Landscape Institute | Inspiring great places

Industry updates

‘No commitment’ to enshrine green protections in post-Brexit law
11 May 2018
Vital environmental principles, such as the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle, are absent from ‘hugely disappointing’ government proposalsvia independent.co.uk
Yorkshire guerrilla gardening scheme takes root worldwide
9 May 2018
As many as 500 community food-growing groups across the world are using the Incredible Edible name, which originated in the town of Todmordenvia theguardian.com
UK parks save NHS more than £111m a year, study suggests
8 May 2018
‘At a time when parks and green spaces are under threat, this is valuable evidence that the loss of green space is hugely damaging to people’s welfare,’ said the charity Fields in Trustvia theguardian.com
Gillespies to deliver public realm strategy for Ebbsfleet Garden City
18 April 2018
The strategy will guide the design of seven new public parks over the next 15 yearsvia gillespies.co.uk
Government urged to reinstate Garden City principles in NPPF
12 April 2018
The Landscape Institute is among over 60 organisations calling on the government to reinstate a reference to Garden City principles in the revised National Planning Policy Frameworkvia tcpa.org.uk
22% price premium for National Park properties, says Nationwide
10 April 2018
The latest Nationwide House Price Index suggests ‘Britain’s breathing spaces’ have an measurable impact on the local housing economyvia nationwide.co.uk
Research from Universities of Oxford and Hong Kong link greenery to better mental health
6 April 2018
The study, which is the first to use high-resolution aerial photography, looks at the mental health of 95,000 individuals across ten cities in England, Scotland and Walesvia independent.co.uk
London Festival of Architecture (LFA) announces shortlist for Thessaly Road design competition
27 March 2018
Farrer Huxley Associates are one of the six practices featured in the competition to conceive an improved user experience on a key route between Battersea Park Road and Wandsworth Roadvia londonfestivalofarchitecture.org
New reports provide ‘best available’ evidence linking biodiversity and wellbeing
27 March 2018
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) highlights the dangers of global biodiversity loss in five landmark reportsvia eci.ox.ac.uk
New guidelines aim to increase physical activity levels through environmental improvements
23 March 2018
This guideline includes recommendations on active travel, public open spaces, buildings and schools, and is particularly pertinent to LI members in the public sectorvia nice.org.uk
Greater Manchester outlines environmental ambitions at inaugural Green Summit
21 March 2018
Mayor Andy Burnham aims to deliver a zero emission bus fleet, invest in new cycle lanes and paths, and make the city plastic free by 2020via greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
TCPA appointed to create guidance for Healthy New Towns
9 March 2018
The initiative aims to show how land can be used not just to build homes, but also improve the health of communities, reduce health inequalities and cut the costs of carevia tcpa.org.uk
US landscape architecture services valued at $2.7 billion
8 March 2018
Economic analysis of 35 creative industries in the US showed that the landscape sector grew over seven times faster than the nation’s overall averagevia dirt.asla.org
Wembley Park strategy seeks to exemplify culture-led placemaking
7 March 2018
The strategy impacts on the development, infrastructure, architecture, landscape, amenities, street-level investment, cultural partnerships and community accessvia standard.co.uk
Essex County Council announces digital revamp of Essex Design Guide
7 March 2018
New content incorporates the themes of active design principles, design for an ageing population, health and wellbeing, digital and smart technology, and garden communitiesvia essex.gov.uk
Landscape-led estate regeneration in Liverpool moves forward
19 February 2018
Masterplanners Gillespies will develop final plans for the Croxteth Estate’s Stonedale Crescent, alongside Cushman & Wakefield, Ekosgen, Hemingway Design and Mott MacDonald, with funding from the government’s £32m Estate Regeneration Fundvia placenorthwest.co.uk
TfL announces longlist for Old Street Roundabout
12 February 2018
Among the 39 concepts are landscape-led proposals from the charity Sustrans and practices including Dar Group and Urben, with contributors including Arup, BCA Landscape, FIRA, Gillespies, Kinnear Landscape Architects and Planit IE
via architectsjournal.co.uk
New resource aims to better coordinate subsurface data
24 January 2018
A new digital concept from the Ordnance Survey, British Geological Survey and Future Cities Catapult will integrate subsurface data with other city data and aims to de-risk future investment
via futurecities.catapult.org.uk
HLF report shows long-term impact of Heritage Grants
18 January 2018
According to analysis of grants distributed between 2002 and 2007, funding increases access, awareness and enjoyment of heritage, as well as enhancing it
via hlf.org.uk
New research shows real-time link between urban nature and mental wellbeing
10 January 2018
King’s College London, landscape practice J&L Gibbons and Nomad Projects investigated how the beneficial effects of nature varied from one individual to another
via maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk
Government pledges £5.7m to develop new northern forest
7 January 2018
The Woodland Trust will lead plans to plant 50 million trees along the 120-mile stretch between Liverpool and Hull, creating new wildlife habitat, helping tackle climate change, and reducing flood risk
via theguardian.com
Historic England produces new guidance on the setting of heritage assets
3 January 2018
GPA 3 has been revised to clarify the relationship between setting and views, and reinforce that an effect on a view does not necessarily affect a heritage asset
via historicengland.org.uk
Gillespies delivers new public realm in Bracknell Town Centre
1 January 2018
The designs consist of a network of interconnected, pedestrian-friendly streets, green landscaped town squares, and new gateways to the town centre, improving connectivity between the existing Princess Square and the new development
via gillespies.co.uk
Environment Agency to laser map England’s entire landscape
30 December 2017
The 130,000 sq km 3D map will help the government agency combat flooding and illegal waste, and assist with conservation work
via independent.co.uk
Call for stronger placemaking requirements in New Towns Act
20 December 2017
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) responds to proposed amendments to the New Towns Act 1981 (Local Authority Oversight) Regulations
via tcpa.org.uk
Green regeneration transforms 200 sq miles of Midlands countryside
8 December 2017
A Guardian report shows how the National Forest ‘transformed an industrial landscape … [and yielded] benefits that could be replicated across the country’
via theguardian.com
New ‘Cities Alive’ report outlines importance of designing for childhood
7 December 2017
Through 40 global case studies, 14 recommended interventions and 15 actions for city leaders, Arup makes the case for child-friendly urban planning
via arup.com
Greenspace Scotland warns of inadequate funding for Scottish parks
7 December 2017
A new Environmental Funders Network report finds that environmental projects in Scotland receive 20 times less private grant funding than in England and Wales
via greenspacescotland.org.uk
Big Lottery Fund, HLF and Nesta launch Rethinking Parks phase 2
7 December 2017
The new phase aims to upscale previous successes, test emerging ideas and explore how tech and digital might help parks in the future
via nesta.org.uk
Church Street masterplan receives unanimous approval
5 December 2017
LDA Design’s 15- to 20-year growth and development masterplan was approved by Westminster City Council following seven weeks of public consultation
via lda-design.co.uk
HLF announces changes to its grant programmes
4 December 2017
A new five-year funding framework will see Landscape Partnerships axed, and a growing focus on urban parks and landscapes
via hlf.org.uk
EU votes to renew glyphosate licence
27 November 2017
18 members states voted in favour of renewing the weedkiller, permitting its use for a further five years; though France plans to ban the chemical within three
via bbc.co.uk
First international Design Declaration signed in Montreal
7 November 2017
UN-affiliated organisations and international federations for design disciplines acknowledged the sectors’ importance in addressing global challenges
via dezeen.com