F E AT U R E By James Lord 1. View of the biodiverse chalk stream. The Timber bridges link the surrounding green streets into the Chalk Stream. © HTA Design LLP
1
Cator Park, Kidbrooke Village Cator Park won the Sir David Attenborough Award for Enhancing Biodiversity and the President’s Award at the 2020 LI Awards. The judges said: ‘Cator Park is an inspiring example of applying a new, nature-inclusive approach to parkland design. The redesign shows a new attitude to nature, benefitting biodiversity and the local community.’ The head of the landscape team that delivered the scheme explains the thinking behind it and the experience that led to its development.
C
ator Park, located in Kidbrooke Village, South East London, is an inspiring example of applying a new, nature-inclusive approach to parkland design, that enhances biodiversity and delivers an inclusive outdoor space.
The thinking that went into Cator Park started more than twenty years ago, with the formation of our landscape discipline. Our design approach has evolved during this time, changing in emphasis from the creation of formal and hard landscapes to a focus on bringing people and
nature closer together, by creating softer, biodiverse spaces as typified by Cator Park. This shift in approach reflects a broader change in practice across the country and of our clients. It has been supported by legislation such as the introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain and Urban Greening Factor 47
