Ashton Court Estate Bristol City Council  

The historic 850-acre parkland estate is one of the countries most heavily used public parks and is home to the annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, the Bristol Community Festival and Kite Festival. The estates history stretches back to medieval times (and earlier). During the early years of Council ownership, lack of understanding and sympathetic management led to an erosion of some of the qualities of the estate and over domination by cars and parking.

In 2004 Heritage Lottery funding was secured and planning permission for works was granted.

The New Leaf Studio were appointed in January 2005 to develop proposals for the landscape related aspects of the project and supervise contracts for their execution on site over a three year period. Work within the landscape package includes:
  • Extension of two deer parks (Red deer and fallow deer)
  • Re-planting of historic parkland trees
  • Woodland management
  • Construction of two new car parks
  • Restoration (narrowing) of estate carriage drives and removal of vehicular control paraphernalia made redundant by new car parks and restrictions on vehicular access.
  • Restoration of historic cart ponds and drainage system
  • Restoration of the mansions woodland garden
  • Repairs and improvements to historic cobble paving in association with new visitor centre.
  • Creation of a new garden for tenants of a restored lodge house.
  • Creation of new children's play area and picnic area
  • Restoration and design of new estate iron work, including entrance gates and piers.
  • Input to estate management plan

Working on the project involves liaison and co-ordination with a wide range of parties including working in parallel with a Conservation Architect who is acting as lead consultant on architectural aspects of the project, highways engineers, park rangers, deer keepers, ecologists regarding bats, badgers, newts and endangered plants, mechanical, electrical and structural engineers, various user groups and disability access groups not to mention the various specialist contractors employed to execute the works.

Overall project value: £4.4 million, Landscape packages: approximately £2 million