Back to News
17 June 2002
Countryside Properties recently received three GreenLeaf Awards the pre-eminent environmental awards in the industry, together with one of the special prizes of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Award for Great Notley Garden Village, Essex.
GreenLeaf Awards were received for: Sidley Grange in Tunbridge Wells, Regents Square in Bishop's Stortford, and Great Notley Garden Village, near Braintree.
The GreenLeaf Awards and the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Award are a strong endorsement of our commitment to responsible, environmentally sensitive development.
Guy Lambert, Head of Corporate Communications, Countryside Properties
The Awards, which started 15 years ago, celebrate the best examples of the role that the landscape plays in successful new housing schemes. The developments are judged three years after completion so the landscaping can be viewed as it starts to mature and to ensure that its management is effective.
Professor Chris Baines, Chairman of the judging panel commented, "Countryside Properties won one of the first GreenLeaf awards 15 years ago and therefore I'm delighted that once again we've been able to acknowledge their outstanding contribution to enhancing environmental quality."
Great Notley Garden Village received a GreenLeaf award for the environmental quality of its 180 acres of public open space, including a 100-acre country park and a six-acre village green. The Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Award recognises the excellent management of water at Great Notley. The development includes two lakes and twelve ponds. The judges said, "Countryside Properties showed how water can be managed as an asset in new housing. By making a positive contribution to surface water management in the area they showed how new housing can be designed to be part of the solution to flooding, rather than a contributing factor. They also did the most to maximise accessibility and bring out the benefits of water for the local home owners."
Regents Square, part of St Michaels Mead, is a development on a former greenfield site where Countryside Properties working with East Hertfordshire District Council produced a master plan for the site to ensure all existing landscape features were retained. At Regents Square a large formal square is the focus for the surrounding Regency style town houses. The use of semi-mature native trees and shrubs and hard landscaping in the square harmonises with and compliments the townhouses. St Michaels Mead features 108 acres of parkland, public open space, lakes and structural landscaping.
Sidley Grange features detached housing on a former semi-derelict factory site. The many mature trees and hedges which were extremely close to the old factory buildings were carefully protected whilst the buildings were demolished. Indigenous trees and shrubs were planted and a new pond attracts wildfowl and other wildlife that weren't previously seen at the site.
Guy Lambert, Head of Corporate Communications, Countryside Properties comments, "The GreenLeaf Awards and the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Award are a strong endorsement of our commitment to responsible, environmentally sensitive development. In our schemes we ensure that landscape and building design integrates with and enhances the surrounding natural and built environment. We make every effort to ensure that local environments are protected and enhanced."
Back to News
Information correct as at 17/06/2002