Currently, the Government is proposing to remove the Gardens Trust as a statutory consultee in the English planning system. This makes England’s rare and precious collection of historic parks and gardens extremely vulnerable to loss through badly informed development, just as society’s challenges mean they are most needed.
The Gardens Trust has been active over the summer raising awareness and building a network of supporters which helped generate considerable press interest. Earlier this month, it launched its new report 'Harnessing Parks & Gardens in the 21st Century: How historic landscapes can support and enhance our today and tomorrow' to support its campaign to regain recognition.
The report emphasises that:
- parks and gardens are at the heart of our communities and national story but are often taken for granted or undervalued;
- these historic designed landscapes have a key role in meeting the challenges of today, particularly around meeting the need for growth and housing whilst not sacrificing the health of communities;
- historic parks and gardens have a critical role to play in nature recovery and helping combat the effects of climate change, by providing established habitats and being highly effective for carbon capture and sequestration.
Please do share this report and help us to raise awareness both of the important role of the County Gardens Trusts in recording, conserving and protecting our heritage, and of the threat that uncontrolled development poses if local planning authorities no longer have to consult the Gardens Trust.