Case Studies
This case studies area provides details of past winners of the Planting Places Award:
2009 Winners of the Planting Places Award (supported by the Architecture Centre, Environment Agency, Natural England, NHS South West and ARUP)
Penhill Orchard, Swindon
The Penhill Orchard, planted on a disused allotment, sits right next to the Seven Fields Local Nature 
Reserve, Swindon. As well as providing free fruit for an area of disadvantage, it enhances the space for wildlife and provides and preserves a very pleasant place for the local community. It was set up in response to Swindon Healthy Eating group/campaign. The Orchard is entirely managed by a group made up of community residents. The land is leased from Swindon Borough Council. Grants and awards have been secured to plant the Orchard and purchase tools etc. The gates are left open for anyone to walk around or through. Now the Orchard is planted, with goodwill, it will continue to grow and provide free fresh fruit – almost zero miles to pick and eat for the majority of people living in the area. There has been no specific focus on design - the orchard is set out traditionally with fruit trees and bushes chosen to give a long fruiting season and boundaries planted with garden type shrubs, identified as good for wildlife. A place of peace and calm that does not "grate on the nerves" and is not subject to constant change has been created, benefiting both people and wildlife.
Torre Churchyard, Devon
'
Friends of the Churchyard' was formed in 2005 to rejuvenate this ancient churchyard. The community has been involved from the outset with volunteers coming mainly from the surrounding streets. From being a "no go" area, attracting anti-social behaviour, the churchyard is now a wonderful green oasis in the centre of Torquay. Residents have once more taken ownership, and now wander through with their children and dogs, stopping for a chat with their neighbours. The old sense of true community has returned. An urban meadow has been set up, enlisting Year 5 children from the local primary to help with the planting. The pupils will be further involved with history and natural history learning packages, centred around the churchyard. Carols by candlelight have been held every December and the churchyard has also featured in English Heritage Open Days. In 2008 a very successful medieval day was staged with cooking over fire pits, strolling minstrels, and a queue for the stocks! 2007 saw the 60th anniversary of the setting up of the parish memorial garden. A rededication service was arranged involving families of those fallen servicemen from the parish (who are remembered by distinctive white crosses). Although officially in an area of deprivation, the churchyard has helped people not to focus on this and instead to take pride in where they live.
Maningham Wood, Cornwall
Maningham wood is a small woodland in the centre of Illogan under the leasehold and stewardship of the Illogan Parish Council. It was formally opened in October 2004 by Lady Mary Holborrow as a Community Doorstep Green following extensive works to make it accessible after many decades of neglect. The Friends of Maningham Wood group was formed to help the Illogan Parish Council steer the management of the woods as a community nature conservation initiative, and represents direct community action within the Illogan area. There is a programme of volunteer action, dealing with maintenance of the shrub beds, litter picking, keeping paths clear and managing brambles, bracken and other invasive plants which pose a threat to the local biodiversity. Nature appreciation activities are held such as nest box building, tree planting, native bulb planting, mini beast safaris and ‘nut hunts’ for seed collection - all geared to increasing awareness of the value of the wood and maintaining biodiversity. The biodiversity of the woodland is maintained by the planting of native trees and bulbs and the replacement of felled trees with saplings and nest boxes. It is managed with wildlife in mind and all felled wood remains within the woodland to provide shelter for small mammals and reptiles, and as food for invertebrates which feed the mammals and small birds. Hazel and Hawthorn have been planted to increase the autumn food sources for wildlife, and no chemicals are used within the woodland to ensure that fungi and invertebrates also thrive.
St Neot Doorstop Green, Cornwall
St Neot Doorstep Green is the culmination of a massive community effort to turn a land and river locked meadow into a beautiful garden and performance area. Using a £60,000 Big Lottery grant from the (then) Countryside Agency and over 2,000 volunteer hours, a wooden bridge now spans the River Loveny into the garden where winding paths and a riverside boardwalk meander through grass and shrub boarders to the stone amphitheatre, the local school linking with the eastern side of the village. This project was not just about building an open space, however. The villagers of St Neot have created a centre of opportunity, right in the heart of the community, where villagers of all ages and visitors alike can relax, exercise, enjoy a concert, pass through as part of a circular village walk or en-route to school, hold a barbeque, weed an area of shrubbery or just sit and look at the vistas of the young people of the village on their bikes or skateboards. It is a lasting link to the community, as the green continues to be supported by volunteers who weed and propagate plants and hold fundraising events. Those involved suggest "there is no better place for a feeling of being at ease with the world".
Russell Town Avenue Community Allotment, Bristol
RTACA origins date back to 2003, having moved from its original site, via the Black Development Agency, to its present location at City Academy Bristol (CAB) on Russell Town Avenue two years ago. Consisting of six core residents, key objectives for the group are to promote RTACA, welcome new members and increase the number of visitors to the allotment. CAB students use the site exploring, through practical activity such as rainwater harvesting and composting, where food comes from, self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on non-renewable resources. Prior to cultivation, drainage of the area was very poor. Now there is better uptake of water and improved soil quality. An interesting, lively space that is used for training, social events as well as growing food has been created. RTACA allows local residents to share ideas about preparing and cooking produce, whilst some have also had opportunities to develop skills in landscaping and garden construction projects. The group collaborates with other local schemes and contacts in sourcing recycled or organic materials, and sharing information about events such as plant/seed swaps and workshops. Those involved say it's the experience being outdoors, connecting with nature and working and learning together to achieve a common goal (producing fresh, tasty, healthy, lower mileage food!) which is particularly enriching. For more info email rtacommunityallotment@googlemail.com
2008 Winners
Bournemouth and Poole’s Urban Heaths Partnership are responsible for providing green lungs and opportunities for informal recreation right on people's doorsteps. The Bournemouth/Poole area is the second largest urban area in the SW, and surrounds and abuts a number of heaths internationally 
designated for the wildlife that they support.
In 2000 the wildlife value of the urban heaths had been declining for many years, partly because of fragmentation and lack of management but mostly because of use and abuse by visitors and local residents. Since 2001 the Urban Heaths Partnership has worked collaboratively with land owners and managers, visitors and local communities to raise awareness of the importance of the heaths and to encourage people to enjoy them in a responsible way. This work has halted, and in some cases reversed the decline in wildlife value on most of the heaths and encouraged local people to get involved in looking after them.
Victoria Park is a large urban park in Bristol, surrounded by high-density terraced housing. It is over 100 years old, but was in decline due to reduced council funding. Victoria Park Action Group (VPAG) was formed in 2002, to bring together those who wished to restore the park and its facilities for the benefit of the local community.
Since its formation, the group has, in association with Bristol City Council, worked to make the park a better place for the local community and wildlife. They have improved facilities for young people (including a new playground for under-5s, skateboard park, five-a-side pitch, cricket wicket and goalposts for existing football pitch) and restored old park benches and purchased of new ones. They also organise annual community events in the park, including dog show, fun day and bonfire night. To encourage wildlife, the group has planted of 50 oak and tulip trees, to form two new avenues, created a butterfly garden and a better management plan for the wetland area, and has thinned shrubbery areas. See: www.vpag.org.uk
The Bristol and Bath Railway Path is a 13 mile off road route that carries over 2.4 million walking and cycling trips a year, and sees continued year on year increases in its usage. The section of the Path in Bristol provides a green lung in the city and 55% of users in this section use it because of the 'pleasant surroundings' it provides. The route passes through the Dings which are one of the 10% most deprived wards in the UK and provides this and other communities to walk, cycle and play in the space. Sustrans surveys have shown that three quarters of respondents using the Path said its presence has increased the amount of physical activity they take. It provides a space to play, travel and enjoy being in which clearly benefits a huge numbers of the local community. See: www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk
The Community Garden at Hayden Road allotments, Cheltenham provides a community greenspace offering individuals referred from local community mental health teams the opportunity to work as volunteers to build productive plots together with composting, conservation and ornamental areas and develop skills for cultivation of a vast array of plants and produce. Volunteers taste and learn about preparing and cooking freshly grown produce and some groups have also had opportunities to experience and develop skills in landscaping and garden construction projects such as pond building, shed, greenhouse and polytunnel erection, slab making and path-laying. Working on the garden provides disadvantaged individuals with physical, meaningful and purposeful occupation. It helps increase their confidence, self esteem and independence and provides opportunities for social inclusion and community participation.
The Three Brooks Reserve lies in the heart of Bradley Stoke. Its 45 hectares of woodlands, grasslands and wetlands designated a local nature reserve in 2004 serves a community of 20,000 residents who previously didn't have access to managed open space. The space provides a wide range of outdoor activities and opportunities for all members of the community. Volunteer work days, green gyms, health walks, corporate days and contractors have helped to conserve habitats, improve access and increase awareness of the reserve and its wildlife. Schools use the site for many activities including wood school, nature trails and orienteering, helping to foster a sense of ownership in future generations. See: www.three-brooks.info 
St Werburghs City Farm and community gardens are open all year round. It is an independent charity committed to working with the community to provide recreational and educational services and resources to improve the lives of local people, including training for college students, adults with special needs, job seekers, volunteers and work experience pupils and horticultural training for adults with learning difficulties. The Boiling Wells site was an abandoned hillside and the focus of antisocial behaviour. St Werburghs City Farm has transformed this smallholding into a beautiful green oasis with an active youth and community engagement project. Young people have been actively engaged in all aspects of planning and have built many of the features on site. There are plenty of opportunities to explore seasonality, low-impact living, develop new skills and build confidence. See: www.stwerburghs.org
Tuckingmill Valley Park is a flagship regeneration project at the head of Camborne, Pool and Redruth in Cornwall. The site’s industrial past left a legacy of contamination and dereliction which included landfill tipping, mine shafts and arsenic waste. A Park Regeneration Group was set up and is a partnership of local authorities, youth groups and sports representatives and environmental groups. As well as transforming the site into a community asset, the group engaged young people in the future of the park and ensured their wishes were converted into reality. Today the land has been transformed into a true community space and a real source of local pride. The Park perhaps paradoxically brings together a skate park in the head of a conservation site, community graffiti adjacent to cultural Cornish artwork, young offenders working with skilled conservationists and of course a proud community on a site which until four years ago was the most visible derelict land site in west Cornwall. For more information, please visit: www.kerrier.gov.uk
The restoration of the Belmont Sensory Garden has paid tribute to the first garden in England specifically intended for the blind, which opened on the same site in 1939. Inclusion of locally inspired, hand-painted seating reflects the contemporary community In 2006, consultation with park users revealed that use of Belmont Park had been deterred by anti-social behaviour and a lack of seating. In 2007, Exeter City Council responded by restoring Belmont Park’s Sensory Garden to a space that encouraged more positive park use and incorporated a family seating area. First the garden was better integrated into the park by clearing away obscuring shrubbery. Then ferns, herbs, and flowers, were planted to provide year round sights, smells and textures. Finally local residents designed and painted the garden’s four new picnic benches in colours of the seasons. In May 2007, the Belmont Sensory Garden opened to the public. For more information visit www.exeter.gov.uk
Plymouth’s Diggin’ It Organic has transformed 2.5 acres of land into an environment to benefit vulnerable or socially disadvantaged people, helping them to become better integrated within the community and bringing communities together.
Diggin It Organic is a gardening project managed by the Routeways Centre Ltd, a registered charity in Plymouth and currently funded by the Big Lottery Reaching Communities programme, which has transformed 2.5 acres of land supplied by Plymouth City Council. Those involved with Diggin’ It gain skills and confidence, self-esteem and self-sufficiency; some become ready for training or work, enabling them to participate more fully in society. The project is run on organic principles all organic waste is recycled or composted and we have a composting toilet on site. The use of renewable resources will be relied upon wherever it is practically possible, including rainwater harvesting and using green power sources. Please visit www.digginit.org.uk
Weston-super-Mare’s Weston Woods provides the town with an important visual connection to the natural environment and informal recreation area. Key activities such as the Green Gym and Forest School also take place in the Woods and involve all members of the community, regardless of age or background. North Somerset Council has been working to reverse the decline of the tree stock, and their woodland management has encouraged the growth of the next generation of trees - ensuring that the woodland can continue to provide benefits to the local population. Improvements to access have also been undertaken with the construction of an 'access for all' path which runs through the centre of the woodland and allows visitors with all capabilities the opportunity to enjoy this environment. The woodland has also been awarded the Forestry Stewardship Council certificate confirming the commitment to sustainable woodland management. Visit: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/
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© 2012 Sustainability South West - UK registered charity, no. 1106125 - info@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk.