Landscape-led masterplanning for country parks, green corridors and new communities

Why developers work with Davies White

Davies White are widely recognised for designing award-winning nature play landscapes and inclusive outdoor spaces, including co-designing four RHS Back to Nature Gardens with HRH The Princess of Wales and launching the Get Set Global Challenge with Sir David Attenborough. While this work remains an important part of our portfolio, we are also landscape architects specialising in stakeholder engagement and landscape-led masterplanning.

We work with developers, land owners and multidisciplinary teams to help shape the structure of new communities through green infrastructure strategies, country park design and connected networks of public open space.

Planners and developers are increasingly recognising that landscape is not simply an aesthetic layer applied after buildings are arranged. Landscape provides a framework that helps organise movement, manage water, support biodiversity and create distinctive places where people want to live. When considered early in the design process, landscape can guide development layout in ways that respond positively to site context, planning policy and long-term stewardship objectives.

Our work focuses on establishing coherent green infrastructure frameworks that integrate country parks, green corridors, public open space and sustainable drainage systems into the structure of development. This approach helps create connected neighbourhoods that support wellbeing, nature recovery and long-term value.

Examples of this approach can be seen in our latest projects which include Prestley Country Park at Alconbury Weald, working with Urban&Civic and Nene Park Trust, and Quarry Farm Country Park near Stamford, working with Allison Homes.

Our wider strategic landscape experience also includes projects for the Forestry Commission at Jeskyns Community Forest and Forestry and Land Scotland at Cuningar Loop Country Parkin Glasgow and Coed Moel Famau in North Wales.

Explore related projects:
https://www.davieswhite.co.uk/country-parks

A strategic approach to landscape and development

Landscape-led masterplanning begins with understanding the site as a whole. This includes analysing landform, existing vegetation, hydrology, access patterns and surrounding landscape character. Identifying opportunities and constraints early allows development to be organised in a way that works with the landscape rather than against it.

Green infrastructure frameworks help establish clear spatial structure. Green corridors can define movement routes and ecological connections, while country parks provide accessible recreational landscapes that contribute to the identity of a place. Sustainable drainage landscapes can be integrated naturally within public open space, supporting climate resilience and water management.

We have seen firsthand how this strategic approach helps create a development that feels coherent, legible and connected to its landscape setting.

Stakeholder engagement as part of the masterplanning process

Successful development requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including planning authorities, technical consultants, local communities and long-term management organisations.

Davies White run structured stakeholder engagement processes that help shape landscape strategies and ensure proposals respond to the needs of both people and place. Workshops and collaborative discussions allow key issues to be explored early, helping reduce risk and support robust planning outcomes.



Engagement helps ensure landscape proposals are realistic, deliverable and aligned with long-term stewardship objectives. It also supports coordination across multidisciplinary teams and builds confidence among decision-makers.

Biodiversity Net Gain and environmental value

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a fundamental requirement for most new housing developments in England. Landscape-led masterplanning plays a key role in delivering measurable ecological improvements while also creating attractive and usable green spaces for communities.

Davies White work collaboratively with specialist ecologists including Penny Anderson Associates to ensure landscape strategies align with biodiversity net gain requirements and ecological best practice. By considering habitat networks, tree cover, meadow landscapes and water systems early in the design process, landscape frameworks can contribute positively to biodiversity targets while also supporting placemaking and long-term stewardship.



Green corridors and country parks often provide the spatial framework within which biodiversity enhancements can be delivered efficiently and coherently. Integrating biodiversity thinking early helps avoid late design changes and ensures ecological value is embedded within the structure of development rather than added retrospectively.

This collaborative approach helps provide confidence to planning authorities and ensures biodiversity objectives are aligned with deliverable design solutions.

Climate resilient landscape frameworks for new housing

Davies White are actively contributing to emerging approaches to climate resilient landscape design for housing development. In partnership with Anglian Water, we led a workshop at the renowned Beth Chatto Gardens exploring how green infrastructure within new housing developments can respond to climate change, biodiversity loss and water stress.

The workshop was convened with support from Future Homes Hub and brought together representatives from a wide range of national and regional housing developers, planning bodies and sustainability organisations (see the list at the bottom of this article, maybe your organisation was involved), demonstrating strong sector interest in resilient landscape frameworks.

Participants explored how landscape-led approaches can support Biodiversity Net Gain, water-sensitive design and long-term stewardship objectives. The programme included a visit to Chattowood, an exemplar housing development influenced by Beth Chatto’s planting philosophy, demonstrating how resilient planting strategies can be successfully integrated within residential landscapes.

Resilient Garden & Landscape Award

An interactive session introduced the concept of the  an award similar to Blue Flags for beaches, this proposed accreditation framework aimed at raising standards in residential green infrastructure.

Just as EPC energy ratings have helped improve building performance, a comparable framework for gardens and green spaces could support more climate-resilient, biodiverse and sustainable residential environments whilst increasing property value.

We are now seeking partners interested in exploring pilot projects and helping shape the framework?

A clear and structured process from concept to delivery

Davies White support development teams through a clear and collaborative process aligned with recognised industry work stages.

Our involvement typically includes:

• Early feasibility and vision
  Establishing landscape principles that help guide development layout.
• Landscape strategy and masterplanning
  Preparing green infrastructure frameworks integrating country parks, green corridors and public open space.
• Planning support and Biodiversity Net Gain coordination
  Supporting outline planning applications through coordinated landscape and ecological strategies.
• Developed design
  Working collaboratively with architects, engineers and ecologists.
• Delivery and implementation
  Detailed design of public landscapes, play environments and country park infrastructure.

This structured approach ensures landscape thinking remains embedded throughout project evolution.

Country parks and green corridors as long-term assets



Strategic green spaces are increasingly recognised as essential infrastructure within housing developments. Country parks, green corridors and connected public open space provide environmental, social and economic benefits that extend well beyond planning requirements.

Accessible green space supports health and wellbeing, encourages walking and cycling and contributes to a strong sense of place.

Davies White have developed landscape strategies and masterplans for flagship projects such as Prestley Country Park in Cambridgeshire, Quarry Farm Country Park in Rutland and Cuningar Loop in Glasgow, where landscape structure helps define the identity of new communities.

Integrating play within wider landscape frameworks

Cross generational and inclusive play landscapes remain an important part of successful communities, particularly where they form part of connected networks of public open space. Nature play environments support physical activity, social interaction and connection with the natural environment. When integrated within wider green infrastructure frameworks, play becomes part of a cohesive landscape structure that supports everyday contact with nature across different age groups. This is an area of landscape architecture that we continue to pioneer, inspire and lead by example.

How Davies White can support your development

Davies White work with developers, land promoters and multidisciplinary consultant teams to help structure new communities through landscape-led masterplanning and strategic green infrastructure planning.

We support projects and clients where landscape plays a key role in shaping development identity, planning strategy and long-term stewardship.

Our services include:

o   landscape-led masterplanning and green infrastructure strategy

o   country park planning and public open space frameworks

o   Biodiversity Net Gain coordination with ecologists including Penny Anderson Associates

o   stakeholder engagement and collaborative design workshops

o   climate resilient landscape strategies

o   sustainable drainage integration

o   concept design through to detailed design

o   integration of play within wider green infrastructure

o   coordination with multidisciplinary consultant teams

Early involvement allows landscape to positively influence site layout, helping create distinctive places that support planning consent, environmental performance and long-term value.

Early involvement allows landscape to positively influence site layout, helping create distinctive places that support planning consent, environmental performance and long-term value.

Start a conversation

If you are developing a new housing scheme where landscape is, or could play, an important role in shaping the character and structure of the place, we would welcome a conversation.

Davies White provide award-winning landscape architecture and engagement services from early-stage masterplanning through to detailed design, including green infrastructure, public open space, play areas, gardens and wider landscape settings such as country parks.

We are also exploring the proposed Resilient Garden & Landscape Award, an emerging accreditation framework intended to support higher standards for residential green infrastructure. If you would like to be kept informed as this develops, we would be pleased to include you in future updates.

If you have a current or upcoming project, we would be very happy to arrange an introductory conversation. Simply complete the form below and we will arrange a convenient time.

Organisations that attended the Climate Resilient Landscape Worksop Day: 

Barratt Redrow • Taylor Wimpey • Vistry Group • Bellway Homes • Crest Nicholson • Hill Group • Urban&Civic • Persimmon Homes • Bloor Homes • Cala Homes • Dandara • Miller Homes • Orbit Homes • Lovell • Keepmoat • Hayfield Homes • Durkan Homes • Strata • Bargate Homes • Croudace • Lioncourt • McCarthy Stone • Churchill Living • Deanfield Homes • Thakeham Homes • Seven Developments • Neilcott Construction • Carr & Carr Builders • Duchy of Cornwall • Carbon Neutral Homes • Untypical / Tilia Homes / Hopkins Homes • Clarion Housing Group • Good Homes Alliance • Greenbelt