh's controversial tram line.

The trees will border the line from Edinburgh Airport to St Andrew Square under council plans to "integrate the tram route into the fabric of the city", it was announced yesterday.

A total of 3321 trees had to be felled along the nine-mile route to accommodate tram infrastructure and stops.

They will now be replaced eight-fold at sites including Atholl Crescent, Coates Crescent, Haymarket, Murrayfield, Balgreen, Saughton, Edinburgh Park, Gyle, Gogarburn, Ingliston and Edinburgh Airport.

Council chiefs confirmed there would be a net total of 50,000 more trees planted along the route than there had been previously.