3. Stockley Park

28 September 2021

As part of a large multidisciplinary team to transform the landscape from heavily contaminated landfill into a public park, golf course and a new style business park and to deliver this at speed, Bernard Ede of Ede Griffiths Partnership, describes this as a dream project. No waste material was removed from site, and this became the biggest scale of earthwork project in Europe, adopting an innovative approach to soil construction and handling methane.  In the business park, surface water was regarded as a visual and ecological asset with the creation of lakes, swales and basins.  Although the ownership of the business park has changed hands several times since, Claire Watson explains how the landscape is now used and regarded by the occupiers, providing a wealth of stunning areas for relaxation, exercise and biodiversity interest. She will also say what was missing from the original brief.

Bernard Ede studied Geography at Nottingham University and landscape architecture at Newcastle University, he worked on the 50 year development plan for China Clay; with Neil Higson at MKDC, and went on to establish Bernard Ede Associates and Ede Griffiths partnership in the early 1980s. His work has involved major landscape restoration and development projects throughout UK and Europe including Greenwich Peninsula Master Plan, Brandenburg Park Berlin, and city centre regeneration, Duisburg.

With over 15 years’ experience of providing enlivenment programmes, seven of which within the property management industry, Claire Watson is the lifestyle manager for Stockley Park. Amongst other things, she is involved with the relationship between landscape and occupiers, working with the team to evolve the outdoor spaces to allow occupiers and visitors to enjoy the benefits of being outside.