Projects 3:
Management and Conservation, Environment, Cities and Towns

Bloomsbury Square Gardens

Bloomsbury Square Gardens was one of five London squares restored and enhanced by environmental firm Land Use Consultants.

The project looked back to the square’s late 17th century origins and forward to the future with elements for the delight of 21st century users, while also enhancing the biodiversity of central London.

Land Use Consultants also restored and enhanced Russell Square Gardens, Brunswick Square Gardens, Woburn Square Gardens and Gordon Square Gardens.

Barrow Park

LDA Design carried out a full restoration of the main public park in Barrow-in-Furness, which was in a poor condition by the mid 1990s.

Barrow Park is now one of the highlights of the town, with increasing visitor numbers and an expanding programme of events.

The work has enhanced the historic character and richness of the park and enabled it to better served the needs of residents. New features such as a play area and putting green were built and historic features like paving bricks and ornamental railings reinstated.

Hampstead Heath

Environmental firm Land Use Consultants is currently carrying out a management plan for Hampstead Heath, which re-examines how one of London’s most popular open spaces is considered as a place.

The scheme will see the area identified as 'an encapsulated piece of countryside' in London rather than describing it as a park or garden.

The plan will create a long-term vision for the Heath and will be an important way for the City of London Corporation in successfully managing the Heath for the next 10-plus years.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall are one of the most popular botanical gardens in the UK.

After the First World War, the gardens fell into a state of neglect until a group of enthusiasts decided to restore it to its former glory in 1996.

The restoration proved to be an outstanding success, not only revitalising the gardens but also the local economy. It is now the most visited private garden in the UK with 400,000 visitors a year.

Tim Smit and landscape architect Dominic Cole later worked together on the Eden Project, also based in Cornwall.

Manor Fields Sheffield

A 25 hectare site of derelict land is being transformed into an inspiring, safe and welcoming space for residents and visitors alike.

It is a place for community activity as well as engagement and involves a sustainable urban drainage project with materials locally sourced.

A planting scheme was also designed and maintained to encourage a high level of biodiversity. It encourages many forms of aquatic plant and animal life where it could not previously have done so.

Olympic Park

The London 2012 Olympic Park aims to become a new kind of park promoting sustainable and active living.

The park, which is being designed by LDA Design - Hargreaves Associates will play a crucial role in the regeneration of east London, acting as a catalyst for lasting social and economic change.

The primary feature of the park will be the restored and reconfigured waterways and associated wetlands. It will also include allotments and other food growing areas, meadows, wooded valleys and orchards, facilities for sports including canoeing, mountain biking and cricket and new cycle and footpaths.

New Islington

New Islington is a major regeneration initiative in the suburbs of Manchester. It will transform a formerly neglected neighbourhood with hundreds of new homes as part of a mixed-use scheme providing shops, leisure, offices, schools and a health clinic.

The regeneration will also provide new pedestrian and cycle links along the Ashton and Rochdale canals, which will also be developed as a valuable wildlife corridor. It also includes the first new park to be built in Manchester since the 19th Century.

Stratford

Stratford City is a large new development project near the site of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Like the development at New Islington in Manchester, it is a large mixed-use scheme providing parks, shops, restaurants, schools and health centres.

The development uses brownfield land. As the site of the Olympic village, it will provide for the Olympic athletes during the period of the Games. It will become a whole new town centre in its own right benefiting from the massive investment in Crossrail and other transportation improvements.

King's Cross Central

The King's Cross Regeneration is one of the largest and most complex urban regeneration projects in Europe. The project has gained much of its stimulus from the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link into the gloriously refurbished St Pancras Station. In terms of passenger numbers, the area is equivalent to Heathrow.

A massive site north of King's Cross and St Pancras stations is being developed with a network of new neighbourhoods, new streets and squares, offices, shops and restaurants. There are a number of historic buildings that will be retained as part of the scheme, including three ornate cast iron gasholders. It will make a decisive change to the landscape at King's Cross.