AILEEN SHACKELL LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Our projects

Here are just a few projects from our very diverse portfolio.

Boy playing in water

Alum Chine Play Space

At Alum Chine in Bournemouth we re-designed and oversaw the construction of a tired-looking play space to incorporate an exciting Treasure Island theme. A secret treasure chest, sand and water play, a hammock to discover in the woods and huge fallen trees all make the most of this great beach location and the play space has become a place enjoyed by adults and children alike.

oh crumbs cafe

Oh Crumbs! Cafe Garden

Our garden here provided an outdoor eating and vegetable growing area for a café run by adults with learning disabilities, offering coffee or lunch to the local community. Outdoor spaces for health and wellbeing are important to us all, and this tiny scheme turned a scrap of tarmac into a well-used space filled with colour and scent which everyone can enjoy.

old fossil by sea

Fossil Forest, Lulworth

Close to Lulworth Cove lie the petrified remains of a cypress forest which grew alongside a lagoon in the Jurassic period, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. We provided design support to the Dorset National Landscape team for improved access down the steep cliff face, a new lookout point incorporating a fossilised tree-trunk sourced from a local quarry, and other improvements to the wider landscape setting.

highcliffe castle

Highcliffe Castle HLF

At the Grade 1 Listed Highcliffe Castle we led the re-design of the outdoor space round the Castle by restoring an overgrown wilderness to expansive lawns with new footpaths and seating. Originally laid out by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown the Castle grounds are gradually being brought back into use; garden volunteers worked alongside the landscape contractor, and clearance work was carried out with the help of the local horse-logging team.

view of droset

Eype Farm LVA

At Lower Eype Farm the new owners needed to erect a barn to store the hay from their 10-acre site. The Landscape and Visual Assessment report process proved instrumental in leading to Planning Permission being secured for this very sensitive location, with numerous landscape designations. The scheme is a good example of how this process can be used constructively, developing a scheme which successfully accommodated the various and sometimes conflicting agendas which were operating.

Durlston view over to Poole harbour

Durlston Castle HLF

The Listed Durlston Castle is one of the hidden gems of Purbeck. We oversaw an ambitious set of landscape works here, working closely with the ranger’s team to upgrade planting, footpaths and drainage through the Victorian core of the site to create an accessible playable and playful route from the northern entrance to the castle, and around the dramatic coastal cliff walk.

Wind turbine planning

Godlingston Manor LVA

15th century Grade 1 Listed Godlingston Manor is probably one of the oldest inhabited houses in the country and is located on National Trust land, close to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site. Here we prepared an LVA report for a potentially contentious application to erect a wind turbine very close to the Manor, which would create a more sustainable energy supply to serve what was a very complex building to heat. The report was prepared over a relatively long period to take account of detailed input from the local Conservation and Landscape Officers, and Planning Permission was duly secured.

Garden in bridport

Bridport Garden

In this small Bridport Garden we worked with the property owner to make the most of the ‘borrowed landscape,’ with outstanding views to the south west towards Eype Downs. The key priority here was to create a good structure for the garden which would allow the owner to gradually add planting as budget allowed. We worked with them to develop a plant palette which suited the growing conditions and also proposed a separate vegetable growing area beyond a low picket fence to foster a sense of exploration and discovery.

st james' play park slide

St. James' Park Play

St. James’s Park in Shaftesbury is one of the town’s most important public open spaces. We worked closely there with the Town Council to develop sensitively located play facilities which would provide the risk and challenge young people wanted but in a way which enhanced the park setting. The new play scheme has been a huge success, partly because we ensured the needs of the local community were considered carefully within the final design.

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