Landscape architecture in the UK

[Anthony Clarkson]

 

I’ve noticed that the UK Landscape Architects are under represented on ‘Land8Lounge’, therefore I’ve written a few a few commets below that may be of interest:

 

The notes below are intended to create comments which I have catorarised into points 1 and points 2 :

 

Point 1

 

I run a small practice which specialised in environmental planning and have noted a few changes on recent projects in the UK:

 

New playgorunds are not encouraged by the government (austerity measures) and most projects are on playgrounds now cut.

 

I worked on Environmental Impact Assessments for solar farms in the south of England. The government cut the feed in tariff energy therefore solar farms no loner financially viable (even though the sun shines) anf they are viable and in accordance with the European Unions guidelines to cut carbon emissions.

 

Lottery funded works; such as redevelopment on village ponds, greenspace  and small scale environmental projects are only open to bigger practices or larger environmental consultancies with a track record. I am  therfore blocked out as as small practice under the guidelines for lottery funding. The ‘Big Society’ concept promoted by the government is not applicable for small scale environmental designers on many of these projects.

 

Point 2

But perhaps an answer  :

 

The UK  government is to pass the new legislation ‘in favour of development’. The result will be developers  (both oppertunists and professional developers) will be submittting planning application in green belt and rural areas across the UK.   The previouse policy was for presumption to develop ‘brown field’ sites  (i.e. redundant land in cities or other land that has been disturbed by by some kind of industrial development). The courtyside was protected. The (Green belt) protection policies where created in the 1940s to prevent cities merging and ensure that the coutryside can provide enough food to sustain itsself in the event of another war.

 

There is the possibility for landscape architects and environmental planners to get more directly involved with developers and policy. I know the undefunded Landscape Institute strives to do this but I think their ‘Londoncentrict’  approach tendes to ignore the more mundane and focuses on  headline  projects or outstanding designs which often do not have ‘cat in hells’ chance of ever being implimented or designed to their full potential.

 

My thoughts:

The UK government is reacting to the recession and the need to prove they are acting in a positive way to cut spending . This has the potential to cause untold damage to the British environment.

 

Landscape Architects  have a resposibility to enhance and proctect  the environment. The ‘double edged sword’ of  the relaxing of the planning laws could  lead to oppertunity for creating better social and natural environments, We need to get more involved. 

 

But how do we do this?????????

 

 

 regards

 Anthony Clarkson

 

 

Web: ACLA.org.uk

 

 

[Leslie B Wagle]

Interesting, and I hope you get some British comments from those more familiar with the situation. In a way, the country’s war experience and perhaps higher density has led to more progressive ideas on preservation as you describe them, compared to the US….but just a quick thought, it sounds a lot like you hope for a windfall….similar to how LA’s here want the profession to be more visible in transportation and other initiatives, perhaps even being “required” on projects. That involves lobbying in the initial legislation and usually gets shot down by other competing professions and never seemed a terribly productive effort or one likely to help small firms anyway, at least to me. In a nutshell, whether it’s government-funded work or private (in a healthier economy), humans being the creatures they are….there is that need for someone to get behind the scenes and cultivate soft-influence connections before it’s already too late. 

 

I have been worried for awhile that whenever a “pro business” pushback to the recession finally takes shape – whenever it comes – that it might just let loose an era of even lower development standards in a mad rush forward, than was prevalent during the the former boom.

 

 

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

It sounds like the UK suffers from the same disease as the US. Everyone is waiting for someone to cause a situation in which we can thrive instead of looking to meet existing needs of other private people. …. you live by the sword, you die by the sword.

 

 

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