Commendation for Best Landscaping of a Development
CASTLE ROCK
Park Rock, Castle Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 1RU
This well-designed new development of 38 apartments by the Beeston Canal, five minutes' walk from the city centre of Nottingham, stands on the historic site of a former medieval church, St Mary Le Roche, which fell into industrial use. More recently Castle Boulevard has become a favourite location for large-scale retail premises, as well as for new housing.
During demolition of the industrial buildings on the site, excavations for the new Park Rock development revealed the remains of a Victorian rock garden. This and the sandstone caves of St Mary Le Roche, which date from 1239 and are scheduled as an ancient monument, presented many problems. Not only did Braemore Properties have to have the decontaminated (including the removal of 12 large underground fuel tanks from its use as a petrol station) but it had to pay for an extensive archaeological dig and also pay the Nottingham Park Estate £35,000 to repeal a restrictive covenant on the site.
As the sandstone caves are also a protected wildlife sanctuary (and were a haunt of alcoholics and drug users), discussions took place with English Nature to agree how best to protect them. Landscape architects Wolfgang Buttress and Fiona Heron were faced with an unusual challenge in restoring the Victorian rock garden, protecting the caves and landscaping the new development. The result is a credit to all the parties involved.
Homebuilder: BRAEMORE PROPERTIES LIMITED
153 Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 1ND
Tel 0115 911 0777
Fax 0115 911 0663
Website: www.braemore-properties.co.uk
Contact: Ben Walsgrove, Director.
Email: benw@braemore-properties.co.uk
Architects: LETTS WHEELER
Studio 10, Ayr Street Workshops, Ayr Street, Nottingham NG7 4FX
Tel 0115 911 0734
Fax 0115 911 0734
Website: www.lettswheeler.com
Contact: Andrew Wheeler, Partner.
Email: mail@lettswheeler.com
Landscape Architects: WOLFGANG AND HERON
1 Moreland Court, Moreland Street, Nottingham NG2 3GE
Tel 0115 985 2288
Fax 0115 985 2288
Website: www.wolfgangandheron.com
Contact: Fiona Heron, Landscape Architect.
Email: enquiries@wolfgangandheron.com