TAKING THE TOP SPOT Nurture Group’s Peter Fane on 50 acquisitions
REVITALISING THE BARBICAN Transforming the iconic conservatory
ISLE OF DOCKS Canary Wharf’s new Eden Dock by HTA Design
Even very difficult locations can be integrated into a natural greenery concept and contribute to a harmonious overall picture of buildings and greenery. The right choice of plants and professional green space management are essential for the lifespan of the project. Let us advise you.
Boom & Bonheur – because trees give life and bring happiness
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SPECIAL PUBLIC SPACES
It's not been an easy few years for the public spaces sector. Budget cuts are putting pressure on local authorities, which in turn is having a knock-on effect on those creating and caring for the green spaces under their management.
On top of that, there’s the ripple effect of processes and legislation that came into effect last year, such as the introduction of Border Control Posts impacting the price and availability of plants and the aftermath of the Autumn Budget.
But it’s a sector that’s pushing forward. Just look at Nurture Group, a green services provider that has just acquired its 50th company,
becoming the biggest grounds maintenance company in the UK (page 7). Chairman Peter Fane founded the company in 2008 with a turnover target of £10m – it's now hit £245m. This year, there’s also the implementation of the Procurement Act (covered in our last Public Spaces Special) at the end of February which brings about a series of changes that could revolutionise public sector procurement. And we’re still waiting for Schedule 3 that will make SuDS mandatory, but it’s on the agenda for this government –we just have to hope that nature-based solutions will play an integral role in discussions.
Find out what those working in the sector are expecting to take place this year, from the hurdles to overcome to the areas of opportunity (page 4). There was an optimism after the pandemic that the growing appreciation for green spaces would spark a surge in investment from the government – and there’s still time to take advantage of this and push our agenda, for the sector and for the public.
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Cover image: Eden Dock, Canary Wharf
AGENDA
Q: HOW COULD PUBLIC SPACES BE IMPACTED IN 2025?
From legislation and policy changes, to new innovations and initiatives, to the challenges facing those working in the commercial sector, we’re asking how these could impact the way we approach or use public spaces in the year ahead
PLANTING MORE DIVERSE TREE SPECIES
STEVE EVANS
DIRECTOR,
KINGSTON LANDSCAPE GROUP
With regard to tree planting, I anticipate that the restrictions and logistical difficulties in sourcing plant stock, particularly from the continent, will have a “knock-on effect” on the material available to install this year. With reductions in supply and unabated demand, we are experiencing the expected outcome of substantial price increases.
I think that specifiers might consider shifting their focus from the more common species used, such as Amelanchier and Betula utilis, and be more adventurous. This will not just open up new avenues of supply, but it will also increase biodiversity. Also, not being preoccupied with semi-mature-sized trees would mean that smaller specimens would fit the bill. This would again provide more scope for procurement.
EYEING OPPORTUNITIES AMIDST BUDGET CUTS
ROMY RAWLINGS
CREATING ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE AREAS
ANNA ODEDUN
HEAD OF KNOWLEDGE, FUTURE OF LONDON DIRECTOR, DEEPGREEN CONSULTANCY LTD
Given the financial deficits that many local authorities face right now, it’s likely that many major capital projects could take a back seat for a while. So, what can be done about public spaces that are in desperate need of financial investment – our high streets and parks in particular?
For two pressing reasons – the climate and biodiversity crises – a shift from grey to green and a lighter touch generally are urgently needed. And that’s great news for cash-strapped clients. In addition to the lower cost of implementation, investment in green space has been proven, time and again, to deliver benefits that are considerably greater than the original investment. For people, place, and planet.
The future demands public space professionals who dare to dismantle traditional design hierarchies
Anna Odedun, head of knowledge, Future of London
But these projects can seem deceptively simple and need thoughtful design and execution; in addition, highquality maintenance is even more critical for these ‘soft’ assets. So, this year, can we rise to the challenge?
As cities face economic pressures and growing housing needs, public spaces are evolving with a fresh focus on what matters most – helping people feel better. The pandemic taught us just how much these spaces matter for our mental and physical wellbeing, leading to thoughtful new approaches in design that blend nature with community needs. But my recent research with Dr. Bridget Snaith has shown something important: many of our well-intentioned "wellness" spaces inadvertently reflect limited cultural perspectives, often favouring White British preferences. This insight opens up exciting opportunities to do better.
The future demands public space professionals who dare to dismantle traditional design hierarchies. The most inspiring projects of 2025 will be those that bring together public space professionals and local communities to co-create places that truly work for everyone. It's about moving beyond simply adding green spaces – to understanding how different groups find peace, joy, and connection in public places.
From April, Future of London will be running a six-month programme called Happy London. Our free-to-attend programme will explore the places and spaces that make us feel better. We’d love you to join us.
INCORPORATING NATURE IN PLAYGROUNDS
ADAM WHITE
DIRECTOR, DAVIES WHITE LTD
Since 2013, nearly 800 public play spaces across the UK have closed, with more closures expected due to budget pressures. Due to financial constraints, many councils now favour low maintenance ‘KFC’ designs (Kit, Fencing, and rubber Carpet), often omitting planting and trees. This limits children’s opportunities for sensory play and meaningful connections with nature.
Research by the charity Scope found that nearly half of families with children with disabilities face barriers to accessing playgrounds. In response, Scope has launched the "Let's Play Fair" campaign, advocating for the creation of inclusive playgrounds that cater to children of all abilities.
At Davies White Ltd, we champion this approach. Our award-winning 2010 King George’s Field pocket park in Hanwell, West London, remains a benchmark for accessible nature play in urban settings. More recently, our Imperial War Museum Weston Play Zone at IWM Duxford became the first play area at a museum or heritage attraction to achieve accreditation by PiPA, the national scheme for accessible and inclusive outdoor play. In 2025, our latest project for English Heritage at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight will continue this commitment –blending history, nature, gardens, and inclusive play.
To safeguard the future of public play spaces, project briefs must be ambitious, and designers must challenge scepticism. Best practice should set the bar; including the integration of playful planting as a non-negotiable feature.
A great starting point is the Design for Play Guidelines, published by Play England, which remain an essential benchmark for ensuring gardens and public play spaces are engaging, accessible, and nature-rich for children of all ages.
EMBRACING
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
TAMAE ISOMURA CMLI
PRINCIPAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Artificial intelligence (AI) is undeniably transforming the landscape industry. In design and planning, AI-assisted concept designs and visualisations are expected to become increasingly prevalent. AI’s capability to process vast datasets enables more comprehensive site analysis, incorporating more diverse and wider contexts such as transport, biodiversity, and hydrology, leading to more data-driven and effective public space design and planning.
AI's influence extends to construction and maintenance, such as facilitating comprehensive and efficient tracking of environmental and social responsibility throughout the construction process, including monitoring embodied carbon, waste reduction, and ensuring ethical labour practices even during manufacturing. The synergy of IoT and AI can optimise landscape maintenance by predicting needs, refining irrigation, and monitoring plant health, resulting in more cost-effective management. Exciting times!
At Ground Control, we are committed to innovation and embracing these changes to deliver customer- and environment-focused services. However, we also acknowledge the risks associated with AI, such as intellectual property concerns, lack of transparency, and the possibility of "hallucinations". We are dedicated to developing competencies within our team and for future generations in the audit and evaluation of AI-generated outputs, a crucial step for the landscape industry's long-term sustainability.
ADVOCATING HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN SPACES
FOUNDING DIRECTOR, FIRA AND PAST PRESIDENT, LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE
In 2025, UK public spaces face a dual challenge: rising demands for multifunctional, health-promoting landscapes and mounting pressures on local authority budgets. Parks are increasingly recognised as vital to public health, with NHS-backed initiatives prescribing green space access to combat physical and mental health issues. However, funding constraints threaten maintenance, safety, and innovation, exacerbating health inequalities, particularly in underserved areas.
Legislation such as the Environment Act and biodiversity net gain requirements offer opportunities but risk falling short without adequate resources for implementation. Reduced funding could hinder co-design efforts, community engagement, and therapeutic landscape development, limiting spaces’ potential to address climate resilience, biodiversity, and health equity.
Landscape professionals must advocate for cross-sector collaboration, leveraging urban analytics and health data to make the economic case for green infrastructure. By emphasising the cost-saving and societal benefits of well-maintained, inclusive spaces, the profession can help secure their future as critical assets for a healthier, more resilient UK.
JANE FINDLAY FLI PPLI
Wildflower
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“
WE’LL CONTINUE TO BUY THE RIGHT COMPANIES WITH THE RIGHT CULTURE AT THE RIGHT PRICE –THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. BUT WE WANT TO COMBINE THAT WITH ORGANIC GROWTH”
Over the last 17 years, Nurture Group has acquired 50 companies and grown to become the largest grounds maintenance company in the UK – which was surprisingly never the ultimate goal for founder Peter Fane
WORDS: NINA MASON
The third largest grounds maintenance company in the UK acquiring the fourth largest is itself an eye-catching headline. On top of that, though, purchasing Tivoli Group Ltd towards the end of last year marks a milestone for Nurture Group. It’s the green service provider’s 50th acquisition, and it catapults Nurture to the top of the leaderboard with a combined turnover of £245m to March 24, "leapfrogging” over idverde at around £220m and Ground Control at £185m.
Founder Ian Brooks sold Park View Landscapes to Nurture after 50 years in business. At £3.3m in sales, the acquisition doubled Nurture Landscapes at the time and helped it to grow its reach in the north of the UK. Nick Hills, who joined from Park View, is now Nurture’s chief operating officer for greenspace.
“It’s never been our aim to be the biggest,” says founder Peter Fane. He started Nurture Landscapes on 1 April 2008 with the target of hitting £10m. “But Nurture has grown so successfully and profitably; and if you produce a healthy EBITDA return, that enables you to borrow money from the banks, which has helped with our very positive cash flow generation to continue our acquisition trail.”
Very few other players in the same market have been acquisitive, says Fane, which makes Nurture the “buyer of choice” for owners looking to sell up. “Ninety percent of the acquisitions we do are people coming to us, or we've been talking to them for a few years, and they feel comfortable with Nurture as a home.”
Take Roy Cowie Ltd in Aberdeen, which Nurture acquired at the start of last year, strengthening its presence in Scotland. Cowie had built his business to nearly £4m and was looking for a buyer. As soon as Fane heard
Ninety percent of the acquisitions we do are people coming to us, or we've been talking to them for a few years, and they feel comfortable with Nurture as a home
LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION: SCIENCE & ENGINEERING MMU
about the opportunity, he jumped on a plane to Aberdeen to meet Cowie and get to know him over a pub lunch.
“It was about looking him in the eye and getting comfortable — both him with me and vice versa. Coming away from that first visit, I knew that he was a man we could do business with and that we’d end up buying the company.”
The deal with Tivoli was arguably less personal, as the group was owned by private equity firm Sullivan Street Partners. But Fane knew there was a synergy between the two businesses. It had been around 18 months of conversations of Tivoli
considering potential buyers before the acquisition was confirmed.
“The obvious home for the business was a trade buyer – somebody who already knew the industry and could take advantage of putting the two businesses together –rather than another private equity company standing on their own that could not achieve any synergies. We were probably the only trade buyer that was a possibility.
“The reality is, we did the Tivoli deal because, one, it’s a defensive move – it could have allowed another party into our sector to use it as a platform to grow. But we could also see how putting Nurture and Tivoli together, one plus one, equalled three when you look at the overlap of depots and machinery and people and purchasing power as one combined entity.
“We’re not some massively high-margin business, and the way to combat increases in fuel, the Real Living Wage, vehicle costs, and so on is by being a bit bigger and having the buying power to do better deals with suppliers and vehicle suppliers and fertilisers, et cetera.
“It’s also about the density of routes, trying to have sites as close together as possible; you protect your gross margins by having your teams go as little distance as possible. Those are all compelling reasons.”
When Gavin Jones was acquired seven years ago, it brought with it £30m in turnover and 450 staffs.
More than that, though, it boasts a history that goes back more than a century. It was founded by Colonel Archibald Gavin Jones in 1919 and since gained the Royal Warrant as well as a reputation across landscape construction and working for the Royal Parks and Royal Palaces. Its owner at the time, Martyn Mogford, knew Fane during his time at Waterers and used the opportunity to retire after 30 years.
Then there’s creating a strong position in the MOD sector. It already had about £25m worth of MOD work from its acquisition of Gavin Jones Ltd in 2018, and Tivoli had roughly the same. “We’ve now become one of the leading players in that sector.”
Tivoli’s clients in grounds maintenance, arboriculture, and winter gritting have also allowed Nurture to build on its existing offering, and it’s been able to add a new “vertical” with local authorities too. “That’s a side that we’ve always been slightly cautious about because, historically, it has tended to have lower margins and higher levels of capital expenditure required.
the green services sector. We probably got to the size and shape where it made sense to add a local authority vertical, which would add another leg to our business whilst sticking to our green services offering.”
We probably got to the size and shape where it made sense to add a local authority vertical which would add another leg to our business whilst sticking to our green services offering
“But we now label the business as green services, so we don’t want to grow into cleaning, catering, M&E and security, for instance; we want to continue to grow in
Nurture will be retaining the Tivoli brand too, for now, as it did for Gavin Jones and Gristwood & Toms, an arboriculture company it acquired last spring. “We decided to keep that brand because it’s strong in the arboricultural world. Gristwood & Toms had sales of £20m when we bought them, and we’ve since pulled together all our tree surgery from across the UK to make it a £30m vertical – and we have ambitions to double that so that we are directly delivering arboriculture across the country.”
It brings the Nurture Group to five brands, alongside the original Nurture Landscapes
arm and Nurture Pest Control, which was renamed from Rokill Limited, one of Britain’s biggest pest control businesses that Nurture acquired in 2021.
These have been “transformational” acquisitions for Nurture – but they don’t have to be big companies to be transformational, says Fane. Take Roy Cowie Ltd, which allowed
it to build volume density around Aberdeen. Back in 2012, it acquired £3.3m business Park View Landscapes which, at the time, doubled the company and enabled it to expand into the north, as did Grace Landscapes in 2018 and Northern Estates Services Limited (NESL) five years later. “These were deals that we did because we admired and got to know the respective owners and felt they had the same qualities as us.”
Brad Cole became Nurture’s chief digital and technology officer.
You’ve got to make sure that your top team has the same beliefs and cultures as you and that you leave individuals running the different regions who can take that culture forward
Some of Nurture’s senior leadership team have come from its acquisitions, such as its chief operating officer for Greenspace, Nick Hills, who joined from Park View Landscapes. More recently, Tivoli’s
“Some have come from relatively small businesses to join the Nurture family, where they’ve had massive opportunities. This applies to field-based staff too. We have more than 10 full-time trainers, for instance. It’s important to make sure that we work out who the really good quality people are and look after them and protect those who have key client relationships; lose those and you lose clients. This doesn’t apply for Tivoli yet, but for all previous deals over the past years, we’ve made sure that people who are
NURTURE PEST CONTROL
WINTER GRITTING: WESTPOINT HOUSE
mission-critical are involved in shareholder schemes, which has helped with retention.”
There’s no denying that, as Nurture has grown from Fane and three other team members to more than 4,040 employees, it’s difficult to maintain the family feel that it had from the beginning. But the name ‘Nurture’ is not just about nurturing landscapes; it’s also about nurturing those within the company.
“You can’t be everywhere all the time, so you’ve got to make sure that your top team has the same beliefs and cultures as you and that you leave individuals running the different regions who can take that culture forward.
“Inevitably, the whole company has grown up, in terms of its systems –whether it’s finance, IT or HR. To a degree, you can lose some of that personal touch, which doesn’t suit everybody. But at the end of the day, you can stay small and, at
The acquisition of Rokill gave Nurture a new vertical in the pest control market. The company was founded in 1980 by its chairman at the time, Alec McQuin, and grew to become one of the largest independently owned pest control companies in the UK, holding the Royal Warrant since 2000. It was renamed to Nurture Pest Control in July last year.
some point, be gobbled up yourself, or you’re the gobbler.”
To manage its acquisitive nature, there’s now a dedicated four-person team at Nurture, led by chief acquisitions officer Gordon Whyte. His role is “filling the funnel”, says Fane – talking to people, taking them
out for a beer and finding out whether they’re a potential fit for the Nurture Group.
Following the appointment of Gareth Kirkwood as CEO in 2022, Fane also focuses entirely on acquisitions and the general strategy of the business as chairman. It’s an area he was familiar with even before Nurture. He co-owned Waterers Landscapes, growing its annual sales to £25m before selling it in 2003 to facilities management giant ISS. This arm was then sold in 2018, becoming Tivoli. So, there’s an element of it coming full circle now that it’s back under Fane’s ownership.
“There are still some contracts that were part of Waterers landscape, and it’s great that
It’s important to make sure that we work out who the really good quality people are and look after them and protect those who have got key client relationships; lose those and you lose clients
LIGHTSOURCE LIVING WALL
some of those contracts are still there and back to us.”
For the rest of this financial year, to the end of March, Nurture will not be acquiring any other companies while it integrates Tivoli into the business; but there are plans for the first quarter of the next financial year.
At the end of the day, you can stay small and, at some point, be gobbled up yourself, or you’re the gobbler
“We’re subscale in pest, plant displays and arboriculture – pest is about £12m, plant displays around £15m and arboriculture is about £30, which all sound relatively decent sized businesses, but they’re subscale in the sense that they could and should be bigger. We want a proper geographical offering across the UK. So, we view these businesses as ones that we should continue to build.
“We’ll also carry on aquiring on the core grounds maintenance side because that is bread and butter to us, so we’ll continue to buy the right companies with the right culture at the right price – there’s no doubt about that. But we want to combine that with organic growth, which has been really strong the last couple of years. We want to continue to make sure that we’re growing both organically and by acquisition.”
There are challenges with being an acquisition-heavy company, says Fane. Nurture takes on debt to finance the purchases, and he had hoped that interest rates would come down quicker than what they have. “They have come down a bit, and should come down another degree this year, but when the cost of capital is high, that doesn’t help –whether it’s acquiring businesses or funding machinery, for example. So, any reduction in interest rates is welcome.
“The government has not helped with the increase in ENI, which has a bearing on our views around hiring for new positions because, one way or another, that increase in ENI has got to be paid for. So, it will impact our recruitment; we might be less aggressive than we were planning to be. If we were planning to put another six people in sales, for example, we might decide to put only two. We all have to be a bit cautious until we understand what our clients will pay for and how much the ENI increase has cost us –how we’re going to pay for the differential. Some of that could be better buying and smarter thinking – and that’s what you get by being bigger: better purchasing power and
The Arboricultural Association approved contractor Gristwood & Toms Ltd was founded in 1974, growing to a £20m turnover with a 153-strong workforce before being bought by Nurture last spring. It was a “transformational” acquisition for the group, creating an arboriculture vertical that, alongside Nurture’s existing work in this area, is worth £28m - and it has ambitions to double this to £60m.
That’s what you get by being bigger: better purchasing power and better densities to help with route planning
better densities to help with route planning.” It’s that strategic thinking that motivates Fane. From planning to retire once he reached £10m to now hitting nearly £250m, Fane remains ambitious, and he now has a team in place to push Nurture even further. It might be sitting in the top spot already, but there are no plans for Nurture to take its foot off the pedal.
GREEN SOLUTIONS: MEET THE BEES
REVITALISING THE BARBICAN FUTURE PROJECT
The Brutalist building, with its huge indoor garden, is being restored and revamped as part of the significant programme to make it more
More than one thousand plants and trees adorn the concrete flytower and the space around it at the Barbican Centre in London. The 23,000 sq ft conservatory has been in place since the Grade-II listed building was constructed in the 80s and is now carefully maintained by head gardener Marta Lowcewicz and her team.
But there are some “quite serious issues with the space,” says Oliver Heywood, director at architecture firm Allies and Morrison, part of the team appointed to the Barbican Renewal programme, a masterplan to revitalise the iconic Brutalist building and make it more accessible to the public.
accessible to the public
actually very hard to get into the conservatory as a member of the public; it’s primarily used for events. But it’s a very important income stream for the Barbican,” says Heywood. So, the team is first exploring how they can better connect the conservatory to the arts centre to ensure it’s not just open to the public on Sundays.
We're also committed to sustainability – that's both in terms of operating more efficiently but also being more climate resilient
Philippa Simpson, director of buildings and renewal, Barbican
The conservatory is one of three areas being tackled in the first phase. “At the moment, it’s
Proposed plans include creating a dedicated entrance for the public to allow events and public access to “work in parallel”. There will also be a dedicated events zone from the Garden Room, which is
currently the only way to access the conservatory. This will be “conditioned for human comfort rather than what the plants require, which is actually something quite different,” says Heywood.
The terrace above the Garden Room will be part of the events space too, with a pavilion planned to go over it, making it “a bubble within the overall conservatory”. The topography of the conservatory’s ground floor is to be remodelled, with stairs being removed and ramps added as only 30% of the space is currently accessible. There will also be a lift and stairs put in place to reach the two balconies enveloping the flytower, which are being opened up to the public to give visitors a new and different perspective of the plants.
Access isn’t the only issue to address, though. Around a fifth of the existing glass panels are cracked or damaged, and netting is in place to stop debris falling onto visitors below. So, all the glazing is being replaced with panels that are better for energy performance but also provide better light and
This is an ecomodernist, eco-Brutalist planting space where the relationship between the architecture and the landscape and the planting is what makes it so spectacular
Charlotte Harris, co-founder, Harris Bugg Studio
ventilation for the plants. As much of the framing around the glazing will be kept, ensuring the exterior of the building isn’t altered and “being faithful to its heritage,” whilst the old glass panels will be reused where possible, such as for the propagation facilities.
The ground floor will need to be re-waterproofed, where water is leaking into the theatre below.
“The Barbican is still a globally iconic space, but after decades of use, the infrastructure systems are no longer fit for what it requires going forward, and we want to turn the dial back up on that,” says Charlotte Harris, co-founder of landscape architecture practice Harris Bugg Studio, which is reimagining the planting scheme in the conservatory. "By reframing the envelope, it allows us to have this once in a lifetime
L TO R: MATTHEW POTTAGE, MARTA LOWCEWICZ, CHARLOTTE HARRIS, SYBILLE DE CUSSY AND PHIL GRIFFITHS
Parks’ head of horticulture and landscape strategy Matthew Pottage and modernist landscape history authority Karen Fitzsimon –are carrying out a plant audit to record the 1,500 species of plants and trees that will have to be removed for the transformation of the conservatory to take place.
They will determine which plants can be rehomed, which can perhaps be left outside in what is a warmer climate since they were originally planted in the 80s, and which might not survive at all. There are monstera, for instance, that have embedded themselves as peat into the flytower and therefore could not easily be removed; instead, cuttings will be taken from them and propagated.
“This is an ecomodernist, eco-Brutalist planting space where the relationship between the architecture and the landscape and the planting is what makes it so spectacular – up there with the great eco-Brutalist spaces like Denver Botanic Gardens and the Ford Foundation atrium. It allows us to really celebrate that approach. This is curated, indoor
A range of cacti and succulents, some of which are rare and endangered, are situated in the Arid House, which is prone to theft and is also too unsafe to allow visitors to access it.
“One of the cacti we noticed the other day has actually made a bid for freedom and has poked its way out of one of the bits of glass," says Heywood. These plants are being relocated to where there are better, drier light conditions.
A pond on the far side of the conservatory is currently in “possibly one of the worst locations you could have for aquatic plants,” says Harris – and it’s looking “horticulturally depressed” as a result. Instead, a long water
Our goal is to honour the Centre’s original bold architectural legacy, while making it more inclusive, sustainable, and fit for the future
Oliver Heywood,
director,
Allies and Morrison,and part of the Barbican Renewal programme team
feature will be going in the centre in front of the flytower, which archives reveal was part of the original plans for the space.
For such drastic upgrades to take place, the conservatory will be closing for around three years, with plans to reopen it in 2030 in time for the Barbican’s 50th anniversary two years later.
It forms part of the first five years of the Barbican Renewal programme, which has received £191m of funding from the City of London Corporation. Fundraising efforts will be ongoing to cover any remaining costs.
A public consultation has taken place on the proposed plans ahead of it going into
summer. As well as the conservatory, the first phase includes transforming the Foyers at the centre of the Barbican and the Lakeside terrace.
"All of us are led by the same guiding principles,” says Philippa Simpson, director of buildings and renewal at the Barbican. “One is about celebrating and restoring and caring for this incredible heritage building. We're also committed to sustainability – that's both in terms of operating more efficiently but also being more climate resilient, meeting the net zero targets of the city. Inclusivity – making sure that every person who walks in the door has the same enjoyable experience that we all do when we come in every day. And the other is making sure that we make the best use of our spaces and really bring them to life for every visitor."
When the Barbican first opened in 1982, in an area of London that had been devastated by the Blitz, Queen Elizabeth II called it “one of the wonders of the modern world”. It might have deteriorated significantly since, but its status remains. “The Barbican is one of London’s most iconic spaces,” says Heywood. “Our goal is to honour the Centre’s original bold architectural legacy, while making it more inclusive, sustainable, and fit for the future.” And making the conservatory an indoor garden that really is for the public, as intended.
Mark Topping considers whether the government should review Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act as a means of addressing flooding
Around 325,000 UK homes are currently at a high risk of flooding following heavy rainfall, according to a National Infrastructure Commission report. Without action, the report says, climate change and urbanisation could put an additional 230,000 properties at high risk by 2055. In November, the UK Green Building Council – in response to the announcement of Defra’s Flood Resilience Taskforce – said that the government must do more to mitigate the effects of climate change and flooding risks.
Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act
Following the historic case of flooding in 2007, the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) Manual was first published to provide guidance on planning, design, construction, and maintenance of sustainable drainage systems.
The same year also saw the publication of the Pitt Review, which highlighted necessary lessons to be learnt and ultimately led to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 framework. The proposed changes in Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 included making sustainable drainage systems a legal requirement for most new developments and amending the right to connect to public sewers.
However, in 2014, the then government decided not to implement Schedule 3 in England, in favour of strengthening planning policy. In 2022, the government sought to determine whether to implement Schedule 3, and The review for implementation of Schedule 3 to The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 was published in January 2023 –but no decision was taken.
The current government is committed to reviewing how policy changes could slow the spread of impermeable surfaces, publishing this review by the end of 2024, and publishing standards for SuDS design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
Although the 2024 deadline has been missed, I am still hopeful that the (relatively minor) legislative change will be made and that the impact will have considerable benefits.
The change would mandate that new developments incorporate SuDS (nature-based approaches to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and protect the environment) to manage runoff water. It is also likely that the government will establish a Sustainable Drainage Approving Body (SAB) as a local authority service that ensures new developments have drainage systems that are fit for purpose. SABs will be responsible for evaluating and approving drainage applications, adopting and maintaining surface water drainage systems, providing pre-application advice, and inspecting and enforcing.
The current government is committed to reviewing how policy changes could slow the spread of impermeable surfaces
The benefits of change
In the last year, we’ve seen how the recent Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2024 have reshaped the planning system to ensure that biodiversity net gain is mandatory in development across England and Wales.
Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act could introduce similar requirements relating to water catchment on site or in the vicinity of a new development to ensure that the development both accommodates the existing baseline capacity and also provides a defined improvement facilitated by the development. For example, if the development provided a 10% gain in water catchment, this would not only mitigate any additional flooding brought about by
development but considerably reduce the local flood risk. This approach would enable developments to facilitate improvements to local flooding and water management either onsite or offsite in a similar way to biodiversity net gain (BNG). This would reduce local flooding issues at the source but would also contribute to wider downstream improvements.
Such systems would align with the principles of BNG and could indeed contribute to BNG in a holistic and fully integrated way, creating high-value flood management systems that, when integrated with BNG requirements, can be sustainably managed in perpetuity. Offsite requirements could also be used to implement much-needed flood alleviation systems in areas most at risk or hardest hit by flooding. An example of this is already being used successfully at Hardcastle Crags near Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. Here, upstream natural flood management is being implemented along existing water courses and catchments through native woodland planting upstream and even incorporating art.
The impact of the delay in reviewing Schedule 3 is a cause for concern. Not only is there no clear guidance or a timeline for rollout of new requirements, but plans for a consultation did not occur as it was initially anticipated
The Art as Natural Flood Management (NFM) project enables renowned artists to create a series of artworks that respond to the climate emergency by delivering NFM measures. These artworks reduce flood risk, using NFM principles to help slowing down the flow of rainwater.
Although this is a private initiative funded by the National Trust, it could be implemented across England and Wales and part-funded by offsite contributions where necessary, making such solutions less reliant on private individuals, charities, and Defra funding.
The impact on developers and local authorities
The impact of the delay in reviewing Schedule 3 is a cause for concern. Not only is there no clear guidance or a timeline for the rollout of new requirements, but plans for a consultation did not occur as was initially anticipated. Furthermore, the change of government has left local authorities unsure as to what changes will occur?
Effective management
Management is an important consideration for such systems, as poor management of water systems can exacerbate flooding issues. Legislation should also enable the careful management of existing watercourses adjacent to development sites, meaning that such sites could benefit from a holistic approach with funding from development offsets.
Because the impacts of flooding are not limited to a specific development site, it is important to commence a project such as this with a comprehensive understanding of the local context.
Other important considerations are deliverability and commerciality. While there are clear commercial benefits to taking a landscape-led approach and investing in ‘blue’ infrastructure, any new requirements will meet with dissent if they are not implementable and affordable from a developer’s point of view.
From a government and local authority point of view, it will be important to avoid a repeat of the restrictions relating to nutrient neutrality, for instance; these restrictions, whilst well-meaning, had the effect of neutering development sites – as we saw in Norfolk.
Lanpro has long advocated a landscape-led approach to development: ensuring that development works in harmony with the natural environment, retains a strong connection with nature, and provides attractive open spaces that feature mature trees and hedgerows. Incorporating requirements brought changes to Section 3 into such an approach would have little impact on the viability or desirability of new housing developments and would bring about many benefits.
Legislation that is deliverable, and understands commercial, social, and environmental balances and benefits, would stimulate further growth, would align to current BNG requirements, and alleviate flooding and water quality whilst at the same time delivering high-quality and affordable new communities.
About Mark Topping
Mark Topping is a chartered landscape architect with over 19 years of experience in private consultancy and third-sector organisations. He has a varied and diverse portfolio of project work ranging from residential, commercial/ industrial, renewable energy, ports, highways, rail, conventional energy, and infrastructure to city-wide public realm strategies and master planning covering all aspects of Landscape Institute and RIBA work stages. Topping has experience across the UK, Canada, and the USA.
lanpro.co.uk
TAKE A SEAT
FURNITUBES STREETLIFE
“Streetlife’s Mobile Green Isles seamlessly blend seating and greenery, transforming public spaces into vibrant social hubs. These connecting island modules, each 1.5m wide, offer a flexible and scalable solution, allowing for endless configurations in different urban settings. From lush green planters to playful seating ‘surf isles,’ the modules provide versatile design solutions. Their dynamic layouts create interaction, conversation, and community engagement. Ideal for plazas, promenades, and public squares, they encourage social encounters and shared experiences in the urban realm.” streetlife.nl/en
MARSHALLS
NATURAL ELEMENTS
“Designing for the public realm is such a rewarding responsibility. We think of the solo pedestrian taking a breather and of the gregarious seeking a spot to chit-chat. We must also keep future generations in mind, designing today what we know should last for decades if we’re to be responsible with material use. Railroad was conceived with all of this in mind. Its sweeping inwards and outwards curves give privacy on one side and proximity on the other. Powder coated steel with Endura®️ Thermally Modified Ash or FSC Iroko looks beautiful even as the patina of age adds character. And it's totally customisable.” furnitubes.com
"Our Natural Elements range, inspired by biophilic design, is a modular based street furniture range that aims to introduce natural materials into urban spaces. The modular and standalone elements allow design flexibility alongside budget control, but more specifically, encourage social interaction. We recently supplied Leeds City Centre with Natural Elements as a semi-permanent design, allowing them the flexibility to remove and reposition our range for events across the city throughout the year, such as for Christmas markets.” marshalls.co.uk
Explore street furniture designed to bring people together
MMCITÉ
"Blocq picnic tables feature generous proportions, especially in the long strips composed of multiple modules. The range is further enhanced by benches and a conically shaped single-seater. This picnic set is the perfect choice for long summer evenings and gatherings with family and friends, while also facilitating casual meetings in public areas. The collection is designed with inclusivity in mind – offering an accessible version for individuals with disabilities, allowing everyone to sit comfortably. The evening atmosphere is enriched by decorative and functional LED lighting, ensuring the safety of everyone around Blocq.” mmcite.com/en
WOODSCAPE
Woodscape parklets are designed to transform urban spaces into welcoming social hubs. By incorporating naturally durable hardwood seating, planters, and cycle storage, they create inviting spots for people to gather, connect, and enjoy the outdoors. Our modular designs offer flexibility, ensuring each parklet enhances its surroundings while supporting local communities. Whether for a high street, public square, or commercial frontage, our parklets encourage social interaction, improve wellbeing, and bring life to the public realm." woodscape.co.uk
There’s plenty to consider for ensuring the success of planting trees in urban environments
GREEN-TECH
PLATIPUS ANCHORS GREENBLUE URBAN
Tip: Avoid soil compaction Tip: Protect the tree and those around it Tip: Consider it early on
“One of the key considerations for successful urban tree planting is having a good, organic, uncompacted soil for it to grow in. We can use a structural tree sand, but this is not as effective. It doesn’t matter how good your soil is, or how much you have, if it becomes compacted from above, by either pedestrian or vehicular traffic, then the pores will close, meaning air, water and nutrients cannot move down through the soil. In the urban environment, it is vital that the soft soil in the tree pit is protected from such compaction, which is why we use modular tree pit support systems such as TreeParker®.”
Alasdair Innes, specification advisor
TreeParker® Urban Tree Planting & Water Managent Cell System
TreeParker® is a simple, highload, modular support system that supports the paving above, vehicular or pedestrian. Available in six different heights, there is no need to stack units, and using rounded posts rather than side-walls, means there is no impediment to service and utility lines running through the pit. TreeParker® also acts as a very efficient SuDS application. green-tech.co.uk
“My top consideration for urban tree planting is the safety and protection of the tree and of the people operating around it. Newly transplanted trees are inherently unstable and require anchoring to prevent movement and possible collapse, which is not only potentially fatal for the tree, but could cause injury or worse to the urban pedestrian going about their day. As an added benefit, rootball anchoring also minimises root disturbance allowing quicker root establishment and thereby encouraging the tree to naturally stabilise itself.”
Carl Reeders, export sales manager (landscaping)
The Platipus D-MAN Anchor System. This system was specifically designed for urban environments. Lightweight and strong, it’s ideal for roof gardens or where flexibility is needed due to shallow planting or obstructions. platipus-anchors.com
“Integrating urban tree planting at the earliest design stage is essential.It unlocks environmental and commercial benefits, including maximising Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) compliance. Trees enhance biodiversity, help meet regulatory targets, and support naturebased drainage by absorbing stormwater. This reduces flood risk and eases pressure on sewers. Early planning ensures trees are positioned strategically while preserving buildable space. When done right, urban trees improve climate resilience, compliance, community wellbeing, and property value, making them vital in urban planning.”
Howard Gray, business relationship specialist
ArborSystem®
ArborSystem streamlines urban tree planting by integrating soil cells, root management, aeration, and irrigation into one package. It ensures healthy growth while supporting sustainable drainage, flood mitigation, and biodiversity gains. greenblue.com/gb/
HERBERT HOOVERPLEIN, LEUVEN
RAIN OR SHINE
Lisa Sawyer offers tips to help soak up the benefits of rain gardens
Climate change has brought to the forefront the need for landscape architects, ecologists and civil engineers to work together.
If we can fully integrate drainage design into a site’s wider landscape, along with using the existing site topography, it provides clear benefits to both clients and users.
The use of rain gardens within public realm design, whether new build or retrofit, is becoming increasingly prevalent to not only enhance landscape design but help towards reducing flooding and increase biodiversity.
If the rain garden does not sit properly within its wider surroundings, is not maintained correctly or doesn’t have the potential to make the most difference to the environment, then it will fail. Its location is therefore key to its success.
Reviewing the topography, natural surface water flows and the catchment area draining towards the proposed location ensures that the correct size of the rain garden can be designed.
If the site’s due diligence is not undertaken thoroughly, then the rain garden could be located in the wrong place (and get no water), or undersized, making little effect on the downstream flooding.
If the site is within a surface water flood zone, then a rain garden can help reduce flooding downstream by capturing, conveying and slowing surface water down before leaving the site. It’s why sites like this should be identified as key sites.
Frustratingly, surveys are often left until just before the construction stage or they are not done at all. Where a survey of the existing services and ground conditions, including infiltration potential and contamination, can be undertaken early, then the risk of change during construction or failure of the rain garden when in use is reduced.
Whilst the feature is designed to hold water, often the rain garden is dry and therefore drought-tolerant planting is just as, if not more important, than water tolerant planting
Many rain gardens are located along the kerb line of public highways and often services can be found in these locations. Ascertaining the location of these services before breaking ground is key to ensuring a rain garden can be constructed and be most effective.
There is a myth that rain gardens cannot be constructed on steep sites. However, if the rain garden design allows for slowing the water down before entering the main section of the rain garden – edging details which prevent scour due to the speed of the water passing over it or more dense planting and dams to hold back the water through the rain garden – then it can work just as if it were on a flat site. Construction detailing of the rain garden is important for longevity, reduced maintenance and efficiency.
Ground surveys that establish the existing soil content and whether infiltration is possible will support the design of the vegetation within the feature. Whilst the feature is
designed to hold water, often the rain garden is dry and therefore drought-tolerant planting is just as, if not more important, than water tolerant planting.
The planting and soil design also needs to ensure that contamination from hydrocarbons or other particles within the water entering the rain garden can be removed effectively. Often the wrong type of soil or planting is installed, and the rain garden fails.
Every site is different, and for any rain garden to succeed, the design needs to take a site’s constraints and conditions into account.
About Lisa Sawyer
An experienced civil engineer, director
Lisa Sawyer heads up Land Studio’s in-house delivery of civil engineering designs specialising in water management solutions. Her team delivers fully integrated, cost-effective, nature led solutions that enhance the landscape and add value to land. Sawyer has worked for both contractors and large multi-disciplinary engineering consultants and brings a nature led approach to landscape and civil engineering projects. She is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Women in Property. landstudio-uk.com
BAGGY SPACE
We need to be utilising every inch of our streets to get the most value for the public, explains Christopher Martin
Ihave long been using the term ‘baggy space’ when talking about streets and how best to capture all the public value available from the public realm. Our public spaces, and streets especially, are uniquely placed to deliver public value, and I believe that this must be at the heart of urban improvements and public realm upgrades, as well as recognising the importance of addressing the grand challenges that we face as a means of creating this value.
In this context, streetscape improvements are far more than 'just’ highway schemes. Rather, they are critical to addressing some of the most significant problems facing society.
So, elevating the (re)design of urban streets appropriately high, I now want to come back down to earth with a thump and call out baggy spaces. If – and it is a fact – streets are so important and can deliver so much public value and good growth when shaped correctly, why is there so much wasted space on typical streets?
I am thinking about that gap between parking bays and the zebra crossing build-out, which isn’t parking and it isn’t a build out; that stretch of kerb with the double-yellow lines and double blips after the loading bay; and that 15m-long taper for loading bay access. Oh yes, don’t get me started on hatching in urban streets, because I always say to myself when I see it, “Well, here’s a little bit of insanely expensive urban land we didn’t want.”
Streets are so important and can deliver so much public value and good growth when shaped correctly
If we are going to capture all the value we can from streets, and we need to, then we need to use every part of them well. The reason baggy space is so important in this regard, then, is that on the whole, it represents the easiest path to quick value capture along any street because the space as it stands is earmarked for nothingness.
A great example of the process of capturing public value from baggy space is along Marylebone High Street, where Urban Movement was asked by Westminster City Council and Cross River Partnership to take a busy, hugely popular, and space-constrained stretch of street and make it better for pedestrians and people visiting
We rescued the baggy space from nothingness to make greatness
and spending time, as well as to increase greening along the street to improve air quality. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s nothing that could give along Marylebone High Street, as every centimetre is being called upon; but an interdisciplinary approach is essential in these situations, being able to push for innovation from a highways and engineering perspective to unlock opportunities for landscape and public realm upgrades.
As part of the project, we audited the 'baggy space’ along the High Street and found numerous, often repeated, typologies from where value could be captured, transforming this baggy space into rain gardens, wider footways, better crossings, and upgraded junctions for people walking and wheeling. This methodical and systematic approach along the length of the street yielded an enormous change and captured the available public value from the public realm. We rescued the baggy space from nothingness to make greatness.
About Christopher Martin
Christopher Martin is an influential urban designer and planner working all over the globe to help communities improve their public spaces, as well as supporting cities and governments to develop strategy, change policies, and make great places possible. He is co-founder and managing director at Urban Movement, vice-chair of the UK charity for everyday walking – Living Streets, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. urbanmovement.co.uk @ChrisCities
MARYLEBONE HIGH STREET REDESIGN BY URBAN MOVEMENT
The evolving legislation surrounding water management and biodiversity in the UK presents significant implications for public realm projects. Central to this are policies including biodiversity net gain (BNG), the delayed Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and the National Planning Policy Framework. These frameworks are intended to work in collaboration to promote sustainable development practices, mitigate flood risks, and enhance biodiversity in urban
LET IT RAIN
Chris Adair, product innovation manager at Marshalls, explains how landscapers can use rain gardens to combine biodiversity and drainage requirements in the public realm harmoniously
and rural environments. However, their staggered implementation and the lack of clarity on the future of Schedule 3 is making an integrated, sustainable approach a challenge for those working on public space projects.
Tackling multiple requirements
While BNG became mandatory in February 2024, Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 has yet to be implemented in England. In January this year, the National Planning Policy Framework was also updated, with new guidance for those planning and developing public spaces as part of housing projects.
Although they each address different issues, the pieces of legislation also share common goals of environmental enhancement and resilience. For instance, each highlights the benefits of sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS), which reduce water entering our sewer systems and also contribute to biodiversity. By slowing down and filtering rainwater, such solutions alleviate pressure on drainage infrastructure, improve water quality, and create wildlife habitats.
To address these challenges, the industry needs to adopt systems that are easy to install and capable of tackling multiple issues simultaneously. They must reduce the volume of water entering our
The industry needs to adopt systems that are easy to install and capable of tackling multiple issues simultaneously
sewage systems, enhance the natural beauty and biodiversity of public spaces, comply with legislative requirements, and ultimately improve our quality of life. This is where Marshalls' new modular rain garden kerb system offers a promising solution.
Urbanisation, population growth, and the effects of climate change will expose towns and cities to heightened risks of flooding and watercourse pollution in the coming years.
An innovation to meet all demands Already widely used across the public realm to provide a flood management system that doubles up as an attractive, biodiverse feature, rain gardens have increased in popularity in recent years. dens use plants and soil to retain and slow the flow of rainwater from surrounding hard surfaces. One way to use rain gardens effectively in public spaces is to combine them with a kerb, where water flows into the garden through an inlet, is
EDENKERB INSTALLED IN MANSFIELD
EDENKERB FROM ABOVE
slowed down by a diffuser flag, and is kept at surface level to be absorbed by the soil. This system supports plant life and prevents water from entering the sewer system immediately, playing a crucial role in improving water quality by filtering out pollutants.
Up to now, the only way to integrate rain garden kerbs into landscaping projects has been through bespoke solutions, which take up valuable resources in the design process and slow down installation on site. To overcome this, Marshalls has developed EDENKERB, the first complete off-the-shelf rain garden kerb system in the UK. Combining left and right inlet kerbs and a complementary diffuser flag, it presents time and cost-saving opportunities on site when compared to cutting or repurposing standard kerbs.
Raingarden solutions in action
To understand its potential impact on future developments – from both a flood resilience and sustainability perspective – EDENKERB has been trialled in multiple public realm projects.
The first was in a sustainable flood resilience plan in Mansfield, the largest project of its kind ever attempted in the country. As part of the scheme, Mansfield District Council and Nottingham County Council invested £76m in a range of nature-based solutions to protect communities from flooding. For context, just £15m has been invested into previous, similar projects spanning the whole of the UK. By the time the project is completed, rain gardens and several other innovative solutions will have played a role in storing over 58 million litres of surface water runoff, reducing the flood risk for 90,000 people in the area.
In another example, EDENKERB was used as part of the development of an active travel scheme, proving its worth in wider sustainable public realm projects. Calderdale Metropolitan
The introduction of BNG, Schedule 3 and the updates to the NPPF represents a significant opportunity to transform how water is managed in the public realm
Borough Council introduced the scheme to lower traffic flows and encourage walking and wheeling to nearby Ash Green School in Mixenden. The area was completely transformed, changing a busy access road to the school into a one-way street and the addition of two further road closures. To manage rainfall and provide a biodiverse, attractive solution to ensure surface water could still effectively and seamlessly enter the local sewer system, EDENKERB rain gardens were interconnected to the newly revised carriageway layout, with successful results.
Acting as a blueprint for how to manage flooding in the future, while also making both areas a more welcoming place to be, the projects are a showcase of the positive impact rain garden kerb systems can have on communities as we battle to overcome the catastrophic consequences of biodiversity loss and climate change.
A biodiverse water management strategy
The introduction of BNG, Schedule 3 and the updates to the NPPF represent a significant opportunity to transform how water is managed in the public realm. So as the needs of the legislation become a practical reality for those working on such projects, clever solutions that tick both water management and biodiversity boxes will be critical.
The true beauty of Marshalls’ innovative kerb is that it makes it easier than ever to integrate raingardens to public spaces when swift action is required to make a longstanding and widespread changes to protect our communities from the risk of flooding. And as this comes to fruition, we’ll all benefit from many more biodiverse and beautiful landscapes in the places we live, work, and play.
For more information, visit: marshalls.co.uk/edenkerb
EDENKERB, MANSFIELD
EDENKERB VISUALISATION
FIVE TOP PLANTS FOR RAIN GARDENS
Nurseries put forward the plants that will bring any rain garden to life
TENDERCARE
GREENWOOD PLANTS
Bistorta officinalis ‘Superba’
Bistorta officinalis ‘Superba’ is a hardy long lived perennial with bold, bright green foliage which provides good ground cover. The striking pale pink flower spikes are held well above the plant giving a striking display over a long period from mid-summer to early autumn. The flowers are a great source of nectar for bees during the summer months, making it a great plant for supporting biodiversity.
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Soil condition: Nearly all soil conditions – chalk, clay, loam, sand, as well as most usual soil pHs greenwoodplants.co.uk
Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry)
Tendercare has supplied and installed a number of rain gardens in the vicinity of school playgrounds where tarmac and rubberised surfaces dispel rainfall quickly to the sides. Planting has to be robust, tolerant of the repeated wetting and drying of the ground yet not pose a danger to hurt children – with twigs and thorns likely to induce an allergic reaction from leaves or berries. Wild strawberry is a good ground-cover –with safe and nutritious berries – and provides an early introduction to foraging. Position: Full sun Soil condition: Most, including clay, loam and sand. Moist and well-drained. tendercare.co.uk
WYEVALE NURSERIES
Dryopteris wallichiana
This fern thrives in consistently moist, shaded areas, making it perfect for areas of a rain garden that hold water longer. Its striking foliage enhances biodiversity and provides shelter for wildlife.
Position: Shade to partial shade
Soil condition: Moist, humus-rich, and well-drained wyevalenurseries.co.uk
PALMSTEAD NURSERIES
Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ (Rough Golden Rod)
A late summer/autumn flowerer, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ is known for its bright yellow flower panicles that resemble fireworks cascading off the plant. An excellent source of nectar and pollen make it great for a wide range of insect pollinators. A species that prefers damper soils occurring in wet prairies, shore meadows, and roadside ditches. This makes it the perfect perennial for rain or meadow gardens.
Position: Full sun or part shade
Soil condition: Most but prefers more acidic, medium-wet based soils palmstead.co.uk
EVERGREEN
Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’
Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’ adds vibrant winter colour with bold red, orange, and yellow stems. Ideal for rain gardens, it thrives in moist conditions. This hardy shrub offers year-round interest with green leaves, white flowers, and wildlifeattracting berries. Pruning in early spring enhances its striking winter display.
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Soil condition: Moist, well-drained to wet; can tolerate occasional flooding evergreenext.co.uk
Transform Urban Sites with Pictorial Meadows
Beautiful and robust plants that deliver maximum impact for minimum input
Classic Patchwork Quilt
Stunning Visual Impact
Enhances Flood Resilience
Super Pollinator
100% flowers, extended and continuous successional flowering
Proven in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS)
Premium Green Roof Solutions
Species-rich, colonises with minimum fuss and maximum impact
Peat & Plastic-Free Turf
100% peat-free product with no plastic netting
BOURNE AMENITY
Rain Garden Soil
• Looking for a natural soil with a sand content around 85-95%; if not blend in washed sand.
• pH level of no more than 8.0 and ideally as close to neutral as possible.
• Good drainage properties and enough fertility to support healthy plant life. bourneamenity.co.uk
WEATHER THE STORM
The products that can help to create a beautiful and functioning rain garden
PICTORIAL MEADOWS
Purple Haze
• Pictorial Meadows has a large range of tried and tested SuDsTurf suitable for rain gardens, bioswales, and detention ponds
• Tried and tested in hundreds of SuDS interventions
• Provides long-flowering meadow mixes suited to urban settings that deliver a high biodiversity value with around 30 species.
• Tolerates drought stress on dry banks and occasional waterlogging.
• Delivers fast establishment with pre-grown plants and quick bank stabilisation through the dense root systems.
• Provides a sustainable solution: plastic-free, peat-free, made from recycled materials, and has proven low maintenance needs that reduce carbon footprint. pictorialmeadows.co.uk
BOUGHTON
BLRG Rain Garden Soil
• Based on an extensive green roof substrate, with a small amount of topsoil blended into the mixture to slow down filtration and provide more body.
• This will retain water for a longer period within. the soil mixture, increasing its water storage performance, and improving water quality benefits.
• It will provide a free-draining mixture with a large amount of porosity, capable of supporting plants that prefer a freer-draining substance, but one that is sometimes saturated.
• Designed around CIRIA SuDS Guidelines, ensuring alignment with best practices for sustainable drainage systems
• Slows grey water flow to mitigate flood risks and enhance water management
• Optimised permeability and porosity to prevent surface waterlogging
• Provides balanced nutrients and organic matter to sustain healthy vegetation and planting schemes.
• Filters pollutants from runoff, improving water quality and supporting environmental sustainability. green-tech.co.uk
ROLAWN
Rolawn® SuDS and Rain Garden Soil
• Blended properties to balance infiltration, retention and filtration
• Structured to promote water percolation, helping to mitigate flood risk
• Enhances water quality through biofiltration.
• Creates habitats for biodiversity
• Independently tested for 70+ parameters for safety assurance rolawn.co.uk
BURY HILL LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES
Rain Garden Soils
• Specifically formulated to provide certified soil solutions for SuDS rain gardens
• These soil blends help manage surface water while delivering the necessary nutrients to support flourishing and sustainable planting schemes.
• Balanced nutrient levels for healthy plants
• Verified rate of drainage
• Screened and friable for year-round use
• Available loose, bulk bags and small bags buryhilltopsoilandlogs.co.uk
MARSHALLS EDENKERB
• Sustainable flood management system that doubles up as an attractive, biodiverse feature
• The first complete, off-the-shelf rain garden kerb system in the UK
• Combines left and right inlet kerbs and a complementary diffuser flag
• Achieves time and costsaving opportunities on site when compared to cutting or repurposing standard kerbs
• Trialled in Mansfield, in the largest sustainable flood resilience plan ever attempted in the UK, reducing flood risk for 90,000 people. marshalls.co.uk
It’s somewhat of a coincidence that led to the Bridget Joyce Square community ‘rainpark’ being created — but largely, it’s down to community spirit.
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham had opposed the £5bn Thames Tideway Tunnel, a 25km ‘super sewer’ under the river that was completed last year to divert 34 combined sewer overflows (CSOs) from discharging into the Thames. Instead, the council felt the money should be spent on green and blue infrastructure to solve most of the city’s overflow flooding problems, and they were looking for a number of pilot SuDS projects to prove this.
Meanwhile, on the White City Estate –one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England – the local residents’ association and Randolph Beresford Nursery School were looking to create a community space in the street outside the school.
With two playgrounds opposite – one a more classic, and the other an adventure playground – the road was a dangerous crossing for the children moving between these and the school. So, they were looking to deter people from driving down the street, to create cohesion between all the existing spaces, and to have somewhere to hold community events.
So, they approached the council asking for a community space at a time when Hammersmith & Fulham was looking for a SuDS project — and Australia Road, where the school is located, was at high risk of flooding from the Counters Creek Sewer.
“That’s where the project was born,” says Kevin Barton, managing director of landscape architecture firm Robert Bray Associates, which was appointed by the council for its expertise in nature-based SuDS schemes.
RAIN OR SHINE
ROBERT BRAY ASSOCIATES
BRIDGET JOYCE SQUARE COMMUNITY RAINPARK
“We had two clients with different interests –one that’s all about flood management and reducing CSOs, and another that’s the host community, made up of people who live in that space. So, this is not a new build, as an existing community already has a relationship with the space and the school and those playgrounds; we’re coming along and changing it.”
The contractual client, the council, was looking for something that Barton says is “easy” to deliver – a landscape that manages water and slows flow into the combined sewer to reduce CSOs, and it had mentioned using permeable paving for the new plaza to help do this.
“There are thousands, if not an infinite number, of possibilities for solving the hydraulic problem on a development; there is not one correct solution. The place to start is to lead with what the landscape needs, then the hydraulics follow and mould to good, sensible landscape design principles.”
The council’s brief had “maybe a low understanding of SuDS and therefore a low ambition” as there’s “still a knowledge vacuum around SuDS” across the whole of construction, including clients, says Barton. “They don’t necessarily know what to ask for. They might have heard of SuDS, or seen some SuDS, but they don’t fully understand SuDS well enough to wrap it into an effective brief for tendering, or how to evaluate tenders – and that’s not a criticism.
PROJECT DETAILS
Project value £800k
Size of project 2,600m2
Build time 7 months
It’s important we increase the knowledge of everyone, including clients.”
The “more interesting client” was the community, says Barton. They had “morally compelling needs that we as designers can help to tackle – that's the stuff that gives you shivers, to be able to work with this community, to use the power of landscape. It’s easy to underestimate the change that landscapes can deliver, particularly in areas of deprivation. So, this felt like an amazing privilege.”
For Robert Bray Associates, SuDS are an intrinsic part of its landscape designs, and so the vast majority of its thinking was then around how to create opportunities for the school, for the children to play, and to make nature a part of this.
"As we’re doing that, we’re also thinking, how does water play into that as well? Water isn’t something we just integrate; it has to have this new layer of functionality that brings added value to the other aspects that we want to deliver as designers.
“The water is part of the landscape that we’re designing, like plants, soils, and trees. Bringing that water ingredient into the mix brings so much more dynamism to the landscapes, so much more interest, playfulness, and education, as well as ecological and sustainability opportunities.”
The initial envelope was for the highway and pavements, but between the highway and the school building was a large space being used for parking, and then the entrance to the school
AUSTRALIA ROAD BEFORE
AUSTRALIA ROAD AFTER
which wasn’t visible from the street. Children accessed the school grounds through a small gateway, which made the school feel separated from the community.
“We had this whole catchment that could potentially be used to make this space more generous. We could still accommodate parking, but if we could stretch the envelope of the site to include the space in front of the school, then we could design it in a way that makes the whole space feel much bigger.”
This could then also incorporate the school roof, for instance, and nearly double the catchment of rainwater that can be managed. Robert Bray Associates did the same for a council-owned building in the adventure playground, inserting a downpipe from the crinkly tin roof that would drop down into a rain garden. There were consultations with the community, the school, and the residents’ association for the design, but Barton himself also went out and met people in Bridget Joyce Square to establish the community needs. Through this, he discovered there had been two stabbings nearby within the last month. So, it was not simply a case of providing a space for children to learn to ride their bikes
or for holding Christmas markets, for instance, but also creating community cohesion in the hope of deterring violence and offering a safer environment.
“There’s sometimes an assumption that communities like White City don’t care about sustainability or reducing CSOs or protecting rivers from pollution; they may care about it the same as everyone else, but they have a lot more pressing, existential needs as a community to deal with.”
So, Robert Bray Associates designed
a space that would encourage parents and children to linger and socialise, and one that was large enough to hold events –all whilst providing the benefits of SuDS. It used 1,320m2 of permeable paving to direct surface water runoff to rain gardens and bio-retention basins.
Rather than simply routing rainwater down the side of the school building, along the ground and into a rain garden, the team created ‘rain sculptures,' bringing the rainwater overheard in aerial channels and allowing it to drop down on 16 Corten steel ropes that twist around to form helixes amidst tall, robust ornamental grasses. When it rains heavily, the water stretches like a film across the helix until the surface tension breaks and it disappears for a new one to form in its place.
“When we were running an open house weekend, and it was raining – which is great for showing how it works but not for getting visitors – a young lad around nine years old came walking through on his way home and dragged his mum over to one of the rain sculptures. He stood looking at it for a while and told his mum it wasn’t doing what it should, that it’s not raining hard enough, and asked to come back later when it was raining harder. He’d noticed a difference in the landscape when it rains – a physics phenomenon that he’s kind of learning about passively by experience – and recognised that it worked differently in light and heavy rain. That’s just when we happened to be there on that day, so how many other kids are having similar experiences?”
Continuing the water theme, a ‘blue ribbon’ meanders through the space and the playgrounds, another symbolism of community cohesion and breaking up the linearity of the area. As it goes through the planted basins, where the soil levels drop down up to 500mm
for storing water, the ribbon – which Barton calls the ‘wiggly wall’ - becomes a raised wall to walk and balance along. As it reaches the main space, it drops to surface level and wanders near to the school entrance before weaving through the main basin. There are plants on either side of the ribbon as well as trees for children to feel more immersed in nature.
It’s a popular replacement for a straight, low wall that ran along the front boundary of the school, which the council originally asked to be kept as the community had become quite attached to it; some of the parents remembered walking on that wall when they went to that same school, and now their children were walking along it. But rather than that being a reason to keep the wall, Robert Bray Associates saw it as a reason to create a more interesting wall, which became
the blue ribbon. “Rain gardens are not functioning as SuDS the vast majority of the time; they only come into play when it rains. So, the rest of the time, the basin was designed as a play basin – almost like an antidote to the very formal, prescriptive play area next door of classic swings and a climbing frame which we created a new entrance to, to connect it to the space.
Completed in 2015, the Bridget Joyce Square community rainpark is now maintained by the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, which is based a stone’s throw from Bridget Joyce Square. “They do lots of amazing work as a charity for the community and kids with special needs. They’re also horticulturally competent and draw in volunteers for their charity work. The more community involvement in this project, the better, because it needs to feel like it belongs to that community.”
Robert Bray Associates had encouraged the council to invite the association to price it, and it was cheaper than its term contractor.
“It's been a really successful model. We designed some rain gardens afterwards in the wider estate that they actually planted, and then they now look after. So, the same arrangement has been expanded to those. Commercially, they look after a roof garden and provide flowers for the foyer of a corporate building too. So, it wasn't just this one project, but it created a model that worked well – for the council, for the community, but also for the charity as well.”
It’s the only model that Barton sees going forward for maintaining these spaces.
“If you don't look after a piece of land properly and competently, and keep investing in it, then it will stop delivering the values, whatever those are around amenity, biodiversity or hydraulics.
“We were lucky, on one project, to be able to deliver so many things so neatly that demonstrate how things could be done differently. Even if it didn't have the community maintenance, but still be our best landmark project– always the dearest in our hearts. But we also managed to get the community maintenance happening on it as well.”
The rain gardens and planted basins make up less than 10% of the entire catchment area, but the first 10-15mm of rainfall on the catchment of paving and adjacent roofs is lost in the SuDS, which equates to around 50% of
all the rainfall in a year. The project accommodates around 85m3 of rainfall attenuation storage with up to 45m3 of further volume lost in favourable conditions.
On top of this, a survey by Sustrans –an organisation dedicated to seeing healthier
places where people have more opportunities to walk and cycle – found that 90% of locals said it changed how they felt about the space for various reason including it ‘feels safer’ as well as more ‘relaxed’ and ‘open’.
Now that the school has been sold by the council for development, the rainpark is under threat. But it has helped to transform what was once a dangerous road into a space that brings the local community together. The scheme, which has won numerous awards including the Landscape Institute President's Award and Adding Value Through Landscape Award 2017, provides a space for children to play alongside reducing the risk of surface water flooding, demonstrating how Robert Bray Associates believes SuDS schemes should be approached to ensure they work for all.
Robert Bray Associates is an award-winning landscape architecture practice based in Bristol that specialises in climate-resilience, planetfriendly, healthy and socially valued places. It offers SuDS masterclasses to share its collective experience in this field and empower others to better deliver SuDS schemes. robertbrayassociates.co.uk
REFERENCES
Permeable paving overlay, bespoke granite walling and other unit paving Marshalls marshalls.co.uk
Functional, signage and artistic steelwork (stainless and Corten) de Havilland Fabrication dehavillandfabrication. co.uk
Planting and trees Palmstead Nurseries palmstead.co.uk
Soil Bourne Amenity bourneamenity.co.uk
Main contractor FM Conway fmconway.co.uk
Landscape contractor Dolwin and Gray dolwinandgray.co.uk
Engineer McCloy Consulting mccloyconsulting.com
Maintenance Hammersmith Community Gardens Association hcga.org.uk
NEXT STOP, BIODIVERSITY
STOCKPORT INTERCHANGE – VIADUCT PARK WRIGHT LANDSCAPES
Nestled in the heart of Stockport atop the Transport for Greater Manchester's Bee Network bus interchange, Viaduct Park is the centrepiece of the larger £1bn regeneration scheme to revitalise the town centre, improve accessibility, and enhance biodiversity in the area.
Divided into three distinct areas – Viaduct Park, Bridgescape, and Mersey Frontage – together valued at £3.5m – the Stockport Interchange landscaping package was awarded to Cheshire-based practice Wright Landscapes, with landscape architect firm, Gillespies and construction and property services company Willmott Dixon at the design helm.
With community at the centre of this project, and the goal to deliver a green space that supports local engagement, Viaduct Park now features an interactive play area to facilitate the younger generation reaping the benefits found in green spaces, festoon lighting to illuminate the space to improve visibility and safety, as
1 Viaduct Park – tranquil community hub in Stockport Centre
1km of footpaths Awards National Landscape Awards 2024
Commercial Roof Garden or Podium
LandscapingOver £500k winner
well as an events pavilion to play host to several key community events throughout the year.
Viaduct Park in the Stockport town centre is part of a mixed-used development that also includes 196 new residential homes. While Viaduct Park stands as the project’s centrepiece, the Bridgescape development to the side offers a tranquil landscape with lush planting and a five-metre-high hydroseeded sandbag wall – strengthening the site’s flood mitigation. Residing on the adjacent side is the Mersey Frontage entrance, for which Wright Landscapes delivered both the hard and soft
The inclusion of pollinator-friendly plants supports local wildlife populations, fostering a healthier ecosystem
Wright Landscapes
landscaping. Throughout the project, Wright Landscapes sourced and implemented several sustainable alternative materials, not only to
enhance environmental aspects of the build, but also to address the weight restrictions. One such material is geotextile mesh; this was used in place of tarmac to preserve the natural environment and mitigate carbon emissions – with the added bonus of ensuring project constraints were adhered to. Similarly, a lightweight class material (recycled geocell) was installed for the site’s blue-roof drainage system – with an impermeable membrane beneath the drainage material to direct the flow of rainwater run-off towards the drainage outlets on the podium, whereby it will be
PLANT LIST
• Astilbe chinensis 'Finale'
• Tiarella cordifolia
• Polypodium vulgare
• Liriope muscari
captured and stored. As well as resin pathways, splash seating and purposefully selected street furniture pieces were installed.
Several bespoke planters and large sculpted planting beds now boost a selection of native plants, each chosen for their ability to support pollinators and promote ecological resilience within the area. “Native plants are well adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, requiring less maintenance and contributing to the overall sustainability of the landscape. While the inclusion of pollinator-friendly plants supports local wildlife populations, fostering
a healthier ecosystem within the space,” says Wright Landscapes. Each of the plants sown at the elevated park were grown for the project by Wright Landscapes at its Pickmere Nursery, this offered the landscaping contractor better control over
3 Interactive play area
4 Fully accessible footpaths and cycleways
5 Green retaining wall
6 Access from the park to the bus station
7 Vibrant native planting scheme
8 Seasonal displays of colour throughout
In collaboration with Stockport Council, Wright Landscapes offered several work placement opportunities throughout the duration of the build, including an environmental graduate and construction operative who gained first-hand professional experience in a commercial setting. “This hands-on exposure not only enriched their skill sets but also contributed to the broader objective of fostering local talent and workforce development within the community,” says Wright Landscapes.
the quality and availability of the plants in line with the project’s timeline. Additionally, 130 newly planted trees and several rain gardens were established to enhance rainwater management and support biodiversity. Over 2,000 tonnes of subsoil was also imported onto the site to improve soil structure and provide nutrients for the planting.
Beyond its role as a social space and a hub for habitats, Stockport Interchange is designed to enhance transportation connectivity – improving accessibility to the town centre. Several integrating footpaths have been established throughout the public realm, linking the interchange and railway station to make the space more accessible to the local community. Various cycle routes and designated stands have also been installed to facilitate connectivity with the space. Improvement works were carried out on the below bus stations, which can now accommodate 168
buses per hour across the 18 stands.
Due to the elevated nature of the space, access and restrictions to the podium required “meticulous planning” to address slab weight and the drainage design – “access and restrictions to the podium required complex methodology to crane lift the materials from ground level to the roof top podium, via a Ladybird crane,” says Wright Landscapes.
After opening to the public back in March 2024, Stockport Interchange is now a community centric green space, facilitating the needs of the local residents, commuters, and surrounding wildlife. Its unique elevated nature highlighting how green spaces can be incorporated into urban environments, without compromising on sustainability nor everyday utility.
9 Bespoke splash seating and street furniture
10 Sustainable urban planting
Whatever your vision, Wright Landscapes' team of professionals will provide you with total project management from planning and design guidance through to construction, completion, and maintenance, guaranteeing the very highest standards at every stage. wrightlandscapes.co.uk
The ultimate event for those who design, build and maintain public spaces. Public Spaces Expo is designed for local authorities, architects, landscape architects and commercial landscapers who are dedicated to creating beautiful, sustainable public spaces
Come and meet experts in:
Play and recreation
Street furniture
Mobility
Paving
Green infrastructure
Tree planting
Lighting
Consultancy
Landscape architecture and design
Commercial landscaping
Machinery
Green roofs and walls
Construction
Co-located with...
CISLE OF DOCKS
HTA DESIGN
EDEN DOCK
anary Wharf has come far from the days of its post-industrial regeneration, brought back to life as a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood where people can live, work and play. Evolving from its reputation as London’s financial capital, the area has embraced significant change in recent years. An increasing emphasis on residential neighbourhoods, alongside an expansion of retail, dining, and the night-time economy have revived the historic docklands for a new generation. Underpinning this, the creation of green public spaces has transformed the area into a fully accessible public destination, now an inviting urban retreat for residents, workers, and visitors.
PLANT LIST
• Carex pendula
• Juncus inflexus
• Phragmites australis
• Allium sphaerocephalon
• Persicaria affinis
• Pennisetum alopecuroides
TREES
• Alnus glutinosa
• Betula pendula
PROJECT DETAILS
Build time
2 years
Size of project
10,460 sqm
Awards
The Pineapples
2025 Public Space shortlister, MIPIM Awards
2025 Urban Regeneration Project shortlister
Eden Dock is a first-of-its-kind urban oasis in the heart of the Wharf, created in partnership the Eden Project. A 1.55-hectare site funded by Canary Wharf Group, the project exemplifies nature-led placemaking and marks a transformative step in the docklands’ evolution – serving as a nature-focused public amenity for both the surrounding businesses and the area’s growing population. Situated opposite Canary Wharf Station in Middle Dock, part of the historic West India and Millwall Docks complex, this 325m long enclosed waterway stretches from Jubilee Plaza to Newfoundland. Surrounded by offices, restaurants, and retail spaces, it serves as a vital point of connection for commuters and visitors alike.
While the docks have been a defining feature of Canary Wharf, from its origins to its redevelopment in the 1990s as a business district, nature has often been overlooked. Transforming the docks
into a greener, friendlier and healthier place to be, Eden Dock is part of a vision for a new ‘green spine’ through Canary Wharf that is championing biodiversity, improving water quality and building climate resilience. Eden Dock aims to enhance the way people experience the Wharf, with verdant new public spaces and extensive planting both under and around the dock’s waters. People will be able to take advantage of the floating gardens and boardwalks and enjoy the habitats that are now home to new wading birds, waterfowl and songbirds, as well as species of plants rarely seen before in London.
HTA Design was approached by Canary Wharf Group in 2022 to join Howells and the wider design team ahead of submitting the project for planning. The client’s overarching aim from the outset was to bring nature and biodiversity into the Wharf and create a climate suited for people, place and nature. This was achieved by introducing floating pontoons, walkways, ecological planting and a forest of trees, utilising the expanse of space available in the dock. This bold and challenging vision was integral to the client's wider ambition in making the area more welcoming to residents and visitors, as well as the many office workers.
Up on the deck, where people interact closely with the planting, sensory species were selected in response to the challenging conditions, for their association and tolerance of water as well as aesthetic appeal
HTA Design
Howells has designed 'shores' of gradual inclines with timber bleacher seating integrated with steps, walkways, and gardens to bring the public realm down to the water level for the first time. Here, hollow-concrete modular pontoon systems create new south and west-facing spaces for congregation, including floating gardens, educational spaces and social terraces. Just below water level, a 1.5-metre-wide cantilevered aquatic shelf provides a framework to support saline-resistant planting while discretely protecting the public from the danger of deep water. A new north-south footbridge across the dock follows proven desire lines to link local landmarks.
Designed for all ages, the project integrates spaces for play, relaxation, and exploration to accommodate residents, office workers, and visitors at once. Natural play features like sandboxes, pond dipping, and ‘mini worlds’ foster curiosity and independent mobility to create meaningful connections between people, nature, and the historic waterway.
Sustainable materials, including recycled steel, FSC-certified timber, and low-carbon concrete, significantly reduce embodied carbon. The floating structure avoids deep concrete piles, minimising construction impacts. These measures result in a 100% improvement in predicted ecosystem service value and a 10% reduction in urban heat island effects.
The introduction of effective planting and trees was essential to the key project aims of connecting people to water and nature. The strategy incorporates 70–80 species and 42 new trees, prioritising diverse, resilient vegetation that is bird-resistant and trampling-tolerant, ensuring long-term ecological stability as vegetation matures. Temporary fencing protects the planted islands during establishment, with innovative ‘duck doors’ and two-stage apertures allowing safe passage for chick and small species while preventing injury. Native species have been selected to provide valuable habitats on the floating islands for various lifeforms including invertebrates, amphibians, fish and waterfowl. “Up on the deck, where people interact closely with the planting, sensory species were selected in response to the challenging conditions, for their association and tolerance of water as well as aesthetic appeal,” says HTA Design.
Eden Dock’s environmental benefits are evident with 55% biodiversity net gain within the dock’s boundary, facilitated by 770 sqm of floating islands and aquatic shelves that provide year-round habitats for pollinators, birds, and aquatic life. The impact has been assessed in various ways including measurable outcomes like urban heat island mitigation and water quality enhancement. Submerged root systems support fish and invertebrates, while bird
and bat boxes, fish refuges, and waterfowl ramps expand the ecological network. Low-level lighting ensures minimal disruption to nocturnal wildlife –with biodiversity, leisure, and community at its heart, Eden Dock is designed to be accessed and enjoyed by all.
HTA is a multidisciplinary practice of more than 200 people, bringing together the creative talents of architects, urbanists, planners, landscape architects, interior designers, engagement leaders and sustainability specialists, with a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. hta.co.uk
Masterplanner Howells howells.uk
Landscape designer HTA Design hta.co.uk
Developer Canary Wharf Group group.canarywharf.com
Consultant
Eden Project edenproject.com
Canal and River Trust canalrivertrust.org.uk
Engineering & Marine engineer Arup arup.com
Lighting design Studio Fractal studiofractal.co.uk
Project ecologist Greengage greengage-env.com
Planning authority London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Calling all landscape architects, ecologists, landscape contractors, housing developers, garden designers, local authorities, soil suppliers and other industry professionals
SoilsCon 2025
Friday 26 September 2025
The industry’s go-to conference for all things ‘soils’ is returning to Phyllis Court, Henley-on-Thames, this autumn.
This is a day for landscape architects, ecologists, landscape contractors, housing developers, garden designers, local authorities, soil suppliers and other industry professionals to hear from the experts, learn from live case studies, and network with colleagues and clients.
Tim O’Hare Associates’ popular Soil Surgery will be held during the breaks. Speakers, topics and booking details will be announced shortly but to register your interest email sharon.frost@toha.co.uk
What sparked an interest in SuDS?
I have always been fascinated by nature-based Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), water management, and particularly the intricate relationship between humans and nature regarding water as a vital resource for survival. I grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, and I remember seeing vegetated
It is crucial in contemporary design practice to develop nature-based SuDS within an interdisciplinary framework
swales alongside residential roads as a typical feature. However, despite being a sponge city, with urban growth, Nairobi now faces challenges in managing stormwater.
Now, when we’re looking at stormwater and SuDS, it is essential to approach water with respect, recognising that it does not adhere to property boundaries. Designing with SuDS needs a broader perspective, encompassing the entire landscape, its catchment areas, and topographical and geological features.
Looking back at my career as a landscape architect, my initial involvement with naturebased SuDS projects began in 2007, at a time when the concept was not as widely recognised in the UK or technically advanced as it is today. The field continues to evolve, presenting significant opportunities for innovation and creativity, and I hope research
TEN MINUTES WITH
CRISTINA REFOLO
The founding director of Refolo Landscape Architects shares how nature-based solutions need to be part of the conversation around Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
continues around it. The more knowledge you have of the subject, the bolder you feel to bring forward your ideas. But it is crucial in contemporary design practice to develop nature-based SuDS — within an interdisciplinary framework, and ‘nature-based’ is an important part of that sentence. Landscape architects and drainage engineers are involved from the very early stages of a project.
Is there a project you’ve worked on which stands out as being an exemplar?
I have two consecutive CIRIAs Susdrain awards for the nature-based design approach to SuDS in two distinct projects we did here at R-LA. The first project involves the restoration of a long-neglected SuDS system from the 1960s, situated on a 5000m2 podium deck, known as The Water Gardens in W2. The second project is the Fourfields residential development, a completely different project which comprises 15 homes on a half-acre site in Broxbourne. This project shows how a master planning strategy is important at the very beginning for integrating nature-based SuDS solutions in the
design process. If this approach does not take place at the start of the project, then it is likely that the scheme will evolve without these elements and that nature-based SuDS will be ignored. Trying to add them at a later stage in the design process would likely involve too much time and money, which would be counterproductive for any developer.
At the pre-application stage, a SuDS strategy should already be in place. For it to be nature-based, it must be planned before buildings go in; otherwise, there is little space left for it. The design must be iterative and holistic. An interdisciplinary approach is key. While SuDS are now considered earlier due to stormwater flooding in the UK, there is still much progress to be made.
How can we balance the need for SuDS with other policies and legislation such as biodiversity net gain (BNG)?
First of all, I want to stress here the difference between SuDS and nature-based SuDS, because they’re both usually referred to simply as 'SuDS’. Traditional SuDS only considers
water quality and quantity without considering biodiversity and amenity — which are part of CIRIAs four pillars of SuDS.
DEFRA's current Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Metric regrettably classifies the majority of nature-based Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) under the 'Urban' Broad Habitat category, assigning them a designation of 'Low Distinctiveness.' While the interpretation of this Metric is subject to the discretion of the appointed ecologist involved in the project, this classification results in nature-based SuDS solutions beginning from a disadvantageous position in terms of BNG assessment.
On the other hand, we have the Urban Greening Factor (UGF), a planning tool to improve the provision of Green Infrastructure (GI), particularly in urban areas, which assigns nature-based SuDS solutions a high score. So, when you’re using that score, you can show that rain gardens and green roofs, for instance, have a fantastic input into the scheme, which helps when you’re designing from a nature-based perspective as a landscape architect.
invertebrates and soil health, which I consider to be important contributing factors when it comes to ecological enhancement but unfortunately they are not recognised sufficiently by the current BNG metric. There needs to be more coordination so that we all have one message because otherwise it can be confusing — which score are you trying to target? In London, the UGF is compulsory for most planning schemes, and BNG legislation is mandatory across England.
How did you get involved in the High Streets Task Force?
Additional research is crucial to prove and illustrate the value of long-term, nature-based SuDS as a cost-effective solution
So, this is a complex topic that challenges different contrasting objectives, and there are ongoing discussions on it within the industry. Nature-based SuDS solutions like rain gardens, bioswales, bioretention planters, and blue-green roofs have additional benefits above just water management, particularly concerning
The High Streets Task Force was set up by the government in 2019 to help revitalise high streets, a goal that became even more crucial after COVID. This coalition of placemaking experts aimed to transform high streets by providing guidance, tools, and expertise. I was honoured to be selected through the Landscape Institute as a specialist in sustainability, climate change, resilience, and water management, including SuDS.
This allowed me to produce detailed reports that outlined strategic and design alternatives for Leicester, Walsall, and St Austell. However, when you’re evaluating a high street, you can’t look at it in isolation; you have to consider the broader community and the town centre in its entirety. Unfortunately, the task force was
decommissioned at the end of last year due to the change in government. However, an archive of the research and work remains accessible at The National Archives, which is worth exploring.
What would you like to see more of in projects for rainwater management?
In an ideal world, I would love to see a rise in initiatives that implement nature-based SuDS, not just as an optional enhancement, but as a real opportunity to achieve the BNG targets while also remaining financially feasible. We have to demystify the fear of costs relating to nature-based SuDS solutions. To convince the wider public, additional research is crucial to prove and illustrate the value of long-term, nature-based SuDS as a cost-effective solution, taking into consideration both implementation and maintenance. It gives that comfort to whoever is investing in or implementing these techniques that they bring both monetary and ecological value. You can maintain them more easily than the traditional inaccessible underground SuDS systems too because you can see if something is going wrong.
What excites you most about the opportunities for public spaces this year, and is Schedule 3 part of this?
In terms of SuDS, there is optimism that the government will ultimately address Schedule 3, which has been on the cards for ages; however, it must incorporate the details of nature-based SuDS to ensure both ecological benefits and amenity value for the public. Ideally, there would be more coordination within all the different legislations relating to nature and SuDS so that we all have one message to give when we’re designing for a project rather than having contrasting opinions that would then water down our message and targets. By involving both the landscape architect and engineer at an early stage, and having a multidisciplinary approach as I mentioned earlier, would allow for a more simultaneous, iterative design process.
You can access the archives of research from the High Street Task Force here:
THE WATER GARDENS, TYBURNIA, THE HYDE PARK ESTATE, LONDON
