2 Feb 2011

Why investing in landscape makes economic sense


  • ECOBUILD
     STREET DESIGN WHY INVEST IN LANDSCAPE
  • February sees the launch of the LI's 'Why Invest in Landscape?' campaign showing how UK towns and cities are seeing a positive benefit by investing in landscape...

    Crowds at the opening of Barnstaple Square – a featured case study in the LI's 'Why invest in landscape?'

Barnstaple Square

At the start of this year the Landscape Institute focuses on two key themes: the case for investing in landscape and the importance of making green infrastructure work at local level in order to address the government’s localism agenda.

February sees the launch of 'Why Invest in Landscape?' a new campaign that shows how towns and cities around the UK are seeing a positive benefit by investing in landscape. From revitalising a small public square to planning for massive new estates, the economic benefits are clearly demonstrated. 

LI members will receive copies of the campaign booklet together with the next Journal which will carry two articles dedicated to this topic. The Journal will explore the background to the economics of landscape and the booklet will showcase six case studies that demonstrate that, when landscape is placed at the heart of the development process, developers profit while businesses and communities reap the economic benefits. The campaign focuses on the positive impact on business and communities of investment in landscape. 

The campaign kicks off with a day of seminars in London at Ecobuild on 2 March, including a lunctime surgery from WRAP, and continues with a full day of seminars at Street Design at the end of the month.

At Ecobuild, Dick Longdin from Randall Thorp and developer Neville Stebbing of Taylor Wimpey will be speaking about long-term investment in the landscape and green infrastructure of Cambourne, Cambridge. Neil Homer of LDA Design and Melanie Taylor of Leeds City Region will be presenting their work in Leeds City Region.  

Dominic Watkins from Chris Blandford Associates will present the Milton Keynes South Midlands Green Infrastructure Design Guide; and Sion Neesam from the Landscape Partnership will be talking about The Cambridge SuDS Design and Adoption Guide which won this year’s President’s Award.  

Ian Phillips, a member of the Landscape Institute Policy Committee will outline the way in which GI can be implemented at all scales of landscape and provide an explanation of how landscape architects can support  developers, planning authorities and communities in responding to the localism agenda.

To book your place at Ecobuild 2011, click here

At Street Design, Dafydd Warburton, landscape architect, LDA Design, presents two important case studies from Why Invest in Landscape? - Pontypool Regeneration Strategy and Diglis Water. Jill White, formerly at Devon County Council, outlines the thinking behind The Square, Barnstaple and Tot Brill, Executive Director, Transport, Environment and Leisure Services, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, presents their work on Exhibition Road which is linking South Kensington’s Museum District with an outstanding shared space. 

The afternoon seminar looks at the The Landscape of Shopping.
 Oxford Circus is at the centre of London’s West End, Cheapside was the market street for the City of London, and Peter Heath, technical director, Atkins, presents the major improvements carried out at Oxford Circus, which include a diagonal crossing; Victor Callister, assistant director environmental enhancements, City of London Corporation, outlines the changes to Cheapside which are turning this once more into the City’s major shopping street and Paul Osborne, environmental improvements officer, Exeter City Council, on the importance of a high quality public realm to commercial retail development in Exeter.

To book your place at Street Design 2011, click here