ABOUT US

Askew Nelson is an award winning landscape architecture practice. Our core services include:

  • Landscape Design

  • Conservation of Historic Landscapes

  • Garden Design

  • Landscape Management, including Conservation Management Plans

  • Planning - planning applications, landscape planning advice

  • Landscape and Visual Appraisal/ Impact Assessment (EIA)

  • Expert witness for public inquiries

Historic Landscapes:  our particular strengths and experience lie in the design, planning and management of historic landscapes. This includes historical research, analysis, preparation of conservation management plans and overseeing the conservation work itself. Clients include the National Trust, English Heritage and private landowners. We are frequently involved in funding applications (Heritage Lottery Fund, Higher Level Stewardship etc.). 

Landscape & Garden Design:  recent major design projects include high end residential & hotel development, large private gardens for country houses, new parkland landscapes and the design of new drives, accesses and parking. Our designs evolve from a clear understanding of our clients’ requirements, rigorous research into the site’s context and history and scrupulous attention to detail. Our emphasis is on quality. Clients include private landowners, churches, commercial developers, the National Trust and English Heritage.

Our typical service runs from the investigation/feasibility stage, research & concept design, taking the design through the planning process, detailed design, tendering the work to contractors, contract administration to long term management.

Urban Design:  recent major projects include the redesign of the precincts at both Bristol Cathedral and Portsmouth Cathedral, and rethinking the centre of Redditch, Worcestershire.   

Planning:  Working with the planning system is a particular strength of ours:  making planning applications; negotiation with local planning authorities and statutory consultees; acting as an expert witness at planning inquiries - both for developers, local planning authorities and local interest groups.  We undertake landscape and visual appraisals and landscape and visual impact assessments for planning applications.

We have a strong track record in gaining planning approvals for challenging projects, often in the setting of historic/listed buildings, registered landscapes and scheduled ancient monuments. Good landscape design is often the key to a successful planning application.

Current projects include: conservation of historic landscapes, landscape design, garden design, landscape planning, creation of new parkland landscapes & conservation of old ones, conservation of historic walled gardens & creation of new ones, playground design, urban design and churchyard design.

Current clients include the National Trust, English Heritage, residential and commercial developers, hotels, local authorities, local community groups, churches, private landowners and large historic estates.

Social responsibility is central to our thinking: sensitivity to our clients, the site, the local economy, wider society and the natural and built environments. Local sourcing of materials and the creation of inclusive, robust, cost-effective and sustainable designs with minimal environmental impact are all fundamental to our work.

Askew Nelson is a registered practice with The Landscape Institute.