We have just re-launched our new website, setting out the various sectors we cover. In future we will summarise news from the teams working on each of the sectors:
Heritage and Leisure
Work continues with the Royal Horticultural Society at Harlow Carr in Harrogate and Hyde Hall, Essex. At Harlow Carr, we are in the closing stages of preparing our designs for the setting to a new Learning Centre, set for construction during 2009/10. The building and its setting are on course to achieve the highest BREEAM rating ever recorded in the UK.
We continue to advise the Grosvenor Estate in connection with its portfolio of garden squares in London’s Belgravia including Chester Square, Belgrave Square and Eaton Square reviewing the current condition of the gardens, assessing recent projects, and discussing ongoing maintenance against the plans in order to work up an updated series of proposals and idea, as well as provide a fresh perspective.
We have just learned that we have been commissioned by EcoArc architects to design the landscape around a proposed new visitor centre at Abberton Reservoir, Essex. An extremely exciting commission for the practice.
We have been working closely with Cheltenham Borough Council since December 2006, when we were initially commissioned to prepare a Conservation Management Plan and Masterplan for a HLF Parks for People bid to restore and develop Pittville Park, a Grade II listed urban park in the heart of this historic and fashionable spa town. In anticipation of a HLF Stage 1 Pass, we are now tendering for the appointment of a lead consultant to deliver and supervise works involved in a Stage 2 application up to RIBA Stage E.
We continue our work in preparing Conservation Management Plans for the National Trust at Hatchlands (Surrey) and Nymans Garden (East Sussex).
At Barham Park, London Borough of Brent we have prepared a Masterplan for this popular and well-maintained park close to the new Wembley Stadium which has retained much of its Victorian character. We have now been commissioned to assist in the preparation and submission of an HLF application.
Royal Parks - Older People's Play Working for the Royal Parks, for whom we have undertaken several other projects under a four-year framework agreement, we have now been commissioned to conduct a feasibility study into the creation of a play area for 'older people'; ‘older’ being defined in this context as anyone over the age of 50!
Closer to home we are delighted to have been recommended to the Churches Conservation Trust to work up a Management Plan for the magnificent Grade 1 listed Christ the Consoler church, set within the grounds of Newby Hall, near Ripon. The Trust cares for 340 churches of historic importance throughout England which have become redundant but merit preservation. The churchyard of Christ the Consoler appears to have been to a planned design with weeping beech trees set originally at each corner of the churchyard. The Trust is commissioning a survey and report to ensure that the churchyard and its planting is preserved for future generations.
Estates and Gardens
Newcastle-based architects, Reid Jubb Brown, have commissioned the practice to masterplan the landscape around a visually striking new country house designed by Reid Jubb Brown on a private estate near Rothbury, Northumberland.
Planning permission is currently being sought from Alnwick District Council under planning clause PPS7, which permits new design in rural areas as long as it is of exceptional and innovative design. Patrick James of the Landscape Agency is well-placed to oversee this commission as he acted as Expert Witness three years ago at a landmark Public Inquiry, successfully arguing in favour of a new country house at Lowther Park near Penrith, and just within the Lake District National Park. The Landscape Agency’s brief is to present a landscape strategy for the wider historic estate, a Masterplan to convey the setting of the house within the landscape and demonstrate how the proposed new building would enhance the existing landscape.
Please Click Here to see a local newspaper feature about this project.
Environmental Planning
Our team of qualified ecologists are increasingly being asked to carry out ecological surveys to assist developers in attaining highest possible BREEAM ratings for their developments. BREEAM is a voluntary code for measuring the ‘green-ness’ of construction projects, taking into account a wide range of factors such as energy, materials, landscape planting and ecological habitat. There are various BREEAM systems covering different categories of buildings such as schools, offices, sustainable homes and residential sites. We have recently been commissioned to carry out such an ecological assessment for a residential development on Hagley Road, Edgbaston on behalf of Shaylor Developments.
Elsewhere, we are undertaking an assessment of gorse along the highway corridor of the M2 in Kent with the aim of identifying fire control management requirements.
Tree and Woodland
Work continues on major woodland operations on projects at the Nyn Park estate in Hertfordshire, Melbourne Hall, and the Wootton Estate, both in Derbyshire.
Graphic and Web Design
Since completion of the company’s glossy new brochure and fully interactive e-Christmas card late last year, the Design team have been working on a complete re-design of the existing website which went live in early March.
I look forward to updating you on our projects later this spring.
Patrick James
Managing Director
Heritage and Leisure
Work continues with the Royal Horticultural Society at Harlow Carr in Harrogate and Hyde Hall, Essex. At Harlow Carr, we are in the closing stages of preparing our designs for the setting to a new Learning Centre, set for construction during 2009/10. The building and its setting are on course to achieve the highest BREEAM rating ever recorded in the UK.
We continue to advise the Grosvenor Estate in connection with its portfolio of garden squares in London’s Belgravia including Chester Square, Belgrave Square and Eaton Square reviewing the current condition of the gardens, assessing recent projects, and discussing ongoing maintenance against the plans in order to work up an updated series of proposals and idea, as well as provide a fresh perspective.
We have just learned that we have been commissioned by EcoArc architects to design the landscape around a proposed new visitor centre at Abberton Reservoir, Essex. An extremely exciting commission for the practice.
We have been working closely with Cheltenham Borough Council since December 2006, when we were initially commissioned to prepare a Conservation Management Plan and Masterplan for a HLF Parks for People bid to restore and develop Pittville Park, a Grade II listed urban park in the heart of this historic and fashionable spa town. In anticipation of a HLF Stage 1 Pass, we are now tendering for the appointment of a lead consultant to deliver and supervise works involved in a Stage 2 application up to RIBA Stage E.
We continue our work in preparing Conservation Management Plans for the National Trust at Hatchlands (Surrey) and Nymans Garden (East Sussex).
At Barham Park, London Borough of Brent we have prepared a Masterplan for this popular and well-maintained park close to the new Wembley Stadium which has retained much of its Victorian character. We have now been commissioned to assist in the preparation and submission of an HLF application.
Royal Parks - Older People's Play Working for the Royal Parks, for whom we have undertaken several other projects under a four-year framework agreement, we have now been commissioned to conduct a feasibility study into the creation of a play area for 'older people'; ‘older’ being defined in this context as anyone over the age of 50!
Closer to home we are delighted to have been recommended to the Churches Conservation Trust to work up a Management Plan for the magnificent Grade 1 listed Christ the Consoler church, set within the grounds of Newby Hall, near Ripon. The Trust cares for 340 churches of historic importance throughout England which have become redundant but merit preservation. The churchyard of Christ the Consoler appears to have been to a planned design with weeping beech trees set originally at each corner of the churchyard. The Trust is commissioning a survey and report to ensure that the churchyard and its planting is preserved for future generations.
Estates and Gardens
Newcastle-based architects, Reid Jubb Brown, have commissioned the practice to masterplan the landscape around a visually striking new country house designed by Reid Jubb Brown on a private estate near Rothbury, Northumberland.
Planning permission is currently being sought from Alnwick District Council under planning clause PPS7, which permits new design in rural areas as long as it is of exceptional and innovative design. Patrick James of the Landscape Agency is well-placed to oversee this commission as he acted as Expert Witness three years ago at a landmark Public Inquiry, successfully arguing in favour of a new country house at Lowther Park near Penrith, and just within the Lake District National Park. The Landscape Agency’s brief is to present a landscape strategy for the wider historic estate, a Masterplan to convey the setting of the house within the landscape and demonstrate how the proposed new building would enhance the existing landscape.
Please Click Here to see a local newspaper feature about this project.
Environmental Planning
Our team of qualified ecologists are increasingly being asked to carry out ecological surveys to assist developers in attaining highest possible BREEAM ratings for their developments. BREEAM is a voluntary code for measuring the ‘green-ness’ of construction projects, taking into account a wide range of factors such as energy, materials, landscape planting and ecological habitat. There are various BREEAM systems covering different categories of buildings such as schools, offices, sustainable homes and residential sites. We have recently been commissioned to carry out such an ecological assessment for a residential development on Hagley Road, Edgbaston on behalf of Shaylor Developments.
Elsewhere, we are undertaking an assessment of gorse along the highway corridor of the M2 in Kent with the aim of identifying fire control management requirements.
Tree and Woodland
Work continues on major woodland operations on projects at the Nyn Park estate in Hertfordshire, Melbourne Hall, and the Wootton Estate, both in Derbyshire.
Graphic and Web Design
Since completion of the company’s glossy new brochure and fully interactive e-Christmas card late last year, the Design team have been working on a complete re-design of the existing website which went live in early March.
I look forward to updating you on our projects later this spring.
Patrick James
Managing Director
