MONTH IN REVIEW
A garden is often a child’s
introduction to nature. ”
Sarah Eberle, landscape designer
PLANNING PARKS CONTRACTS
REGENERATION
PLANS FOR FILTON
AIRFIELD GET THE
GREEN LIGHT API SHEDS LIGHT ON
PLAYGROUND DECLINE IN
NEW CAMPAIGN SARAH EBERLE
PARTNERS WITH
WALLFLOWER TO
RELEASE EDIBLE
WILDFLOWER SEEDS
Plans by infrastructure and
development company YTL to
regenerate Bristol’s historic 350-
acre site at Filton Airfield have
been given the go-ahead from
South Gloucestershire Council.
Some 2,675 new homes,
62 acres of employment and
industrial space, three new
schools, community facilities,
a new railway station and a
dedicated Metrobus route will
be built on the site of the former
airfield in north Bristol.
Grant Associates worked
closely with architect Allies and
Morrison on the masterplan and
developed the overall landscape
strategy for the scheme, one of
the largest brownfield sites in
the UK.
YTL Land and Property
purchased the site from
BAE Systems in 2015. The
developer’s vision is to create
a new neighbourhood with a
unique character, including
landscape and public realm, that
draws on the site’s aviation and
engineering history.
The landscape concept traces
the airfield’s former runway with
a sequence of public spaces,
courts and gardens linked by
walkways and cycle routes.
New research from Fields in Trust
showing the ‘crucial’ role of parks
and green spaces has prompted the
Association of Play Industries (API)
to highlight once again the decline in
playgrounds it uncovered in its Nowhere
to Play campaign.
The Fields in Trust findings
established a link between an individual’s
use of parks and green spaces and an
improvement in their life satisfaction,
sense of worth, happiness and
anxiety levels.
The API’s Nowhere to Play report
showed that between 2014/15 and
2015/16, local authorities across England
closed 214 children’s playgrounds with
plans to close a further 234.
Furthermore, a recent Heritage
Lottery Fund report highlighted cuts to
budgets for the running of parks, with
92% of park managers reporting cuts
over the past three years.
Mark Hardy, chair of API, said: “The
Fields in Trust research shows, for the
first time at national level, a direct and
statistically significant link between
public parks and green spaces and health
and wellbeing.
“We need to act now to reverse the
decline in parks and green spaces due
to budget cuts and use this and other
research data to inform public policy.”
He added: “The downward trend
in park and playground provision is
happening fast and let’s not forget that
once a park has gone it’s probably gone
forever. We are repeating our call for
a £100m investment to replace lost
playgrounds and help reinstate children’s
access to free play and activity.”
Landscape designer Sarah Eberle
has teamed up with bespoke
playhouse specialist Wallgarden
to launch a seed mix of edible
wildflowers.
The collection has been
carefully selected to bring colour
to to customers’ gardens as well as
bringing flavour to their plates.
Its main aim to is encourage
families to celebrate and interact
with their garden. Sarah Eberle’s
unique seed selection will inspire
parents to teach children not only
about gardening, but about how
their food can be grown.
The collection of native
and non-native plant varieties
includes Borage, Chicory,
Great Burnet, Hedge Garlic,
Meadowsweet, Red Clover, Salad
Burnet, Wild Basil, Wild Garlic
and Wild Marjoram.
Eberle said: “A garden is often
a child’s introduction to nature, a
beautiful environment to engage
with and enjoy all things green.
Sowing seeds with your children
is not only a wonderful way to
inspire a love of their own garden,
but this unique collection will
also help teach them about where
their food comes from and how it
arrives on their plates.”
Nadine Charlton, founder and
director or Wallgarden, added:
“Wallgarden’s work with Sarah
combines our great passions and
shared belief that gardens should
be relevant, beautiful and useable
places, which inspire a lifelong
interest for all the family.