We worked closely with RHS, Peel Land & Property, Salford City Council, and the project design team, which included Landscape Architect Tom Stuart-Smith and Manchester-based Hodder and Partners, to provide specialist input on ecology, landscape and views.
Our lead ecologist played a pivotal role in guiding the sensitive approach to the Middle Wood Site of Biological Importance (SBI). This historic woodland, a legacy of the former Worsley New Hall estate, will benefit from improved management under the proposals. We undertook extensive ecological surveys, assessing roosting bats, a diverse breeding bird assemblage, mature woodland, and a local wildlife site. Careful planning and collaboration ensured minimal impact on bats, retaining important architectural features and providing alternative roosting habitats throughout construction. A Biodiversity Management Strategy (BMS) was agreed with the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit to guide the long-term ecological management of the site.
Alongside our ecological work, we prepared a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) to understand how the proposals would sit within the surrounding landscape and Green Belt. Our assessment considered views from key vantage points including the Bridgewater Canal, St Mark’s Church, Leigh Road, and Boothstown. We highlighted the benefits of restoring the historic Walled Garden and evaluated how the new Welcome Building, horticultural yard, visitor access and car park would be filtered and integrated through extensive planting. The LVIA demonstrated that the majority of the site would remain open and undeveloped, ensuring the proposals complement the existing landscape while bringing long-term ecological and recreational benefits.
RHS Garden Bridgewater is a collaboration between RHS, Peel Land & Property and Salford City Council. If approved, work could begin in spring 2017, with the aim of opening the Walled Garden to the public by June 2019. It’s been a privilege for TEP to contribute to a project of this scale, combining ecological sensitivity, landscape enhancement, and innovative garden design.
