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SPECIAL PUBLIC SPACES

This year is a year of change for those working in the public spaces sector. It started with the introduction of the eagerly awaited biodiversity net gain legislation in February, requiring developers to leave sites in a better state for wildlife than they found them. It’s been six months since this became mandatory and it’s arguably one of the biggest legislative changes to impact developments in recent years, representing a huge opportunity for the landscaping industry, from ecologists and landscape architects through to landscape contractors and maintenance providers – at least,

for those adapting their businesses and growing their expertise in order to take advantage of it.

Before the end of the year, we could also see sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) become a legal requirement with the implementation of Schedule 3 – though there’s been no significant progress on this, despite it being set to happen this year.

Then there’s the newly elected government this summer, shifting the UK from a party that ditched housing targets to one that’s willing to relax planning rules to achieve them and is encouraging local authorities to release poor quality greenbelt land for development.

And these are just the headline changes. There’s talk of lowering the commercial sector’s carbon footprint, the potential of artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, and a growing call for early collaboration to futureproof our public spaces.

For those who put innovation as the bedrock of their business, there are gaps in the market to fill and opportunities ripe for picking.

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Cover image: Strand Aldwych, by LDA Design

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“THERE’S A FANTASTIC TEAM OF PEOPLE AT FROSTS WHO ARE OUT THERE DOING GREAT WORK. MY ROLE IS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO DO THAT”

Frosts Landscapes’ new managing director Alistair Bayford on people, profit and the Olympic Park

WORDS: NINA MASON

It has just been what one Times journalist is calling ‘Magique Mercredi’ at the Olympic Games in Paris. French swimmer Léon Marchand achieved a never-before-seen feat by winning two gold medals in just 114 minutes. It’s reminiscent of what Brits call Super Saturday at the Olympic Games in 2012, when three of our athletes each secured gold within an awe-inspiring 45 minutes. What made this even more satisfying is that the 2012 games were held in London, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford – an area that to this day still holds a special place in people’s hearts, including that of Alistair Bayford.

CANNON STREET

The newly appointed managing director of Frosts Landscapes – having taken on the role at the end of April this year – first started working on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park more than 15 years ago, as a special projects manager at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, which owns and operates the majority of the land to the north of the park.

He continued to work on the Park when he joined The Landscape Group (later acquired by idverde) in 2012. So, Bayford has seen the transformation of the brownfield site – once known for its iconic eyesore of a pile of fridges – from concept as a client to implementation as a contractor to ongoing maintenance through idverde’s 10-year contract, which has recently been extended by another decade.

It was a “huge catalyst” for the landscaping industry, especially not long after the 2008 recession, says Bayford. “It was not only a catalyst for change in the sector – how things were perceived and considered and backed in terms of development – 'the green bit before the built bit' – but it also provided a level of security for those involved in construction at the time, particularly landscape. There were a huge number of contractors working here, on the park itself, in the Athletes’ Village or on fringe projects.”

Bayford left green service provider idverde in 2021 to join commercial landscaping company Maylim as business development director. But his latest role brings him back to his history with the Olympic Park. Frosts was responsible for the landscape that we were sitting in when we meet – the Timber Lodge cafe alongside the Tumbling Bay Playground on the north side of the Park.

“This is like a second home for me,” says Bayford. “It’s quite interesting when I look around and see people that I recruited and took

through their NVQ Level One’s in Horticulture, prior to which they had no desire to work in or little knowledge of landscape and horticulture as a career; they’re now in senior positions on the park, caring for this masterpiece of horticulture which, at the time, was the biggest investment in parks for 150 years.”

A training programme developed and delivered through Our Parklife CIC to ensure companies committed to recruiting locally ensured a huge number of people came into the industry via this route, says Bayford. For him, that’s the legacy of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – the people.

“That’s the biggest achievement. I took numerous cohorts through their initial training in horticulture who then took on permanent roles in the park. These were people who may well have been made redundant by the Games, were long-term unemployed, or experienced barriers to employment. As a result their life circumstances changed positively such that they could get married,

It was not only a catalyst for change in the sector but it also provided a level of security for those involved in construction at the time, particularly landscape

have children and own their first property. There’s nothing more rewarding than someone coming back and saying, ‘You changed my life by giving me a chance’. We often take that for granted. It’s sometimes overlooked with iconic sporting venues where big headline events are showcased in the park; it’s about the people ultimately.”

This is a thread that seems to have run through Bayford’s career, culminating in him now running Frosts Landscapes, which has become employee owned in its 50th year –well, supposedly its 50th year. The company became incorporated five decades ago, but there’s evidence of Frosts as the garden centre group “first putting a spade in the ground” 65 years ago.

QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK NEO BANKSIDE

HOLLAND PARK VILLAS

"Frosts Landscapes was born, effectively, from a nursery that was diversifying its offering, with a bit of garden design, a bit of landscaping, and then the opportunity to grow the business into commercial landscaping, installation of Christmas trees, landscape management and maintenance.”

It was around this time that Ken White joined Frosts as operations director of its commercial landscaping division in 2004 and took the company through its “peak”. There was the Olympic Park, the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace, the roof garden at 120 Fenchurch Street and London Wall. He’d taken over as managing director in 2012 and, six years later, he and the management team bought out Frosts Landscapes from the Frosts family.

“They refocused and consolidated the business to focus purely on soft landscaping, going back to the roots of the business. It was always renowned for its horticultural excellence. When you look at the long-serving employees who have 20 or more years continuous service with Frosts, they’re specialists in planting and handling large trees. I’m inheriting a business that has a really solid platform on which to grow and huge aspirations to take it from what it is today to perhaps what it was iconically in the early 2000s.”

In the six years since the management buyout, Frosts has focused on building profitability, and steadily growing from £4m turnover to just over £8m this year. “It’s been entirely focused on the right work for the right clients, reducing risk, and delivering great output – both quality wise but also in terms of financial performance."

Bayford is focusing on growing the business further but, most importantly, continuing to increase its profitability. “We’re now employee owned, so the more profitable we are, the

more those employees benefit. I’m a great believer in achieving greater profitability on a lower turnover to ensure that people that are in key positions in the business can focus on those projects and those clients, rather than spreading ourselves too thin and constantly chasing our tails. Bigger businesses ultimately need more cash, a larger pipeline, a large pre-construction team tendering more work. So, if we can focus our resource instead on quality and operational efficiencies, I’d expect to see greater profitability from a lower turnover business.”

In the immediate future, that means developing Frosts systems and processes that were once fit for an Olympic Park and now need to be fit for today. This includes digitisation from daily activity briefings to reports and timesheets to “improve performance” across the business.

“There’s a fantastic team of people at Frosts who are out there doing great work. My role is to make it easier for them to do that. If I can remove barriers to being able to deliver works efficiently and to the quality standards first time, then that’s a win-win, both for the business and the people on the ground.”

Winning work is also important, of course.

Bayford has been looking at the trends in Frosts’ current portfolio of works and clients and how it can diversity both into different sectors whilst

YEARS OF 50

FROSTS LANDSCAPES

• 1946 Harvey Frost forms original Frosts nursery in Woburn Sands

• 1959 First recorded landscape delivered by Frosts

• 1974 Frosts Landscape Construction is incorporated

• 2004 Ken White joins Frosts Landscapes as construction director

• 2012 Ken White becomes managing director

• 2014 Transformation works completed at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

• 2015 3 Merchant Square secures Grand Award at the BALI National Landscape Awards

• 2018 In July, Ken White, Fred Perry and Adrian Meeker complete management buyout separating Frosts Landscapes from the Nursery group

• 2024 Frosts Landscapes moves to employee ownership in March and Frosts Landscapes Trustees Limited is formed

• 2024 Alistair Bayford joins as managing director in April

HYLO

VIZION MILTON KEYNES

also building its pipeline with existing clients. The business carries out a significant amount of infrastructure and roof terraces but does not take on local authority schemes, for instance. Bayford will be using his experience in this market to tap into it and add value.

There are plenty of opportunities in commercial landscaping too, starting with the biodiversity net gain legislation being introduced earlier this year. But there’s “apprehension” about a “lack of understanding and a lack of confidence” in delivering it.

“The knowledge exists in areas of the sector but it’s not necessarily cascading down to those on the delivery end. We, as contractors, are ultimately responsible for planting, establishing and maintaining these landscapes that would deliver on biodiversity net gain commitments. So, the industry needs a supply chain that can fulfil it, a contractor that can establish it, and a client or legacy operator that can fund it. There’s an opportunity for Frosts to become seen as a leading contractor in delivering BNG and contributing to thought leadership through knowledge share.”

The same could be said for carbon reduction. There’s a need for a “common approach” or standard, and people are looking to the landscaping industry for answers, says Bayford. Whilst it presents an opportunity, this could be “the biggest constraint to the industry in trying to achieve what it needs to be achieve” unless it starts to do something tangible – and fast. “We’re being looked at as the experts, but other fields are moving further away from us in terms of their advances on carbon and construction.”

Bayford has joined the Landscape Institute’s steering group on carbon reduction. “But until the procurement process changes to both value carbon and social value properly, you're

always going to be caught out if you're investing in it heavily.”

Artificial intelligence could be a “potential positive disruptor to business” that “needs to be fully embraced”, with those who embrace it first set to see the “true benefits” of it, says Bayford, who is part of a working group

A business with purpose, both environmentally and socially, is one that is well attuned to what it’s doing

testing AI on various operations in their business. This could be quickly quoting projects to provide clients with visibility of potential cost to sift out unlikely conversions, or something as simple as taking notes in a meeting. It could also help with the industry-wide skills shortage.

There might be a few grumbles, but it’s coming from someone who places people at the front and centre of his approach. Bayford plans to implement changes but to bring people along for the journey. That’s where an employee ownership model comes in, moving away from “capitalist thinking” and instead shaping the business around those who are in it.

“The 35 employees all have a contribution to make in terms of how the business moves forward and how they ultimately benefit – not just financially but also ensuring that we build an environment in which they can thrive.”

Everyone has a part to play. Reducing waste and defects should contribute positively to the

bottom line, enabling employees to pay off the loan quicker – as Frosts funded the employee ownership in its own right – and reap the rewards. Engaging staff in this process is crucial, says Bayford. As is showing progress.

One of Bayford's big ambitions is Frosts becoming a B Corp, and it has already gone through its first stage audit. “A business with purpose, both environmentally and socially, is one that is well attuned to what it’s doing."

But with a new managing director and only recently becoming employee owned, “change is already afoot” at Frosts and “change overload could almost cripple a business”. So, Bayford is introducing changes “in a controlled way at the right time for us as a business”. His overarching ambition is “to build a business that has equity amongst all its employee owners, and the outcome of that is delivering great spaces for people and nature.”

Frosts might have experienced a golden era working on the Olympic Park, but athletes are always looking ahead to the next Games, and the commercial landscaping company seems to be once again going for gold – with Bayford but also Frosts’ employees leading the charge.

JUBILEE GARDENS

NORTHCLIFFE HOUSE

THE MAGIC GARDEN

JOINING THE DOTS FOR NATURE, CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

Mott MacDonald’s nature services lead, Julia Baker, is driving a holistic approach to integrating nature into developments

WORDS: NINA MASON

Nature is on the rise, says Julia Baker, nature services lead at Mott MacDonald. Never before have we seen this time when nature is on corporate agendas and the talking point for infrastructure development. But while this is significant, it’s critical that we take a holistic approach on development projects to tackle the climate, biodiversity and resilience crisis as one.

Take biodiversity net gain (BNG), which became mandatory for large new developments in February followed by for smaller sites in April this year. It is achieved by avoiding and reducing impacts on biodiversity, and then creating wildlife-rich habitats for the long-term. With purpose and intent, we can design BNG habitats to generate a range of benefits, from mitigating heatwaves and improving people’s access to green space, to supporting the growth of ‘green’ jobs.

"There’s a need to bring nature, climate and society all

together into one consolidated approach for development to be truly sustainable," says Baker. This is where Mott MacDonald’s emphasis on ‘nature services’ comes in.

“We design BNG in ways that meet our client’s carbon, resilience and social targets, making sure that we’re maximising value of enhancing nature for their business.

“Mott MacDonald is an engineering consultancy with a strong sustainability drive and one that considers social outcomes in every single thing that we do.”

When Baker first started working in the development sector, she started reaching out to people working in this integrated space and combatting the

view of “development versus nature” to one when development can be a driving force for good. Then the government trialled biodiversity offsetting in England. It ran a pilot to see if this could deliver local biodiversity obligations more efficiently.

The offsetting approach proved controversial, says Baker. But it did lead to the first government metric to quantify biodiversity on development projects. “It’s true – you can’t manage what you can’t measure.”

Successful integration of biodiversity within developments could be achieved by enabling senior executives to understand the rationale with metrics. Providing a baseline was critical – a number for biodiversity that would go down as a result of the development alongside what was needed to make it go up instead.

There’s a need to bring nature, climate and society all together into one consolidated approach for development to be truly sustainable

“It’s incredibly powerful to have a graph that shows a development’s performance on biodiversity and how we can improve that. The metric helped to bring about this wonderful escalation when biodiversity really came into

the sphere of the sustainability target-setting. From that, we started the journey with BNG.”

Having said all that, “we cannot put a single number on nature” and work on biodiversity net gain needs to be based on the UK’s good practice principles for BNG.

Think about the potential value for society for a project that drives the recovery and enhancement of nature

The industry started to use this biodiversity metric with key players setting voluntary targets for BNG. Then Natural England developed what became version two of the biodiversity metric and was incredibly collaborative as it continued to update and refine the biodiversity metric. That collaboration formed a community of people working in this space.”

All of these and many other “building blocks” led to biodiversity net gain becoming mandatory earlier this year. The legislation has “turbo charged” the conversation, with a Biodiversity Gain Plan needing to be approved by the local planning authority before works for a development can start.

But while the legislation has instigated this momentum, thinking holistically about BNG is critical. For example, designing biodiversity net gain in ways that are resilient to climate change, with BNG habitats then strengthening resilience of the infrastructure.

It comes back to “integrated thinking” rather than making nature “yet another silo”.

“It’s one puzzle to solve – climate, mental health, social, wellbeing, resilience, carbon, nature – and that’s the approach we take at Mott MacDonald.”

BNG is not yet mandatory for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), though this is planned for the future. “Think about the potential value for society for a project that drives the recovery and enhancement of nature. It’s demonstrating that value for money from nature and making sure that projects follow the mitigation hierarchy to deliver net gains.”

But rather than the end goal, biodiversity net gain is the starting point, and Baker wants to see nature reach “the same level as carbon” for which there’s scope one, scope two and scope three emissions.

“BNG is site level, which is great, but we need to think wider, about impacts on nature through supply chains and materials.

“For example, impacts on nature through the choice of steel, the choice of cement, the choice of tarmac and so on, are often not measured. We need to be quicker about getting to this same level as carbon so that we can make informed decisions. There might be trade-offs; but it’s about understanding and measuring our impact on nature and then making the best decisions.”

It’s going to take a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to get there, she says. Biodiversity is a “team sport” and connects with so many other sustainability agendas, such as social health and climate change, for instance.

“Let’s join the dots. Now is the time for genuine and meaningful action for infrastructure development and corporate organisations to drive nature’s recovery, and let’s do so with an integrated approach to nature, climate and society.”

PROMOTION

Folia has an abiding passion for providing the very best, courteous and efficient customer service in tune with the business ethos: respect for the countryside, responsible sourcing and no artificial additives

Folia-Europe – a specialist nursery supplying quality topiary, hedging, and specimen shrubs and treeshas been trading for more than 20 years and has developed the expertise to advise its customers on all aspects of their purchases, assisting clients wherever it can.

At the heart of the Folia business is a true love of plants and the desire to offer stock and other unique items inspired by the natural world around us.

Director and plant hunter

Mark Wheeler started off as a plant propagator, and then rose to the

FLOURISHING FOLIA

ranks of sales director within about a 10-year period. From plant propagator, plant production, potting plants, growing plants, and then through to sales, Wheeler made the most of his informative years growing plants and then in 1996, at just 32 years old, he made

the decision to take over the existing "Big Tree Company”.

He relaunched the business under the new name Folia-Europe, reaching a wider market with an all-encompassing portfolio of opportunities.

Wheeler quickly found his feet as a renowned plant hunter across the UK and Europe, setting up a base in Belgium and Hertfordshire, England.

“This has given me great flexibility to find plants for landscapers and landscape architects,” says Wheeler. “You can just jump in the car and travel for half a day or a day, mooching around nurseries and finding the product for clients.”

Meanwhile, back in London, the Folia distribution team are in

At the heart of the Folia business is a true love of plants and the desire to offer stock and other unique items inspired by the natural world around us

place, ready to receive the produce and ensure that all customs and Defra checks are completed in line with plant health and safety guidelines. Wheeler is proud of the plant empire he has created, with Folia-Europe being nothing but resilient.

“Once you get good people, to keep good people, you have to

THE VABEL LAWRENCE KINGS CROSS

keep the business interesting,” says Wheeler. “Even though it's difficult sometimes, it's vital to keep it fun and make sure people enjoy their jobs, because if they don't enjoy the jobs, what's the point of coming to work?”

And it is this mindset that has led Wheeler to the investment in the third Folia site.

The regency garden built in 1731 is a walled garden covering two and a half acres and is set to become a site for Folia to start growing plants of interest, within its own propagation site, produced in UK soil. Putting it back to its original Georgian and Victorian heritage, Bothy Gardens will become home to propagation houses, production beds, and

PROMOTION

greenhouses, as well as a brand-new centre for horticultural and art education.

“People will be given the opportunity to come along and learn,” says Wheeler. “It’ll give people the chance to actually experience the industry and learn what's involved.

“Amongst that, we'll also be

exploiting the natural beauty of the site and run art classes and ceramics classes, with the option to add on accommodation within the grounds to make it a whole new experience.”

Having been rebuilding the garden now for three years with the help of his partner and the occasional subcontractor, Wheeler is determined to open Bothy Gardens in the spring of 2025.

Growing unusual British grown plants, peat free, in recycled pots and creating a niche market for education, Folia-Europe remains resilient in its industry positioning. folia-europe.com

People will be given the opportunity to come along and learn It’ll give people the chance to actually experience the industry and learn what's involved

ONE THAMES CITY

RAJ

LOTS ROAD

THE OVAL

A “GAME CHANGER”

Robert Cunliffe on how the upcoming Procurement Act will make a difference

Four years in the making, the new Procurement Act 2023 comes into effect in October 2024. The new law will revolutionise public sector procurement. What does it mean and how will it benefit our sector? There are five game changers that we should all know about.

Simpler and flexible procurement procedures

The single stage Open procedure will remain, but all others are replaced with a Competitive Flexible procedure giving procuring authorities the flexibility to design bespoke procedures to suit what is being procured.

We’ll see the creation of new eight-year ‘open frameworks’, which will re-open to new suppliers every so often, rather than being completely re-run.

We’ll also begin to see ‘dynamic markets’, which are similar to the Dynamic Purchasing Systems that we have now, except the allowed scope now includes complex services rather than just commodity goods and services. In these dynamic markets, suppliers can get listed at any time and usually with a two-week lead time, meaning they can often react quickly to early market engagement sessions and position themselves to get listed in time to bid.

Hey there SMEs!

The new, slimmer and simpler procurement model is expected to attract businesses that traditionally would not have engaged with the public sector due to perceived obstacles in the contracting process. There is an obligation on procuring authorities to have regard to the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises may face particular barriers to participation and consider whether such barriers can be removed or reduced.

By focusing on opening up access to small businesses, voluntary, community, faith and social enterprises,

the new bill also highlights the continued importance of social value and sustainability being taken into account by awarding public sector bodies. The bill specifically includes “acting, and being seen to act, with integrity” as features of note when evaluating a new supplier.

The new bill also highlights the continued importance of social value and sustainability being taken into account by awarding public sector bodies

MEAT becomes MAT

Bids will be assessed to determine the “Most Advantageous Tender” (MAT) rather than “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” (MEAT). This will broaden the scope of what might be considered value for money.

This is a significant change as we consider the evaluation of innovation, which isn’t always cheap in the short term, and social value, which can be difficult to quantify in financial terms. It could mean we see fewer tenders with high weightings on price, and more on the technical, social and cultural aspects that add value to the organisation and its users.

Your performance, made public

The requirement for transparency is going to extend to the management of awarded contracts. This means that buyers will need to publish notices to Contracts Finder (or equivalent) whenever a contract is modified. For contracts over £5m, suppliers will be held to at least three KPIs that will be measured and reported on in the public domain. This will give greater information for competitors

to pitch to your customers, and poor performance could land you on the debarment list. These new sources of information can be integrated into bid qualification and capture planning processes.

You’re (De)barred!

Suppliers who have committed an ‘excludable offence’ will be prevented from bidding for future work. The length of time of the ban will be decided by government and can be challenged by suppliers in court.

For the first time, suppliers that perform badly on contracts and don’t rectify the issues will also be at risk of exclusion from future procurements by being added to this list.

Ensuring resolution processes – what communication channels, response times, escalation processes, and service credits are in contracts to ensure suppliers are able to respond quickly and effectively to issues –is critical to avoid this.

The Procurement Act is a significant step forward in modernising public procurement. While the full impact of the Act will not be felt until its implementation in October 2024, businesses and public sector organisations alike should start preparing for the changes ahead.

About Robert Cunliffe

Robert is the business development director for Tivoli Group, a UK leading independent grounds maintenance provider with a passion for self-delivering beautifully managed spaces, improving the environment and managing all forms of growth on behalf of clients. Cunliffe has spent his career working with customers to create, bid, win, mobilise, operate, and develop partnerships in the support services industry. He has a passion for technology and innovation to make services better and more sustainable for customers and staff.

tivoliservices.com

BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN ON SMALL SITES 5 TIPS FOR

Natural England's principal specialist in biodiversity metrics, Stephen Panks, on how to apply the legislation and strive for success

Consider BNG at the design stage

Think about how to incorporate existing natural habitats already present on the site like trees, hedgerows and grasslands. Planting a diverse range of street trees on small sites can significantly contribute to BNG. Water can enhance habitats in the form of ponds, sustainable drainage systems and rain gardens, as can adding green roofs or walls on built structures. Some developments are exempt from BNG regulations if they have little or no impact upon low value habitats on-site. Read the BNG guidance on exemptions to check.

Get familiar with the small sites metric

Developers must use the statutory biodiversity metric to demonstrate a net gain for all planning applications. A simplified version of this metric, the small sites metric (SSM), is available for certain smaller developments. Unlike the main metric, the SSM does not require an ecologist to undertake habitat condition assessments. Readers of Pro Landscaper may benefit from being familiar with the SSM as you can use it for easily identifiable habitats like arable field, modified grassland or individual trees. Please consult an ecologist for habitats like river, woodlands or higher distinctiveness grasslands. A habitat management and monitoring plan (HMMP) provides structure to shape how you deliver and manage your habitat designs. Use Natural England’s HMMP template to help get you started. Natural England's Habitat Guide provides an overview of different habitats and their management requirements.

Use native planting

When delivering your design, consider wildflower lawns and meadows instead of standard amenity grasses. Use the statutory biodiversity metric condition assessments to help understand and maximise planting mixes that BNG needs. It is important to consider local provenance. Native wildflower seeds are well-suited for BNG projects because they are adapted to our climate and soil conditions.

Involve others

BNG is an exciting, fast-moving space with new and improved products coming forward regularly, from green walls to urban lamppost planters. Let’s continue to maximise the opportunities arising from BNG, to support nature’s recovery and create healthy and sustainable places where people will want to live. 1 2 3 4 5

Share the benefits of nature-based solutions and help residents understand why habitats have a more naturalised appearance. Local people may want to help design and maintain sites, thereby helping with their long-term management. This can stop well-meaning individuals from mistakenly mowing these areas.

About Stephen Panks

Keep track of developments

Stephen Panks is a principal specialist in biodiversity metrics at Natural England. Since 2017, Panks has been instrumental in leading the development work and extensive user testing of the statutory biodiversity metric. He has worked closely with colleagues in Natural England, Defra and other industry professionals. The statutory metric has now been published by Defra and is being used across the globe from Canada to the Middle East, from Brazil to Singapore. naturalengland.org.uk

To ask a question or share your BNG plans, email biodiversitynetgainenquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

THERE’S NO ROOM FOR VE IN BNG

Tempted to hit budget by changing the specification that achieves BNG? Think again, warns Brian Hawtin

There is so much discussion about biodiversity net gain (BNG) and the first stages of achieving the points required to gain planning that some of the realities of the implementation of this legislation seem to have passed people by. But this is going to affect our work, our clients and the industry as a whole.

BNG legislation had been heading our way for several years before it finally became law in February this year. Small sites entered the arena in April and, apart from a few exceptions, all development now requires a demonstrable statutory biodiversity gain of 10% (though some local policies ask for more).

I have been actively working on the delivery strategy for BNG for around three years and the following areas have become more clearly defined for me with every update, report and view given on it.

The specification that has passed through planning and has been consented must be delivered to specification

Biodiversity net gain implementation must not – cannot – be value engineered. We are all familiar with projects where we are asked to deliver faster and cheaper than expected. Whether it's a budget overrun or trying to meet planning specifications that exceed standard costs, we've all received emails from quantity surveyors asking us to "fit the budget." Under the auspices of BNG, the specification that has passed through planning and has been consented must be delivered to specification. This means that all the plants approved must be of the size specified, soil preparation must be conducted in the approved manner, and any habitat creation must follow the specification laid out in the planning consent. In practical terms, this also means that the often-faced scenario of plants being supplied ‘last minute’ will not suffice as the plants supplied must match the plants specified. This will require a root and branch re-examination of how landscape is delivered.

“Landscape is the only delivery mechanism for onsite BNG” is a phrase that I repeat often. The value of landscape within a development context is, as we all know, low on the hierarchy of what needs to be delivered. The realisation by clients of the fact that BNG moves the goalposts to make it something that needs primary consideration in development will be a sharp lesson for some. Most of the supervision, monitoring and most importantly enforcement is still somewhat lacking in clarity, and this will evolve and develop as schemes hit the ground and become reality. The key point here is that landscape delivers a legislative requirement, which I have always been told is a crucial factor in establishing the importance of your skillset within the work environment.

The opportunity for landscape providers in BNG is significant, but the industry's skills shortage presents a challenge. The skills are different for habitat creation, and to meet the BNG criteria the various elements must be delivered to the standards that are prescribed in the consent. In short, recruit and train people for BNG as there aren’t enough specialists to tempt across from another company.

BNG is a good starting point, which will change and adapt as time passes. I am already seeing people blaming BNG for not working when all that has happened is that they haven’t engaged the correct consultants. BNG offers opportunities to wildlife, communities and the landscape industry as a whole; but for all of us to benefit, please remind any quantity surveyor that asks you to decrease the specification of the trees in a scheme that you can’t VE BNG – it’s the law.

About Brian Hawtin

Brian Hawtin, associate landscape architect at Huskisson Brown Associates and a chartered member of the LI, has worked in the landscape, development, and forestry sectors. He now advises clients on achieving BNG. Hawtin authored the Barratt Developments Landscape Handbook, designed and managed award-winning landscape projects, and lectured on Garden Design and Landscape Architecture at university. huskissonbrown.co.uk

LONGEVITY OF BNG ENSURING THE

Introducing biodiversity net gain is just the start – there's still plenty of questions that need to be answered for the industry to take full advantage of the 30-year maintenance requirement

WORDS: NINA MASON

Get Britain building again” - that’s the aim of the Labour government’s new target to build 1.5 million more homes in the next five years. It’s hoping to reach this ambitious goal through planning reforms, utilising brownfield sites and releasing low quality greenbelt land – all of which is unlikely to please nimbyists.

But there is something that might take the wind out of their sails. New legislation introduced earlier this year following the Environment Act 2021 makes it mandatory for developers to leave nature on the site in a better state than it was found in by a minimum of 10%.

There must also be a 30-year management plan for these newly created habitats, which sounds like an ideal growth opportunity for those in the grounds maintenance sector. But how can providers take advantage of biodiversity net gain?

“This is an area that’s not going to go away – and shouldn’t go away because of the situation that we’re in,” says Peter Northcroft, John O’ Conner’s first sustainability officer as of April this year. There's been a stark loss of biodiversity in the UK since 1970, according to last year’s State of Nature report. It showed a decline of UK species by 19% on average and that one in six species are now threatened with extinction. “So, John O’Conner should be involved in biodiversity net gain, not just from

a monetary point of view, but because it’s the right thing to do, and we can support our clients to achieve it.”

A former teacher, Northcroft is ensuring all staff at the grounds maintenance provider have the knowledge to do so. He has created an online Sustainability Hub, which all 600 employees have access to.

John

O’Conner

should

be involved in biodiversity

net gain, not just from a monetary point of view, but because it’s the right thing to do, and we can support our clients to achieve it

Peter Northcroft, Sustainability officer, John O’Conner

“Biodiversity net gain is on the agenda for lots of other companies; it’s how you approach the agenda and how you act upon it. For me, it’s about accessibility, so unpicking the details and presenting the nuts and bolts

to those on the ground, the contracts managers, the sales team and the directors.”

Northcroft also wants employees to learn from experience and to be able to pass that onto clients. That’s where the ‘Biodiversity Boost’ comes in – a test bed at John O’Conner’s headquarters in Welwyn where he’s trialling various products and solutions to improve biodiversity, such as building bat boxes, beetle loggeries, a bug hotel and eventually a wildlife pond. The results of this will then feed into the Sustainability Hub to “empower” staff with the resources and understanding they need to manage existing contracts but also those that are likely to come off the back of biodiversity net gain.

“For that 30-year buy in, we’re looking at the development of a site, and this is where it becomes a continuous cycle, from setting things up and receiving the reports and assessments and recommendations, then putting together what needs to be done and then reviewing those tangible gains.”

The information on the Hub can also help to further educate clients and help them to

continue to provide at least a 10% net gain of biodiversity on the site.

Redfields Landscaping & Design is also exploring the new “gap in the market”, says director Ian Osburn. The commercial landscaper, which hits its 40-year milestone next year, has been gearing up its maintenance department over the last two years to become a “core part of the business” alongside its design and construction offerings. It sees biodiversity net gain as a big opportunity to take this further.

“There are few companies with the critical mass to perform maintenance over a certain scale –which requires multiple skills over multiple years – consistently for larger clients,” says director Ian Osburn.

But that’s the attraction of landscaping at the moment, says Osburn; it’s consolidating and professionalising. Previously, bluechip contractors have been serviced by a “fragmented market”, which had worked until now. Biodiversity net gain, with its 30-year maintenance obligation, is the game changer – at least, for those equipped to manage such a contract. “We just don't see that the smaller landscapers who make up so much of the industry are going to be able to invest in the skills, the knowledge, technology and the equipment to be able to do that.”

It’s a cost that companies the size of John O’Conner and Redfields can absorb through economies of scale; they can deliver the maintenance over the 30-year period more efficiently. “A lot of our clients now don’t just want a van turning up and the grass cut; they need operatives to have rounds, risk assessments, method statements, the appropriate insurance in place. So, you not

only need the technical expertise but also the operational framework that only a landscaper of our size and upwards is going to have. That’s why maintenance is growing for Redfields, and it’s a natural progression into biodiversity net gain,” says Redfields managing director Tom Hobbs who took on the role three months ago.

But that doesn’t come without its challenges. “There’s a fear that the government will herald BNG as a way of heading off at the pass any criticism of building 300,000 houses a year and then the 30-year maintenance plan will be forgotten about. Without an effective enforcement regime, the 'gain' in BNG will simply disappear, and quickly too,” says Hobbs.

Without an enforcement regime, it’s just going to be a one-sided fight

Tom Hobbs, Managing director, Redfields Landscaping & Design

Ensuring the 30-year covenant is adhered to is therefore “essential”, adds Osburn. “It’s complicated and there’s a cost of delivery and maintenance, so it simply isn’t going to happen unless there’s enforcement. As always with enforcement and regulation, you need a competent regulator that has sufficient teeth, or you’ll get a race to the bottom.”

How adherence is measured, though, is still a grey area, and the penalties for those who do not put in place a sufficient longterm maintenance plan is unclear. Defra and Natural England have put together a template for creating a habitat management and monitoring plan (HMMP)

but there’s no framework for how this will be tracked and by who. So, whilst there’s clear enforcement at the front end for housebuilders who are required to bring in ecologists ahead of the scheme receiving planning permission, the details are “up in the air” for what takes place once it has been built, says Hobbs.

A self-accreditation model could be the answer, he reckons. Rather than local authorities having to train people to accredit and monitor these schemes, the grounds maintenance companies could do it for themselves. They could be “accredited to accredit”, carrying out maintenance checks which are then audited by a third party perhaps twice annually.

“If there aren’t the people outside of the immediate landscaping fraternity to do it, and it’s very fragmented, then maybe the landscaping industry can do it, and we could become an accredited maintenance organisation.”

It works in other industries, such as fire protection, with rigorous systems and procedures, says Hobbs. It would also make the entry barrier higher, ensuring only trained professionals are carrying out the 30-year maintenance plans.

There are other gaps in the management plan to address too, though. “There needs to be replacement and recovery covenants as well so that you ensure any loss of diverse species that happens naturally is not happening to an extent that it actually undermines the purpose of why you’re maintaining the site for biodiversity – that it’s either naturally renewing or assisted to renew,” says Osburn.

These landscapes are “moveable feasts” after all, and climate change is making how they evolve even less predictable.

There’s also the potential impact of adjacent developments which might impact existing sites and their biodiversity net gain compliance. So, the 30-year plan needs to take into account the changing environment around the development as well as the immediate one.

Not to mention

JOHN O'CONNER'S 'BIODIVERSITY BOOST' TEST BED AND BUG HOTELS

there could be eventual pressure to develop offset sites on the outskirts of urban areas too. Where delivery of biodiversity net gain is not possible on the development site itself, developers can purchase credits for an offsetting site where conservation of habitats and environments will take place. But what happens if these sites are sold for development? This is where it becomes complicated, says Osburn. “You’d have to presumably double offsets for that development.”

Biodiversity net gain has only been mandatory for a few months, and it’s going to take time to get the legislation right and functioning correctly, he says. But overall, it’s a powerful piece of legislation that could have a genuinely positive impact.

There used to be little appreciation of the impact building had on the environment and biodiversity. When that appreciation started to come through following startling headlines about biodiversity loss in the UK, the public turned less in favour of building and the planning system has become stringent as a result to offset the impacts, without any solutions, says Osburn. This pushes up house prices and also leads to overcrowding where no new schools or prisons are being built.

“Biodiversity net gain could be a very good answer to all that because it answers a lot of

the challenges of building. Up until now, building has overly impacted on biodiversity and the environment, and it needs to repair

Up until now, building has overly impacted on biodiversity and the environment, and it needs to repair some of that. BNG is the right framework going forward

Ian Osburn, Director, Redfields Landscaping & Design

some of that. BNG is the right framework going forward. We’re convinced that this is effectively building in a sustainable way.”

The environmentalists can play a role in adherence too, adds Hobbs. “That’s where we need their pressure – not the pressure of saying that you can’t build. They can be the referees, making sure the framework is in place and the follow up strategy is correct.”

Public consciousness is likely to grow as more and

more schemes start to be implemented too, says Osburn. The conversation will switch from what will be done to what is being done. But education needs to start in the landscaping industry first, with earlier collaboration in projects from all parties involved.

“Where BNG will plug in the most and where we’re investing to train is absolutely the design side of the business – so that they will have the expertise to take on the obligation from the clients – and on the maintenance side, because skills will be needed to carry out the maintenance as well over a long period of time and conforming to the regime. Take soil, for instance.

Biodiversity is going to require certain soil conditions and potential maintenance of soil conditions or sympathetic planting.”

This is where Redfields arguably has the upper hand in offering design, installation and maintenance, and having the “full chain of custody or ownership of the BNG requirement”. And if you have the expertise, Osburn expects the costs to not be that onerous for the maintenance, which is where economies of scale come back in again. “To monitor and maintain a biodiversity net gain

allocated area, if you know what you’re doing, could be a relatively modest cost for 30 years. If you don’t know what you’re doing, the costs are going to be huge.”

He says Redfields is looking to help consolidate the industry and is considering purchasing businesses to build either its regional or service offering. “There are a lot of landscaping companies doing between £3.5m and £5m of sales, and once you get beyond that, you need to start putting in place systems, processes, policy and so on – and that’s what BNG needs. It’s a very different skillset. A lot of people who

are in senior operational positions at Redfields used to own their own business but understood the advantages of being part of something larger. So, we’re looking to bring into the group businesses of a certain size. You've got exiting owners who want something for the business they’ve built, and we look to provide that; but also, then provide the next level of services and professionalism for the clients, who up until now ave been dealing with a fragmented supplier base.”

Redfields is looking for housebuilders and contractors to hand over their 30-year BNG

To monitor and maintain a biodiversity net gain allocated area, if you know what you’re doing, could be a relatively modest cost for 30 years. If you don’t know what you’re doing, the costs are going to be huge

Ian Osburn, Director, Redfields Landscaping & Design

obligations to it, as they would hand over houses to the private owner and open spaces to the management company. “The liability would be taken by Redfields and the housebuilder would have absolute confidence that it’s going to be done with all due competence and rigour over those 30 years.”

Biodiversity net gain could undoubtedly prove to be lucrative for companies such as Redfields. But it’s actually a ‘win-win’ for everybody, says Osburn. It underpins the government’s new housebuilding targets whilst addressing the devastating biodiversity loss in the UK, and it provides a significant opportunity for those in the landscaping sector. The success of the legislation, though, is in the enforcement of the 30-year maintenance period – without a clear framework, a race to the bottom is imminent, and no-one will end up winning.

RAIN CHECK

No date has yet been set for implementing Schedule 3, but when it is set in stone, could SuDS becoming mandatory be a potential gamechanger or just a drop in the ocean?

WORDS: NINA MASON

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) becoming mandatory in England should be cause for celebration. More than 1,000 homes were flooded back in January when Storm Henk caused the rivers to burst their banks. It followed what was the wettest period in the UK on record, from July to December, according to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. And with a warming climate, this is likely to become the norm rather than an anomaly, with warmer and wetter winters on their way.

SuDS aim to reduce the risk of surface water flooding, managing runoff by slowing flow rates and storing the water. “Back in the noughties, SuDS was about betterment. We’ve gone from betterment to prescribed design events of one in 100 years – or 1% probability in any given year that you’ll get an event like that – and then now adding a 40% climate resilience factor into those calculations,” says Neill Robinson-Welsh, blue roof consultant for water technology company ACO.

Virtually all sites now look at ‘greenfield runoff rates’, calculated before groundwork begins on a new development. Rainwater reuse, for instance, needs to be considered for when we have long periods of drought and then, when there is high intensity

rainfall on dry land, that this will run off and initially not be absorbed, says Robinson-Welsh.

“You get greater frequency of flash flooding. If you pave over everything, then you’re just channelling that water to the lowest point. You’ll have certain communities that are going to be far more vulnerable to flooding than they were previously because upstream developments might be causing problems for those downstream.”

You’ll have certain communities that are going to be far more vulnerable

to flooding than they were previously because upstream developments might be causing problems for those downstream

Neill Robinson-Welsh, Blue roof consultant for water technology company, ACO

That’s why, at the start of 2023, Defra announced its intentions to make SuDS a

requirement for all new developments in England with the implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood Water Management Act 2010. This was due to happen in 2024. But we’re already eight months into the year with no update and the government has since changed hands. “The question will be, where does this sit as a priority for the new government? And the initial talk of relaxing some of the planning rules sends alarm bells,” says Robinson-Welsh.

On top of that, it’s not entirely clear how much difference the legislation would even make. Whilst the stipulations differ depending on the local authority, most planning policy already requires developments to include SuDS. A SuDS Approval Body (SAB) would be appointed, as in Wales where SuDS are already mandatory; but in the five years since this became the case, they’re still “accepting bad design”, says Kevin Barton, managing director of Robert Bray Associates.

“It’s not the silver bullet everyone thinks it is. We’re in such a pitiful situation with SuDS in the UK that we’re actually further back than we were in the mid 90s when it first came over here from the States, which is pretty shocking. The ideas that were demonstrated in the States were fantastic and some of it was integrated with open design and landscape architecture – it looked good, and it was well designed. You’d think it was a natural habitat feature but it had been totally manufactured.”

It’s not the silver bullet everyone thinks it is. We’re in such a pitiful situation with SuDS in the UK that we’re actually further back than we were in the mid 90s

Kevin Barton, managing director, Robert Bray Associates

Pilot projects in the UK carried this on through; but when standards started to be introduced, “they asked the wrong people to come up with the rules for it.”

Rather than being part of landscape design, it instead became about hydraulic modelling and flood mitigation, whereas it had primarily been about water quality in the

States, explains Barton, with flood mitigation as a co-benefit. This has turned SuDS into a “dark art”, he says.

“They made it all about engineering, which set us back a long way. It’s like inventing the car. We’ve got horses and carts and we’re all desperate to get around, so let’s invent a car which has the cockpit of a Boeing 757 and suddenly expect everyone to be able to drive it effectively, whereas a steering wheel and maybe one gear would do initially. They made SuDS so onerous and technical and made it so reliant on hydraulic modelling being the arbiter of good design that it put off all the creative disciplines that should be engaged in it and it encouraged bad design.”

Most schemes going through planning at the moment have ‘end-of-pipe’ systems, with “conventional drainage” and a “big hole at the bottom” or “a tank underground”. The water goes to one or two places. But when Barton and his team design a scheme, they distribute the SuDS throughout the development – on roofs, in rain gardens, through permeable paving, tree pits, swales, basins, wetlands and ponds.

“Rather than one flow point, we want 50 integrated into the development. To model what we do on the modelling software that’s prevalent in the industry would take a long time and once you’ve done it you don’t want

to change your design. So, there are lots of ways it discourages good outcomes. If you want to maximise your fees, you’d just do an end-of-pipe system that takes five minutes to design.”

So, rather than mandatory SuDS being an opportunity for the landscaping industry, it’s unlikely to have an impact at all. Despite the government mentioning features such as soakaways, grass areas, permeable surfaces and wetlands to reduce the impact on rainfall on new developments in its initial announcement, Barton reckons the easier end-of-pipe systems will be “the prevailing approach”.

Robert Bray Associates is determined to change this. It’s running masterclasses to “empower landscape architects to be able to challenge the thinking that’s coming out of the engineering community” and to change SuDS from being seen as an “engineering led discipline where hydraulic modelling is king”.

It’s pouring years of dedicated SuDS knowledge into essentially training up its competitors. “It needs radical change, and I see our role now as disruptors. We can’t do anything too radical because we’re too

small and we’re not a government agency, but we can keep spreading the word on social media and training landscape architects in our trade secrets. The more of them that start fighting against the prevailing wind, then maybe a culture of expectation

The people leading the process should be landscape architects because it’s essentially another function of the landscape. It’s a no-brainer

Kevin Barton, managing director, Robert Bray Associates

for landscape-led SuDS will be created and will more quickly become the norm.

But there’d still be a “knowledge gap” in those evaluating SuDS schemes for approval, or the SABs, when Schedule 3 is eventually implemented. “Most of them aren’t qualified to evaluate schemes in terms of anything other than hydraulics and maybe water quality, so as

soon as it starts coming down to the design for amenity and biodiversity, they’re out of their depth because it’s out of their professional remit.” Perfectly good schemes could be rejected because they might not include “standard details”. There’s a risk of a “kit part” approach, says Barton.

To avoid SuDS becoming a “paint by numbers” scenario, multiple disciplines within a council should be evaluating schemes instead, he suggests –biodiversity officers, tree officers, landscape architects and urban designers. “And it needs to be driven home that it should be landscape led.”

With enough knowledge, most landscape architects could take SuDS all the way to the detailed design stage and just get an engineer to validate it, he says. “Nobody would challenge that architecture should be design led and that the role of the architect is to understand enough about the engineering aspects and how these fit in with a broader vision, aesthetics, usability and everything else that we want from a well-designed building. For us, it’s the same for designing a SuDS feature and how it impacts the

landscape. The people leading the process should be landscape architects because it’s essentially another function of the landscape. It’s a no-brainer.”

And the landscaping solutions can save money, says Barton. A recent project he undertook in London saved around £800k when blue green roofs were chosen instead of tanks to store the same volume of water. On top of this, there are benefits for the heat island effect, biodiversity, air quality, cooling the building and energy control. “It’s hard for developers to get their heads around that it’s going to save them money and deliver all these benefits.”

fore is water quality, so the treatment of water runoff and ensuring good quality water is being discharged for reuse.” It will clarify what’s required and ensure there’s clear responsibility for who runs and maintains the systems and how these are managed in perpetuity – which could spark a growth area for grounds maintenance companies.

Education will still be key, though, for where there’s a mix of green and hard solutions.

What Schedule 3 will bring to the fore is water quality, so the treatment of water runoff and ensuring good quality water is being discharged for reuse

Neill

Robinson-Welsh, Blue roof consultant for water technology company, ACO

Green solutions are much preferred over hard, says Robinson-Welsh – but this requires space which is not always available. “Then there’s still the requirement to deal with surface water. What Schedule 3 will bring to the

“Part of maintaining these elements will be understanding the harder systems and how the green and grey work together, complement one another, and how these feed into the treatment train for the whole development. There are quite a few hybrid systems on the market that incorporate plants as well as more engineered structures within them, and there will be a need for people to know and understand how those systems are maintained.”

Ahead of Schedule 3 being implemented, whenever this may be, Robinson-Welsh would encourage those hoping to take advantage of any opportunities to look at The SuDS Manual from CIRIA, at the different techniques that could be used and then look at the types of proprietary systems available and learn how these could be integrated with green. There are CPDs available, including those from ACO, on SuDS related components.

The landscaping industry isn't quite ready to take advantage of the opportunities from Schedule 3 yet, warns Barton. For SuDS to be seen as landscape led, the industry needs to step up, and fast – or risk missing out.

Moulded back bench

Olympic dual bin

Giant precinct planter

Amberwall range

Planter Enhancement range

Beehive planter

Stone trough Penguin bin

GreenBlue Urban is delighted to showcase our collaboration on the transformative Wood Street project in Cardiff, executed in partnership with Arup, Cardiff Council, and Knights Brown. This initiative significantly enhanced the local community by addressing urban challenges through innovative green and blue infrastructure.

The project removed 6,800m² of impermeable surface from the combined sewer system, ensuring resilience against one in 100-year rainfall events. Road space was reallocated to create wider pavements, integrated seating areas, enhanced cycling infrastructure, and new green spaces. Notably, the installation of a UK-first controlled cycleway crossing assists blind and partially sighted individuals, showcasing inclusive design advised by disability groups. This transformation from a grey, urban street to a vibrant green space improved air quality with 25 semi-mature trees, six large biodiverse rain gardens, and three sedum-roofed bus stops.

Commitment to quality

Despite the potential for value engineering to reduce green infrastructure, all stakeholders remained committed to nature-based solutions.

Multidisciplinary coordination meetings and designercontractor workshops ensured that the trees and planting were installed as designed, even when site limitations necessitated minor adjustments. This project set a new benchmark by being the first city-centre scheme to gain approval from the SuDS Approval Body in Wales.

As a gateway to the city, Wood Street now improves accessibility from adjacent

PROMOTION

GreenBlue Urban’s SuDS solutions transform Wood Street

maximise the pollutant removal, encourage healthy tree and plant growth and deal with large volumes of water in extreme rain events. The SuDS features treat highway runoff, reducing contaminants. The diverse planting, including native species, attracts pollinators and enhances local biodiversity.

Testimonials

Ian Titherington of the Welsh Government praises the project as “an exceptional example of what can be achieved with SuDS in a heavily developed city centre.”

Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, lauds the transformation for its visual improvement and flood mitigation benefits.

GREY TO GREEN

southwest wards, enhancing visibility and safety. The tree-lined street connects more people to green spaces, particularly benefiting commuters and workers in Central Square.

Overcoming challenges

The project team creatively navigated numerous utilities and flat site conditions to ensure adequate soil volumes for tree health and effective water flow into SuDS features. Engagement with various stakeholders throughout the design and delivery phases was crucial to resolving potential conflicts.

GreenBlue Urban ArborFlow SuDs solution was used, along with RootSpace soil support cells, Root Management and

Irrigation products, and the specially designed soil, ArborSoil HydroMax. This manufactured soil is designed to be used in tree pits and rain gardens to

Wood Street was also crowned the winning project for category; Regeneration and retrofit – small scale at the 2024 susdrain SuDS Awards.

This project exemplifies the successful collaboration between Arup, Cardiff Council, Knights Brown, and GreenBlue Urban, showcasing our shared dedication to creating sustainable, healthy urban environments through innovative SuDS solutions. greenblue.com

Enabling Award Winning Public Spaces

ENDLESS HORIZONS

How Q-railing is redefining possibilities in landscape architecture

Q-railing is the premium brand in railing systems delivering balustrade solutions to private homes, office buildings or large public facilities such as stadiums, airports, shopping centres, universities or indoor and outdoor public spaces.

For over 20 years, Q-railing has provided excellence in design and is now creating bespoke, customised and innovative solutions for projects using the highest quality stainless steel and aluminium products.

Bring your space to life with Q-web

Whether installing on a residential property or large

CASE STUDY: Q-RAILING IN PUBLIC SPACES

SOUNDYARD, BELFAST –Q-LIGHTS LINEAR LED

commercial outdoor or indoor space, the Q-web is the ideal structure to intertwine plants and LED lights to create a spectacular green wall. The Q-web is currently being used to create green spaces on

balconies and to bring public communal spaces to life.

Aesthetically pleasing and sustainable Aluminium

Easy Alu is a versatile highgrade aluminium railing system providing a modern look, but what makes Q-railing aluminium systems really special is the ready-to-install modules, providing the utmost convenience and quickest installation. With infills including glass, vertical bar or metal plate

After an eight-year restoration project, the Grade II* listed Battersea Power Station is now open and is London’s most exciting new shopping and leisure destination.

Battersea Riverboat Pier

Q-railing supplied the posted railing system to ensure safe pier access at Battersea River Boat Pier. Using the Square Line range it proved that great design doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult to achieve. With LED spotlights on the underside of the handrail, 10mm clear fully toughened glass infill panels, and bespoke fabricated gates. A full prefix service was provided, including detailed drawings and design through to shipping.

Malaysia Square

A combination of 60x30 Q-Line, Easy Glass Max Channel for 3kN glass balustrade and a customised curved handrail with LED integrated lights, was also supplied for the new Malaysia square; a public square to the south of the Grade II* listed Power Station.

and all prefix options available including cutting, drilling, powder coating, pre assembly and even fascia mounting.

Light the way with Q-lights Linear LED

For balustrades and stairs, Q-lights is available both for indoor (IP00 and IP20) and outdoor (IP54 and IP66) applications. You can confidently use this system in public spaces as the tough materials give it good protection against vandalism (up to IK10). In addition, the 30-metre-long LED strips and matching transformers are compliant with Emergency Class II. Integrate the LED handrail with a DALI light control system or another smart-home solution – all the strips are incredibly energy efficient, using only 6W per metre.

Personalised consulting Q-railing has specialised architectural consultants available for personal consultations. Offering customised railing solutions, drawn to your specifications and with safety standards in mind. Also providing you with advice and support during the realisation of your project.

Visit https://q-railing.com/en-gb/ Call +44(0)800 781 42 45 Email ukconsultant@q-railing.com

Battersea Power Station

Pro Landscaper and Tivoli brought together key stakeholders to discuss how the sector can better align to meet everyone’s needs

WORDS: NINA MASON

FUTUREPROOFING OUR PUBLIC SPACES

If there were to be a silver lining of the covid-19 pandemic, it would be that the public’s valuing of green spaces appeared to soar as a result. A report by the National Trust in 2020 showed that nearly two-thirds appreciated local green spaces more and wanted the government to put them higher up the list of priorities.

But whilst demand and appreciation might be on the up, budgets for their upkeep are typically the opposite. Despite all their health and wellbeing benefits – the Mental Health Foundation, for instance, found that green spaces helped nearly half of people (45%) in the UK to cope throughout the pandemic – these areas are still not seen as a statutory service.

The maintenance of public open spaces arguably needs to switch from formal to natural management, and yet clients across the various sectors are struggling to find the funding to support this. This puts grounds maintenance providers in a difficult position where they’re having to shake up the way they operate with little guidance in the specification.

Eleven senior representatives from key stakeholders therefore came together at Farnham Castle in Surrey on 12 July to consider what action could be taken to futureproof these spaces and ensure they continue to offer their wealth of benefits, from health and wellbeing to carbon sequestration to increasing biodiversity.

TABLE AT THE

Dr Saira Ali

Team leader landscape design & conservation, City of Bradford Metropolitan Council

• Scott Chalmers

Landscape design and delivery manager, Urban and Civic plc

• Robert Cunliffe

Business development director, Tivoli

• Peter Duignan Lecturer, Merrist Wood College

• Luke Girling

Contracts monitoring officer, Wealden District Council

• Richard Green

Maintenance contracts manager, Home Group

• Nicola Hancock Director, The Environment Partnership (TEP)

• Tony Leach

Chief executive, Parks for London

• Sarah Lee

Marketing & communications manager, Tivoli

• Jo Reid

Green spaces contract manager, Mid Sussex District Council

• Dinny Shaw

Head of planning, Places for People

• Jonathan Yates

Head of delivery, Southern Water

Early collaboration

Where maintenance providers tend to be brought in quite late in the process, they are given little opportunity to feed into the design of the space and how this impacts on the longterm management of it. When projects are in their genesis – be it new developments or regenerating existing land – decisions are made that affect the enduring phase. The

Whilst demand and appreciation might be on the up, budgets for their upkeep are typically the opposite

introduction of biodiversity net gain legislation earlier this year mandates a 30-year management plan for new developments too, which is a far longer timeline than many would have budgeted for in the past.

Engaging those who will be taking over the maintenance of the space earlier in the process, at the design stage, could not only make the completed scheme more manageable in terms of frequency and required treatments but it could also drive down the cost of the maintenance agreements and specifications. Biodiversity net gain could make maintenance more complex, with different types of habitats being introduced into schemes that some operatives might have little experience in managing – for which upskilling might be necessary – so considering how to make other aspects of maintenance easier could help providers or embracing technology such as robotic mowers.

The 30-year management period required for new developments could prove to be a big commercial opportunity for maintenance providers, but the industry-wide skills shortage

might prevent some from taking advantage of it. Fewer people are coming through horticultural colleges, so courses are being reduced or combined. And whilst the latter arguably has its benefits such as providing a more rounded education, there’s still a need to attract a more diverse workforce to horticulture.

The Apprenticeship Levy proved fruitful to begin with, but this appears to be dropping off. Research from City & Guilds last year revealed only 4% of levy-paying employers had used their full levy funding in the last five years and 96% of businesses are eager to see a change in the levy to break down some of the barriers to entry.

Community engagement

More creativity is perhaps needed when considering how to maintain a space, part of which could be utilising community engagement. Bringing local residents into the conversation earlier, to co-design and co-create, could build a sense of ownership in the community and they might be interested in looking after parts of the scheme themselves. There are other benefits too, such as deterring anti-social behaviour once the project is complete.

Ownership can also be created by refurbishing or regenerating rather than always building from scratch, as certain areas and structures already have a place within a community. Bringing people along on the journey and demonstrating how you’re breathing new life into something that’s perhaps derelict or neglected can offer a valuable message in terms of sustainability.

Robust maintenance plans for what’s needed and the resource required can then be created early on, once it’s clear what the community will not be able to maintain, and this can be built into the costs from the beginning. This might help to avoid value engineering of soft landscape works in order to cut costs and maintenance later on.

Continued communication with those involved throughout the process is important too, be that with clients or the owners or users of the green space, so that they know what is being delivered, when and why.

This does require resource, though. An upcoming legal requirement to ensure social

housing residents are engaged in consultations could prove tricky for local authorities, for instance, where budgets and resources are already stretched. So, there needs to be careful consideration on how these are carried out to ensure they are bringing in the maximum value.

The concept of co-design and co-create is fairly new, so local communities are used to being told what is happening rather than involved in the process. This can make engagement difficult, especially when residents and businesses are facing so many other challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis. Rather than resigning these as being ‘hard to reach’ communities, project teams need to be creative in their approach. For instance, holding consultations at varying times rather than just in the evenings to ensure different groups can attend and to allow them to see the space at different times of the day to consider what they might need.

A shift in mindset

There can be a resistance to change from certain stakeholders, though. Encouraging clients to be trailblazers and try a new approach can prove difficult, and section 106 agreements that stipulate funding for maintenance could be years out of date by the time the scheme has been delivered. There’s the political landscape to consider too – a change in the local authority can impact priorities and that’s difficult the plan ahead for, as are the changing needs of a space and its local community.

Rather than a traditional input maintenance contract, perhaps a more “sustainable economy strategy” encourages procurement in a sustainable manner. This would have a whole host of different KPIs to the traditional approach, such as including the need for Real Living Wage to ensure the contractor is fairly paying its employees or encouraging on-contract innovation. Contractors who are subcontracting could be asked for the percentage that is being

spent on local skills. Some maintenance companies can underprice a bid to try to win the work, so clients need to give these contractors the confidence that pricing the work correctly will not be detrimental to them. They could include a minimum number of hours in the tender and back this up with data specification, such as needing digital workforce scheduling, before and after photographs, and needing to know how many operatives are on site and for how long.

It all comes back to early collaboration to find solutions, but also a switch in mindset from thinking of these open spaces as liabilities to instead viewing them as assets and opportunities

To avoid contractors going in low and then adding the cost of extra work with a high percentage on it, a separate specification could be written along with a schedule of rates document with fixed prices. Taking time over the procurement process can avoid problems in the long run.

It all comes back to early collaboration to find solutions, but also a switch in mindset from thinking of these open spaces as liabilities to instead viewing them as assets and opportunities.

A stewardship model, rather than relying on a commuted sum which could dry up unless invested wisely, explores how aspects of the space can generate income to support the ongoing maintenance. There’s also the potential to sell biodiversity net gain credits on the sites that are going above and beyond their 10% requirement, the profit of which can be put back into the management.

A considerable amount of time goes by between the concept of a scheme and the delivery, with so much money spent throughout this process. If this were to be condensed with fewer hoops, it might save money which could be redirected towards the aftercare and maintenance, to the long-term preservation of the space. This comes down to legislation and will perhaps be made easier through the new government’s plans to shake up the planning system.

After all, maintenance should not necessarily be seen as an opportunity to save money –though there are creative ways to reduce the cost – but instead as something that needs to be considered from the beginning and money should be moved around throughout the various stages to accommodate this.

All stakeholders need to be challenging the norm and trying different approaches to ensure that green spaces – whether newly created or revitalised – are looked after for years to come and can continue to provide those health and wellbeing benefits. Green spaces should be seen as an asset in which we need to invest.

PROMOTION

GREENING ATHLONE

Green-tech is helping to regenerate Athlone in Ireland with its Urban TreeParker® Tree Planting Cell System

• Project name Athlone Public Realm Tree Pits

• Location Athlone, Co Westmeath, Ireland

• Landscape architect Optimised Environments, Edinburgh

• Landscape contractor John Craddock Ltd

• Product/services supplied Green-tech TreeParker®, Mona Irrigation, Tree Anchors, Green-tech Rootbarrier BEFORE AFTER

Athlone, Co Westmeath is a thriving town in the centre of Ireland. The ambitious Urban Design and Regeneration Framework Plan includes a package of projects that aims to regenerate Athlone, realise its full potential as one of five Regional Growth Centres in Co Westmeath, and position it as a destination for tourism.

New road layouts and tree planting were undertaken at Dublin Gate Street, Mardyke

Street North, and Marist Brothers’ Corner, with plans to pedestrianise Sean Costello Street, creating a link between the shopping areas of Athlone town centre.

with McAdam Design and OPEN Landscape Architects. John Cradock Ltd was awarded the works contract in January 2023, with work starting quickly thereafter. John Cradock has been one of Ireland’s leading civil engineering and building contractors for over 30 years.

John Cradock had worked with Green-tech previously on the Waterford Greenway project, involving 48 trees that required geo-cellular support. Using its raft-style support system in that instance, it was keen to see Green-tech’s new TreeParker® urban tree pit system, introduced to the market at Future Build at the beginning of March 2023. Although TreeParker® has been used over the years on highprofile, large public realm projects throughout mainland Europe and the Middle East, this was to be Green-tech’s first TreeParker® project in the UK and Ireland.

that the TreeParker® units are assembled, this caused no problem whatsoever; the support legs simply straddled the service pipes, as can be seen in the photos.

The Cradock’s team is used to working with geo-cellular tree pit systems and saw no problem with the straightforward design of TreeParker®. However, as it was the first official installation, Green-tech sent a team to observe and offer assistance and guidance if needed. It turned out none was, as the system was quicker to install than even the contractors expected.

rather than needing to use a fast-draining and low organic structural tree soil, a soft, friable, organic topsoil can be used.

Although highly rigid, the units still provide 95% of their volume for rooting space. The reinforced legs are available in various heights. This gives a flexibility with depth options, and more importantly, without the need to stack multiple units, saving installation time and money. It also enables the units, by having legs rather than side walls, to easily straddle, or work around service pipes and lines.

The Regeneration Team, with funding from Project Ireland 2040, worked on the initial stages

As is common in a town centre, there was the expected multitude of service lines and pipes running through the rooting area at various levels and angles. However, due to the way

The new TreeParker® system comprises rigid, modular units made from reinforced, recycled polypropylene. The units enable the ground above a tree pit to be trafficked, supporting the paving above (up to 56t/m2), whilst still protecting the soil below from compaction. This means that

Alasdair Innes from Greentech says: “The John Cradock team were impressed with the speed and ease with which the units went in, and the way the service pipes were easily worked around was a definite bonus." For more details of any products or a copy of Green-tech’s product catalogue (digital or hard copy), call the Green-tech team on 01423 332 100 or email sales@green-tech.co.uk

INCLUSIVITY IN PLAY

DAVIES WHITE LTD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

WESTON PLAY ZONE AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, DUXFORD, CAMBRIDGE

The Imperial War Museum tells the story of people who have lived, fought, and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value

£1.3m

Build time

6 months

Size of project

100m x 50m

Its unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events, tell vivid personal stories, and create powerful physical experiences across its five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force.

1 The Wellington Bomber

2 Drone photos by The School Renovation Company

Its five branches attract over 2.5 million visitors each year, with its Duxford site being Britain’s best preserved wartime airfield, with a fascinating history that dates back to the First World War.

Exploring state-of-the-art exhibition halls and historic buildings, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the men and women who served at RAF Duxford and then sit back and admire the series of historic aircrafts that can regularly be seen taking to the skies from the longstanding airfield.

The Imperial War Museum had been gifted a generous donation of £1.5m from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Established in 1958. the foundation is a family-founded, grant-making charity which supports causes across the UK.

In line with the foundation and its agenda, the money was set to create a multisensory outdoor play experience at the site in Duxford for toddlers and children of all ages to enjoy.

Drawing inspiration from its aviation heritage as well as the history of Duxford, the museum enlisted the assistance of design practice, Davies White Ltd, in collaboration with fine artist and former head of fine art at Manchester University, Mel Chantrey.

To ensure its suitability for children of all ages and access requirements, The Imperial War Museum and the design team also worked closely with families from the charity, Little Miracles, which provided invaluable guidance throughout the design process.

Through focus groups and feedback sessions, the families were able to tell the design team what would help enhance the

experience for children with additional needs and disabilities.

The brief set to prioritise accessibility and inclusion, making the new Weston Play Zone a must-visit destination for families across the East of England.

Davies White and Chantrey set out to combine innovative bespoke play equipment with a carefully designed landscape to create a fun and engaging outdoor space

Occupying a 100m x 50m space, the key features of the Weston Play Zone include a climbing structure inspired by a Wellington Bomber – with a wingspan of over 15m and including a series of kinetic play features, as well as a nearby “air traffic control panel” which would include talking tubes to allow those on ground to communicate with those within the plane.

There were also plans to include an elevated

walkway inspired by aircraft contrails, and an area for younger children consisting of low winding walls, interactive sound making features, mini archways, aircraft wheels, and a wheelchair accessible ramp.

To improve the accessibility of the area, a low wide inclusive slide was added to the design and also a quiet sheltered area which includes zipline, seesaw, ground level trampolines, and climbing frames specifically for toddlers.

Whilst sustainable play space design is the practice of creating an outdoor space to comply with a set of principles that make it a functional, thriving, and ecologically friendly destination, the main principles of Davies White's eco-friendly approach to projects include reducing water consumption, soil erosion, and waste.

At Davies White, its projects are responsive to the environment, re-generative, and actively contribute to the development of healthy communities. Where possible it creates schemes that sequester carbon, clean the air and water, increase energy efficiency, restore habitats, and create value through significant economic, social and environmental benefits.

Davies White works hard to be as sustainable as possible even when the site and project has constraints. However, none of these challenges are new to Davies White and it always uses its years of experience and creative skills to design and create play spaces that are original, inspiring and fun but also as sustainable as possible.

The planting design for the project responded to the airfield setting where ground cover plants rather than trees were appropriate. Taking inspiration from camouflage netting the plants cover the ground in a mosaic of evergreen contrasting textures. Around the aircraft ornamental grasses Stipa tenuissima, Briza media and Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ were planting in large swards to capture the motion of the wind’.

The original playground at the museum was totally flat, as is most of its Duxford site, so to create boundaries Davies White used landform that were created from the cut taken from the site. This meant no excavated material was removed from the site. The original playground was small, boring, and

3 The Vapor Trail climbing frames

4 Wheelchair accessible see-saw ramp

5 View across from the toddler play zone, the shelters were inspired by parachutes

6 Windsock slide and double zip wires in the distance

7 Wheelchair accessible ground level trampolines

uninspiring, and was at the end of its 20-year life; however, Davies White managed to salvage several play items, refurbish them, and donate them to a local school.

The creation of the Weston Play Zone at Imperial War Museum Duxford created some challenges and tough decisions in terms of how sustainable it could be. For example, Davies White always chooses play sand as its number one impact surface as it is sustainable, aesthetically pleasing and has its own play value as well as being a surface. However, sand and an active airfield don’t really work well together, and neither does loose wood or bark chip; the client would be endlessly topping it up. For this reason Davies White had to look at the choice of rubber bonded surfaces, inevitably deciding to go with recycled tyres for the majority of the impact absorbing surface in the play space.

Where only essential, astroturf was also used, not as a substitute for real grass but as an alternative to even more of the rubber wet pour. These areas were designed for families to lie on in all weather, especially during airshows and watch the planes fly above.

Throughout the project, it was also independently inspected and awarded the PiPA Gold Award; an accreditation process that has been created to independently assess the design of a play area and the facilities available when visited. Engagement with disabled children's charity, KIDS, as well as occupational therapists from both the UK and USA has led to endorsement from the UK Government's Accessible Britain Challenge and the UK Design Council.

Davies White Ltd has designed a space which is barrier free, that allows users access to move around

and offer participation opportunities for a range of differing abilities. Not every child of every ability will be able to actively use everything, but both disabled children and non- disabled children will be able to enjoy high levels of participation opportunities, equally rich in play value. The opening of the Weston Play Zone signifies the first step of transforming The Imperial War Museum Duxford to be an even better day out for all the family. Not one to take a rest, Davies White Ltd is already busy working on the concept design for a second play zone at the museum. This will be a huge landform maze inspired by radars and is set to feature even more inclusive and accessible play opportunities. The Weston Play Zone officially opened on Saturday 27 July 2024.

8 Artist illustration – Davies White Ltd/ Richard Carman

9 Concept Masterplan showing the two Davies White designed play zones at IWM Duxford Photographs ©Davies White Ltd/ SRC Ltd

ABOUT

Davies White Ltd is an awardwinning design practice. Established in 2009 by chartered landscape architects Andrée Davies and Adam White. It specialises in stakeholder engagement whilst designing and managing the build of accessible and inclusive playgrounds and public green spaces. It's most famously known for its 2019 collaboration with HRH The Princess of Wales where together it codesigned four RHS Back to Nature Gardens. davieswhite.co.uk

Socials: @davies_white

REFERENCES

Client Imperial War Museum iwm.org.uk

Design Davies White Ltd davieswhite.co.uk

Collaborationfine artist Mel Chantrey

Contractor The School Renovation Company theschoolrenovation company.co.uk

Bespoke features Massey + Harris masseyandharris.com

Play equipment

Proludic Play proludic.co.uk

Richter Play richterspielgeraete. de/en/ Buglo Play buglo.pl/en/

MADE FOR ALL

The

play experience begins

before reaching the equipment itself therefore it is vital that both the equipment and overall site be accessible to all

There are five main elements to consider to make play equipment more accessible to all: the location of the play equipment, the environment around the equipment, the type of equipment itself, the facilities that accompany the play equipment, and awareness about the equipment. According to industry experts, by considering these five main elements, successful play spaces for disabled and non-disabled children can be created.

“Accessibility elements within play provision are an important consideration for designers, owners, and managers of play spaces,” says Robyn Brookes, playground consultant at eibe Play Ltd. “From the very initial concept stage, designers will consider how the playground or play equipment they are creating can be accessible and inclusive for users.”

According to Brookes, to increase inclusivity of play equipment, designs should remove gaps in provision and barriers to play. To achieve this, eibe Play would recommend combining a range of play equipment covering different activities, and ensuring that the equipment itself is accessible, that it includes elements of dynamic play, and that it nurtures the six senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, vestibular, and proprioception.

“Not all equipment will combine every one of these core elements and one item will not meet the needs of every child,” says Brookes. “There are many impairments that affect how a child uses play equipment, so the key is to offer lots of choice in activities so that play equipment will offer disabled children and non-disabled children, girls and boys, high levels of participation opportunities, equally rich in play value.”

The main criteria when designing a fully accessible play area according to sales and

marketing director at Proludic Ltd, Oscar Lorraine, is to provide barrier-free environments with supportive infrastructure, ensuring safe and comfortable movement with accessible entrances and exits.

"It is crucial to select equipment that accommodates children of all abilities and includes elements for carers while securing the area with fencing,” says Lorraine. “Designs should emphasise low-level activities with ramps and safe steps, use tactile markers and clear signage for orientation, and stimulate senses with varied colours, textures, and sounds to support developmental needs.”

For the best results, include a range of accessible equipment, dynamic play, and sensory stimulation. Items must offer children using mobility aids and wheelchairs access routes onto the equipment without barriers, with items such as in-ground roundabouts, multi-play structures with ramps, and interactive activity panels being especially beneficial because children in wheelchairs or using mobility aids can play together with non-disabled friends and family members.

A well-rounded play area will also offer accessible dynamic play through activities like sliding, swinging, climbing, rolling, and spinning. These activities engage the proprioceptive and vestibular systems, which also form part of the six

main senses children experience during play.

According to these industry experts, ideally, each area of play equipment should include three different sensory experiences of the six and these should also be available from a seated or standing position.

PRODUCTS

Play ship Amphora (54599901790)

Designed to captivate and engage children and adults alike, this fully themed pirate ship features an amazing accessible ramp, ensuring that individuals of all abilities can gain access to the raised playing surface.

Price including VAT - £27,349 eibe.co.uk

Inclusive Wheelchair Seesaw (J987)

The Proludic Inclusive Seesaw enables two children using a wheelchair to enjoy gentle, reassuring rocking movements together with up to four other children. Spring mounted play equipment helps children develop motor skills and their sense of balance and provides fun sensations.

Price including VAT - £12,195 proludic.co.uk

EIBE PLAY LTD

PROLUDIC LTD.

EIBE PLAY LTD

PROLUDIC LTD. WORDS: ASHLEIGH BROWN

Come and meet experts in:

Play and recreation

Waste

Street furniture

Mobility

Paving

Green infrastructure

Tree planting

Lighting

Consultancy

Landscape architecture and design

Commercial landscaping

Machinery

Green roofs and walls

Construction

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

Scan to register for your FREE TICKET

PROJECT DETAILS

Build time

2021-Dec 2022

Size of new public realm

7,000 sq. m

DESIGN

LONDON’S NEW

GREEN CORRIDOR

S• 2024, Civic Trust Awards – National Winner

• 2023, Pineapple Awards, Public Space – Winner

• 2023, NLA Awards, Public Space – Winner

• 2023, AJ Architecture Awards – Landscape & Public Realm – Highly Commended

• 2023, Building London Planning Awards: Mayor’s Award for Good Growth – Overall Prize

• Best Heritage and Culture – Winner

• Sustainable Planning – Highly Commended

• 2023, Future Cities Forum Summer Awards, Placemaking and Healthy Streets – Winner

trand is an important London east/west route and has been since AD190. Neighbouring Aldwych was completed in 1905 and is inspired by generous, tree-lined Parisian boulevards. Together, these two busy, strategic, and historically important roads had been turned into a heavily trafficked one-way gyratory, which was failing the area’s exceptional institutions, including two embassies, Somerset House, King’s College, The Courtauld Gallery and LSE, plus everyone who visited, lived, worked, walked, or cycled there.

The heavy traffic meant that despite being used by 14 million people a year, Strand, south of Aldwych, had become a hostile hard-to-love non-place: a notorious four-lane, bumper-to-bumper traffic bottleneck.

The gyratory had also marooned Grade I listed St Mary le Strand, described by author Simon Jenkins as “the finest 18th century church in London”, in a sea of traffic, so much so that it was known by bus drivers as ‘St Mary’s in the Way’.

Changing traffic flow was key to creating a unique cultural space with room

for nature, and in 2021, traffic on Strand, between Waterloo Bridge and Arundel Street, was removed.

This created 7,000m2 of new public realm with all the potential benefits of a healthy street, whilst managing the needs of cyclists and buses.

Aldwych was made two-way, slower, and now safer, with five new signalised pedestrian crossings installed on desire lines.

Strand, once one of London’s most polluted and noisy streets, is now full of life. The street reopened with new trees, lawns and views, communal dining, biodiverse planting, and rain gardens. People now sit chatting, having lunch, reading, and for the first time the street properly connects to the life going on around it.

Stronger pedestrian and cycling links have improved access to Covent Garden, Holborn, and the West End, and to the Thames and Embankment, and adjacent

1 Sanctuary Gardens, Strand ©Paul Upward/Vestre

2 Garden Walk ©Robin Forster for LDA Design

3 Garden Room, Strand ©Cannon Ivers/LDA Design

©LDA

roads have narrowed to widen footways.

LDA Design created an inclusive public realm where there was none.

Generous spans of beautiful sculptural seats, colourful chairs, and long tables make the place inviting and welcoming.

Designed to meet the daily needs of a community comprising students, academics, visitors, office workers, residents, and businesses, visitors have described the move to make Strand traffic free as one of the best things to happen to London in years.

Strand is now divided into a series of distinctive south-facing spaces or ‘rooms’ designed to create different experiences as you move along the street, including communal dining or quiet conversations in the sanctuary gardens, which wrap around the St Mary le Strand.

Creating the gateway onto Strand is the ‘Garden Room’ made special by a 40m-long curved seat, designed by LDA Design and fabricated by millimetre. The seat is made from 268 panels of sustainable Accoya, a pine timber specially treated to make it extremely stable and long lasting. From here, is a stunning view east to St Mary le Strand Church. .

There are two more similarly made benches on Strand: a 42m-long, 84-panel seat overlooks a flexible central space designed to host events, installations, and moments of creative exchange.

The final seat edges the new lawn and is the longest, coming in at 46 metres and 200 panels. The three seats took a year to make and are markers of quality and care.

LDA Design enhanced biodiversity by including 41 new trees and 1,370m2 of biodiverse planting to the overall design,

supporting pollinating insects, providing year-round colour and interest, and bringing people into contact with nature in the heart of the city.

Including 1,025 shrubs, 8,366 herbaceous plants, 37,395 bulbs, 244 ferns, 3,739 grasses and 170m2 of turf, the design also enables better management of heavy rainfall.

LDA Design retained existing mature trees, creating structure, and providing cooling and dappled shade along a south-facing street, and now Strand is traffic free, the stunning blossom on St Mary le Strand’s magnolia trees can be fully appreciated for the first time. Planting areas are raised to protect a brick-vaulted Victorian utility tunnel on the north side of Strand following concerns that breaking through the road construction could collapse the tunnel. In other areas, utility runs were shallow, and planting needed to be lifted to ensure adequate planting depth.

Strand is an exemplar of a softer, greener, healthier city that better meets the daily needs of the community it serves.The design introduces nature where there simply wasn’t space before and in a way that enhances the architecture which lines the street.

4 Sanctuary Gardens ©Paul Upward/Vestre

5 View to Somerset House

©Robin Forster for LDA Design

6 Strand sculptural bench

©Glasshopper for millimetre

7 Vestre April GO coloured chairs

©Mickey L.F. Lee for Northbank BID

8 Making of sculptural bench

©Glasshopper for millimetre

9 St Clement Danes seating and planters

©Furnitubes

ABOUT

LDA Design’s purpose is to make great places by connecting people and place through landscape. It is a 100 percent employee-owned business made up of masterplanners, landscape architects, planners, EIA co-ordinators and urban designers. It follows the principles of ‘first life, then spaces, then buildings,’ designing sociable spaces and healthy streets which create opportunities for encounter and exchange. lda-design.co.uk

REFERENCES

RailRoad modular bench seating, AKRI planters,single Boston Chairs Furnitubes furnitubes.com

APRIL GO chairs, Porto bench, cycle stands Vestre vestre.com/uk

Sculptural seating Designed by LDA Design Fabricated by Millimetre millimetre.uk.net

Stone benches and single seats, Garden Room seating wall Marshalls marshalls.co.uk

Lighting Michael Grubb Studio michaelgrubb studio.com

VISUALISATION OF THE DESIGN FOR STRAND AND ALDWYCH ©LDA DESIGN

MADE TO LAST

Sustainable materials and practices in street furniture production can reduce our ecological footprint, combat climate change, and promote a healthier and more sustainable urban environment

Sustainability is crucial for protecting our environment, conserving natural resources, and ensuring the wellbeing of future generations. Street furniture can be made more sustainable by focusing on the materials used, the manufacturing process, and the product lifecycle.

Using naturally durable hardwood sourced from FSC-managed forests ensures that the materials are responsibly harvested and renewable. Additionally, designing furniture that doesn’t need chemical treatments requires little or no maintenance and further minimises the environmental impact of street furniture.

The most common materials used for street furniture according to Mihaela Blaginova, sales export manager at Encho Enchev-ETE ltd include metal, wood, and concrete because these are practical, easy to procure, recyclable and with the right research, you get the best out of all that is sold in the industry. “Sustainability could be found in many areas of life,” says Blaginova. “Same with our street furniture; we want to create something that would last long so future generations would enjoy it as well.” At Encho Enchev-ETE Ltd. some “spices” are added to the concrete mixture, which helps guarantee the sustainability of its concrete furniture.

Producing sustainable street furniture hinges on several factors including the environmental impact of the materials used, product lifespan and maintenance needs, according to Ashley Tarry, sales director at Woodscape Ltd. Woodscape uses naturally very durable hardwoods from FSC certified forests, which are sustainably harvested, protecting

Type

2 Backless Bench

The Woodscape Type 2 Bench, crafted from high quality naturally very durable hardwood, combines a sleek, natural appearance with robust construction. ideal for a range of external spaces and landscapes.

Price including VAT: POA woodscape.co.uk

biodiversity and ecosystems and without compromising forest health. These forests provide sustainable timber yields, ensuring that the forests have a long-term monetary value and a secure future, deterring mass deforestation and land conversion to other less sustainable uses such as grazing pastures and palm oil plantations” says Tarry.

Furniture made from these hardwoods lasts for decades without needing preservative treatments and requires minimal maintenance. This reduces the environmental impact over its lifespan, including minimising emissions from contractor travel.

Woodscape’s commitment to using FSC-certified timber ensures their products are not only environmentally sustainable but also socially and economically beneficial, aligning with the broader goals of sustainable forest management.

These factors do, however, very much depend on the type of product. “Looking at benches, generally you will see (hard)wood for seats and beams. For the supports, different types of steel, like weathering steel, galvanised, powder-coated steel, and stainless steel are typically used,” says Streetlife sustainability manager, Wouter Krouwel.

According to Krouwel, there are a variety of ways to be more sustainable or to increase sustainability, as both a company and in product design. For example, products can be made modular, so that they are easy to disassemble, reassemble, and maintain. “If a product part is easy to repair and replace, like a beam, the bench will last longer, and have a lower impact, by not having to replace the entire bench,” says Krouwel.

Business table

This concrete game table, model 283 from Encho Enchev-ETE, features integrated benches with wooden slats. The tabletop is designed for games like chess, backgammon, and "Ludo."

Price including VAT: €2268 etebg.net

STREETLIFE

Drifter bench with Lava Grey, DB-L2-200-TH-LG Bench with two Lava Grey beams (30x30cm) and galvanised steel supports. Lava Grey is 100% recycled material made of household plastic waste, L200×W62×H47 cm

Price including VAT: POA streetlife.nl

WORDS: ASHLEIGH BROWN

ENCHO ENCHEV-ETE LTD. WOODSCAPE LTD

PRO LANDSCAPER BIODIVERSITY

NET GAIN WORKSHOPS DAY

11 SEPTEMBER 2024 • LONDON

FACILITATE, CONNECT AND COLLABORATE

SUPPORTING PARTNERS:

ABOUT THE EVENT

BNG regulations are now in place and impact every new commercial development. This provides the UK landscaping sector with a massive opportunity to demonstrate its’ value, influence and shape projects at much earlier stages.

To be able to realise this there needs to be new levels of collaboration and connections between the key stakeholders involved from planning, through to implementation and post project maintenance.

With so much at stake, an eagerness and hunger in the industry to have open discussions that overrides competitive interest, now is the right time to bring the industry together.

PURPOSE OF EVENT

Facilitate, connect and collaborate

Pro Landscaper uniquely connects all the key stakeholders that need to be part of the discussion, so is perfectly positioned to facilitate the conversations to set out what action is needed to help enable the UK landscaping sector to realise opportunities that BNG presents. With a focus on connecting all the key stakeholder groups, using an interactive workshop format so we can understand and identify gaps and opportunities for each group. This will help inform a framework/best practice guide produced by Pro Landscaper but driven by the industry to unite stakeholders and utilised by our sector.

FORMAT OF EVENT

Pro Landscaper Biodiversity Net Gain Workshops Day will kick off a keynote and industry panel outlining where we are today, future direction and broader industry views on potential opportunities for our sector. Contributors include Wild Capital, Pinsent Masons, Joe’s Blooms & Environment Bank.

This will help set the context for the discussions that form the heart of the day with delegates getting the opportunity to take part in facilitated workshops with their peers. Each workshop will have an independent chair who will guide the discussion, drawing input from all attendees who will share key learnings to help shape and inform a best practice guide that will be created from the event.

Workshop groups will include:

• Planning

• Communication

• Implementation

• Maintenance / Enforcement

Schedule of the day

0930hrs Registration, tea & coffee 1000hrs Welcome to day

1005hrs Keynote – BNG Policy

1025hrs Industry Panel – BNG In action what have we learned?

1110hrs Refreshment break

1130hrs Workshops – Round one

1300hrs Lunch and networking

1400hrs Workshops – Round two

1530hrs Key takeaways – The BNG Action Plan for landscapers

1600hrs Close

Who should participate?

• Commercial landscapers / contractors

• Grounds Maintenance contractors

• Landscape architects

• Planning and public space management teams in local authorities

• Suppliers and solution providers

• Developers / landowners / investors

LAST FEW PLACES

Gallions Quarter Phase is a new residential development which forms part of the Royal Docks regeneration masterplan, a unique waterfront and a growing home for business and culture in Newham, East London. It is the second phase of the Gallions Quarter development, with phase one already complete and phase three currently under construction.

The landscaped-led scheme consists of two buildings, and places green amenity space front and centre. It features a public realm open space known as ‘Gallions Green’ to the front, two mirroring podiums and a shrub-lined access road between the two buildings developed by landscape architects Standerwick Land Design.

The client approached Valley Provincial with a broadly developed stage four drawing set, which Valley Provincial worked with landscape architects to ensure buildability, cost-efficiency, and develop the information into a refined and considered stage five issue. This involved sympathetic value improvement to align the project with target budgets whilst retaining the original design intent and aesthetics. Valley Provincial’s detailed, consultative approach ensured no detail was overlooked, providing clarity, cost certainty and confidence for all stakeholders.

PAVING THE WAY

VALLEY PROVINCIAL

GALLIONS QUARTER PHASE

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value

£1.5 - £2m

Build time

8 months

1 One of two mirroring podiums providing shared communal space for residents

2 The view east across Gallions Green, showing play areas

3 A mixture of natural and contemporary seating is used throughout the podiums

4 The view west across Gallions Green, showing open green space

The project features extensive use of natural play equipment in the public area, as well as street furniture and self-binding gravel walkways weaving through the space to maximise recreational use for residents.

Material selection prioritised a seamless blend with the buildings themselves. This saw the use of multiple planters on the podium utilising the same bricks as the main build, complemented with subtle, natural-toned shades of block paving. The planters were positioned to create pockets of space, whilst the scheme still retained open areas and full length walkways.

The client wanted to ensure the trees and planting are prominent features, as instant, green impact and visual buffering was important to them. Therefore, the planting scheme was creatively developed to provide visual and acoustic buffers to adjacent roads and enhance the urban greening factor. A variety of trees are used for different functions across the scheme; small, ornamental species

provide a colourful edge to residential spaces, larger specimen trees provide variety in colour and form, and fruiting trees provide biodiversity habitats as well as flora for residents. The overall focus of the planting scheme was maximising biodiversity across the project. Sections of wildflower meadow and bulb planting were added, along with the use of native species of trees and plants. Areas of high-nectar planting were included to encourage pollinators, along with insect hotels and climbing plants.

Due to the site location, all tree species were subject to review by London City Airport. There were also efforts to avoid the promotion of nesting opportunities for birds, with the exception of some local nonflocking species. The trees were selected on nursery visits to Europe, with the landscape architect and client teams also in attendance.

Valley Provincial completed the project to an exceptionally high standard, overcoming access challenges to complete the scheme on schedule. This involved close liaison with the project team and other trades, and meticulous scheduling of material deliveries and project management to achieve key dates.

Overall, the scheme involved the installation of 2,000m2 of paving, 500m3 of aggregate, 1,800m3 of soils, 69 trees, 4700 plants and was completed over a 35-week period.

Standerwick Land Design commented: "Valley Provincial collaborated with the client and Standerwick Land Design extremely well to deliver the shared communal spaces for residents and public realm with integrated play to a high standard."

5 Natural play forms a key part of the public realm space

6 Gallions Mew is a shrub-lined access road separating the two buildings

7 Gallions Green provides public recreational space for the local community

8 The planting strategy provides visual and acoustic buffering whilst prioritising biodiversity

9 Planter positions create pockets of space to maximise the use for multiple residents

Valley Provincial is a leading provider of landscape consultancy, construction, grounds management and interior greening services to the commercial sector. Founded almost 50 years ago, it has grown to become one of the regions most respected, trusted and well-established landscaping contractors. valleyprovincial.com

Developer Telford Homes telfordhomes.london

Landscape architect

Standerwick Land Design standerwick.co.uk

Paving AG ag.uk.com

Planting

Robin Tacchi robintacchiplants.com

Trees Van den Berk vdberk.com

Soils

Bourne Amenity bourneamenity.co.uk

Play equipment Timberplay timberplay.com

Street furniture Steetlife streetlife.nl/us

Artificial grass Everroof everroof.co

CLEAN KEEP IT

The

use of paving in public realm

spaces is often chosen for its high level of durability, but without regular maintenance, these areas will not be made to last

WORDS: ASHLEIGH BROWN

Commercial areas require durable, heavy-duty materials as well as being able to meet the aesthetic requirements of the area. Granites, hard sandstones, and more recently porcelain paving are the most commonly used materials; however, the choice of material is normally dependent on what is stipulated by the planners and the choices are normally limited to the specified materials.

Granite paving and setts are a popular choice for high-traffic commercial areas across the UK, such as town centre plazas, shopping precincts, and office complexes, according to Vivek Jain, managing director of Crescent Stone

“The material's natural slip-resistance and permeability make it well-suited for these environments,” says Jain. “The use of granite setts further enhances drainage by allowing water to percolate through the joints, preventing pooling.”

Maintaining any paved area is vitally important, especially within commercial areas. These areas have higher footfall and are more likely to be exposed to being soiled, often by a multitude of different substances that domestic paved areas wouldn’t normally be.

Sales and operations director at RF Landscape Products (2020) Limited, Andy McLaughlin, highlights how there are a multitude of ways of maintaining commercial

areas, and the most common is using high pressure water systems, along with ‘soft washing’, which along with using water, also utilises certain chemicals.

“Whenever cleaning any type of paving, the type of paving that is being cleaned, and the type of substance that is being cleaned off the surface of the paving is a key factor in knowing which cleaning method is to be used,” says McLaughlin.

“When using high pressure washers, this must be used with caution and in the correct manner. Special care should be taken when cleaning the joints, as these can be weak points and may be dislodged if too much direct pressure is applied.”

Calvin Dalrymple, specification manager at Ryno, adds that “the regular cleaning will stop the buildup of dirt and grime ensuring it maintains its slip resistance, keeping people safe.

“It also removes the dirt out of drainage gaps on permeable paving which can cause drainage challenges if blocked up.”

According to Dalrymple, this approach is suitable for most paving types as paving has a high level of durability.

Keeping the surface free from contaminants means that the paved area is not only safe but also it retains the aesthetically pleasing appeal, which is normally one of the main reasons that the paving was chosen in the first place.

LANDSCAPE

(2020)

White

High quality Italian vitrified 20mm R11 external porcelain paving, with a matching 10mm interior R9 tiles. Price including VAT: £40 rflandscapeproducts.co.uk

Silver Grey Granite

High-quality Silver Grey granite paving and setts that provide superior durability, slipresistance, and drainage for commercial landscaping projects, ensuring a safe and visually appealing outdoor space. Price including VAT: Starting from £19.50/m2 crescentstone.co.uk

Porcelain Paving

Ryno's porcelain is crafted to bring a sophisticated and modern aesthetic to outdoor spaces. With a variety of textures and shades, Ryno’s porcelain seamlessly blends with any architectural style. Price including VAT: POA rynosystems.com

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