We have worked on a number of country park projects – Our work is varied from carrying out market research through to option appraisals and preparing business plans. Clients include:

• East Dorset District Council
• Hampshire County Council
• Kent County Council
• Homes and Communities Agency (formerly English Partnerships)
• Portsmouth & SE Hampshire Partnership
• South Wye Regeneration Partnership
• County of Herefordshire District Council
• Land Trust
• Seeda

More than 1,000 parks and green spaces across England and Wales have been awarded the Green Flag Award for 2009. The Green Flag Award is a national standard designed to recognise sites offering high environmental quality.

Herschel Park in Slough has been awarded £1.69m, Pannett Park in Whitby received £1.4m, Chances Park in Carlisle will receive £869,000 grant and Dixon Park in County Antrim has been given £514,000.  The grants will be used to upgrade park facilities, such as visitor centres, play areas and performance areas, ensuring more people would be able to benefit the green space.

Five historic parks in England will undergo restoration because of a £14m grant from the lottery funded Parks for People programme. The funding has been distributed between Newcastle (£4.5m), West Bromwich (£4.4m), Plymouth (£3.3m), Worcester (£803,000) and Newark (£1.13m). The funding will help to preserve the green spaces and the environment for the future.

A new multi-million pound visitor centre is set to enhance the visitor experience at Tweed Valley Forest Park as the focal point for outdoor activities in South East Scotland.

The highest of eco-friendly standards are a key element in Forestry Commission Scotland’s new £5m Glentress Peel Centre. The Four building development will be on the edge of Glentress Forest, connected by trails, with new car parking areas.

New facilities will include:

• A bike shop and bike hire services,
• Showers, toilets, changing areas and information services
• Café and meeting point
• Management facilities for on-site staff and associated partners

Construction work is expected to begin in spring 2009 and completed by summer 2010.

Go Ape is to open its first aerial adventure in Wales at Margam Country Park, in Port Talbot, next year. The attraction will be based on a similar design to the 17 existing sites. Work has already begun on the site to create the tree-top adventure 40ft above the forest floor. The attraction is to cost £300,000 and is part of Go Ape’s plans to open 40 courses by 2012. Go Ape is to open its first aerial adventure in Wales at Margam Country Park, in Port Talbot, next year. The attraction will be based on a similar design to the 17 existing sites. Work has already begun on the site to create the tree-top adventure 40ft above the forest floor. The attraction is to cost £300,000 and is part of Go Ape’s plans to open 40 courses by 2012.