Blakedown Landscapes

At Barnard Park, we are installing bespoke pre-cast concrete blocks to form a bench and act as retaining walls for a planting bed. As a Contractors Design Portion element of this contract, the blocks were subject to a detailed consultation with the landscape architect to ensure durability and fit within the landscape. Each 900kg unit was unloaded by forklift and positioned with care using an 8-tonne excavator. Once complete, this area will be fully planted as part of the park’s soft landscaping strategy. Islington Council | BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd) | AtkinsRéalis #landscaping #hardlandscaping #civilengineering #construction #parks #parkimprovements #community #BarnardPark #Islington #concreteblocks #bespokeconcreteblocks #plantingbeds

Over the past week, we have been busy with the ornamental planting phase of the soft landscaping strategy at Itchen Valley Country Park. This phase includes flowering shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, and ferns, carefully chosen to enhance the park’s biodiversity. These ornamental plantings are designed to support local wildlife while adding valuable aesthetic and ecological value to the landscape. In November, we will continue with native planting, featuring mixed species hedgerows and understorey plants creating a sustainable, native vegetation layer across the park. The soft landscaping strategy also incorporates other ecological enhancements. Grassland habitats are being created along the woodland edges and around the new car park, together with species-rich planting of swales and scrapes, further supporting biodiversity while managing stormwater sustainably. Eastleigh Borough Council | RHP Group | Julian Church and Associates Ltd - BCorp - conscious spaces built better | Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology Ltd | #CrowdersNurseries #itchenvalley #itchenvalleycountrypark #southampton #park #parks #softlandscaping #ornamentalplanting #pollinators #biodiversity #ecologicalenhancements #ecology #regeneration #parkregeneration #sustainable #landscaping #wildlife #nature #nativeplanting #speciesrichplanting #planting

Works to the iconic basketball court on Brighton Seafront are moving forward. The resurfacing of the court is now complete, and we’ve installed top-of-the-line gooseneck posts, 72-inch glass backboards, and precision-engineered, spring-loaded rims - set at the regulation 10 feet for peak performance. In the spring, once the winter weather clears, the beautiful new artwork will be going down. Stay tuned for further updates! Brighton & Hove City Council | Hoopsfix | Hoopsfix Foundation | #HalfDecentDay #sports #sportsconstruction #landscaping #commerciallandscaping #halfdecentday #basketball #britishbasketball #brighton #brightonbeach #grassroots #grassrootsbasketball #brightonbeachbasketball

🚧 Night Works at Itchen Valley Country Park: Preparation for Resurfacing in Progress 🚧 To minimise disruption and keep the park fully accessible during the day, our team has been working through the night to prepare the 1,000m access road for resurfacing. Careful logistics planning ensures that project timelines are met while maintaining access. By planing off the existing surface, we're able to overlay new material directly onto the sublayers. This process offers a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to complete construction, reducing both waste and resource use. Eastleigh Borough Council | RHP Group | Julian Church and Associates Ltd - BCorp - conscious spaces built better #itchenvalley #itchenvalleycountrypark #southampton #park #parks #community #regeneration #accessroad #access #planing #parkregeneration #sustainable #landscaping #civilengineering #roadworks #roads

Our team is making significant progress on the comprehensive improvements that will transform Merstham Recreation Ground into a flagship park. Natural stone boulders are being installed in the play area, reflecting the local quarrying heritage. These boulders will form a key feature of the mounded play area, seamlessly integrating with standard play equipment to create a dynamic and adventurous space for children. The new, improved drainage channels are also taking shape. These will work in conjunction with the drainage swales to establish a Sustainable Drainage System that enhances water management across the site. Meanwhile, the pavilion construction has reached roof level. Once complete, it will provide modern changing rooms, a refreshment kiosk, and public toilet facilities. Stay tuned for further updates! Reigate & Banstead Borough Council | Turkington Martin | Huntley Cartwright Quantity Surveyors | CTP - Consulting Engineers #Merstham #MersthamRecreation #MersthamRecreationGround #community #communitydevelopment #park #parks #parkimprovements #landscaping #civilengineering #hardlandscaping #softlandscaping #sustainable #sustainabledrainage #sustainableurbandrainagesystems #suds #habitat #habitatcreation #swales #build #pavilion #Reigate #play #naturalplay #playareas #playground

Progress at Barnard Park continues with the laying of the composite deck to the new Community Hub. Sitting on a metal sub-frame for height, the decking will be secured with a hidden fixing system for a seamless finish. Internally, the fit-out is also moving forward. The new Community Hub will include: a multi-use space with kitchen and toilets for the One O’clock Club and other activities; a sports changing room and accessible toilets for park users; a kiosk servery and office space for the park manager. Further updates to follow. Islington Council | BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd) | AtkinsRéalis #landscaping #hardlandscaping #civilengineering #construction #parks #parkimprovements #community #BarnardPark #Islington #accessibility #communityhub #decking #compositedecking #fitout

We recently completed a project at Notre Dame School, an Independent Catholic Day School for girls aged 2-18, located in Cobham. The project focused on enhancing the courtyard area with sustainable landscaping solutions. Works involved the installation of Hydropave Fusion permeable paving, functioning as a Sustainable Urban Drainage System to efficiently manage surface water runoff. In addition to the paving, the project included the creation of a tree pit for the planting of an ornamental tree, along with the installation of bespoke picnic tables. These improvements have enhanced the functionality and aesthetics of the outdoor space, providing a more sustainable and versatile area for the school community. Notre Dame Cobham | MADLINS LLP #landscaping #hardlandscaping #commerciallandscaping #civilengineering #cobham #notredameschool #schools #education #independentschool #independentschools #sustainable #sustainablesolutions #sustainability

At Driving Innovation: Shaking up the Procurement Process panel, a question from the floor has thrown up the issue of Selection Questionnaires and tenders, highlighting the burden of completing quality tenders. Should these processes be combined to streamline efforts? Could a central database be introduced to reduce duplication? Additionally, is there value in fostering early engagement between clients and contractors to simplify the process further? Pro Landscaper | FutureScape Event | Eljays44 | Public Spaces Expo Chris Wellbelove, Alistair Bayford, Robert Cunliffe MBA, Alice-Rose Hoile, #JoeLewis #futurescape2024 #publicspacesexpo2024

The final topic at Shaking Up the Procurement Process panel is focused on resourcing bid writing and quality submissions and what does that mean to contractors and clients, especially SME’s. The Royal Parks has increased the number of smaller-value lots for their landscaping framework to create more opportunities for smaller businesses. Should this approach be adopted more widely across the industry? Pro Landscaper | Eljays44 | FutureScape Event | Public Spaces Expo Chris Wellbelove, Alistair Bayford, Robert Cunliffe MBA, Alice-Rose Hoile, #JoeLewis

At Driving Innovation: Shaking up the procurement process the topic is social value. Should the responsibility for social value be driven by the client team? Building meaningful relationships with local communities takes time and contract length often limits contractors' ability to do so. Should clients leverage their existing relationships within communities to support contractors? Contractors are often tied to specification for materials - how does this impact efforts to be more sustainable and promote sustainability? Is it more effective to allocate resources for social value initiatives directly to the contractor? Chris Wellbelove, Alistair Bayford, Robert Cunliffe MBA, Alice-Rose Hoile, #JoeLewis Pro Landscaper | Eljays44 | Public Spaces Expo | FutureScape Event