The view alongside the M62 is set to become far greener as plans are unveiled to plant millions of trees.

The proposal is to create a ‘Northern Forest’ in the Manchester area.

But the scheme is huge with the proposal to plant 50 million trees over the next 25 years across a 120-mile stretch of northern England along the M62 corridor from Liverpool to Hull.

The scheme will start in Bolton in March, at the Northern Forest’s flagship site at Smithills.

City Forest Park, a green haven over 800 acres, would span areas of Salford, Bury and Bolton along the route of a valley between the rivers Croal and Irwell

The plans are designed to boost habitat for wildlife including birds and bats, protect species such as the red squirrel and provide more access to woodlands for millions of people living in the area.

The government is awarding £5.7 million to increase tree cover along a belt spanning Manchester, Leeds and Bradford.

The Woodland Trust, in partnership with the Community Forest Trust and the five Community Forests, aims to plant woodland totalling 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres), in a project which is forecast to cost £500m over 25 years.

The scheme’s backers say it could generate an estimated £2 billion for the economy in growth in tourism and visits to the area, boosting rural businesses and generating jobs, increasing property values and reducing the economic impacts of flooding.

Map of proposed City Forest Park

There are already ambitious plans to create a huge public park in Greater Manchester bigger than New York’s Central Park.

City Forest Park, a green haven over 800 acres, would span areas of Salford , Bury and Bolton along the route of a valley between the rivers Croal and Irwell.

The Northern Forest is set to form part of the Government’s long-awaited 25-year environment plan and £5.7 million of public money is being committed to launch the scheme.

Plans and artists impression images for a new vision - City Forest Park

It is hoped government funding to kick-start planting will help encourage private landowners to come on board with the project.

Planting will begin in March at the Woodland Trust’s 680-hectare (1,680-acre) site at Smithills, Bolton, supported by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Northern Forest will connect the five Community Forests in the north of England, the Mersey Forest, Manchester City of Trees, South Yorkshire Community Forest and the Leeds White Rose Forest with woodland created in and around major urban centres such as Chester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Manchester.

City Forest Park, a green haven over 800 acres, would span areas of Salford, Bury and Bolton along the route of a valley between the rivers Croal and Irwell

Woodlands will be a mix of native broadleaf trees such as oaks and conifers including spruce and pine, and will be targeted at areas where they can boost health and wellbeing.

Establishing a new network of forests in England including on farmland, and funding larger-scale woodland and forest creation, also forms part of the Government’s clean growth strategy to meet legally binding targets to cut climate emissions.

Prime Minister Theresa May told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “We’re putting money in this national forest. We will be developing that.

“It’s going to take time to plant the millions of trees that will be needed in order to develop this national forest, so this is not a short term thing that’s going to happen but the commitment is there.”

Plans and artists impression images for a new vision - City Forest Park

Austin Brady, director of conservation at the Woodland Trust, said: “The Northern Forest will accelerate the creation of new woodland and support sustainable management of existing woods right across the area.

“Planting many more trees, woods and forests will deliver a better environment for all - locking up carbon on a large scale, boosting wildlife habitat and greening our towns and cities.

“The Woodland Trust and Community Forests will use new and innovative mechanisms to engage communities and a wide range of partners in delivering the forest.”