News & Events

PRESS_RELEASE_-_Gardens_Trust_urges_government_to_reconsider_its_plans_V2.pdf 

NEWS FROM THE GARDENS TRUST

Government proposal to remove statutory consultee role from the Gardens Trust
The Gardens Trust is appalled that the government is considering removing it as a statutory consultee within the English planning system.  

We don’t recognise ourselves in the government’s characterisation of statutory consultees. We only rarely miss the 21 day response deadline (remarkable given that we work closely with local volunteers in forming our responses), and last year objected to less than 10% of our consultations, with the remainder of our responses being simply supportive advice.

The Gardens Trust receives some 1800 planning application consultations each year, and provides local planning authorities with many hundreds of constructive advice recommendations to support positive change. Around 80% of our comments are advice to support approval of planning permission, with only 20% expressing serious reservations about proposals.

To support the Gardens Trust’s statutory consultee work it receives a grant of £42,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

In order to deliver its statutory consultee role, the Gardens Trust’s small team of national paid Conservation Officers and experts working pro bono coordinates a volunteer army across 36 affiliated County Gardens Trusts.

We are passionate about the role that the UK’s world-famous historic parks and gardens can play in supporting positive economic growth and healthy cohesive societies, and eager to continue helping this in our role as statutory consultee. We understand that the government will shortly be launching a public consultation into proposals, and we will contact our members and supporters with an update at that point, if not before. In the meantime, please read the Gardens Trust’s statement. Your support is vital.

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

It is probably fair to say that Sir Simon Jenkins is Clough's lineal successor. In a Times article, Simon sets out how the present government with its ambitions for a Third Runway and the Oxford-Cambridge arc (and the construction of what he designates Starmerville) is dealing with past challenges not the present or future ones. He advocates mending historic towns and cities instead, repurposing old buildings VAT-free. He points out that with modern communications there is no need for new settlements to allow people to work close together, nor a need for a new railway line. 

News in 2024

GOOD NEWS FOR OUR PARKS & GARDENS

For many years our historic parks and gardens have been poor cousins of Listed buildings with little of the same level of protection. This woefully inadequate recognition of their cultural and historic importance has slowly improved with successive levels of legislation until now the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Act has given them equal status. At last there is statutory duty to preserve and enhance Registered parks and gardens and the recognition that un-designated sites are also important. 

 Warwickshire Gardens Trust have indicated that they would be pleased to see members of HWGT at their events. If you are interested in joining them you can find details at Upcoming Events – Warwickshire Gardens Trust  

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News in 2023 

Malcolm Meikle. 3^rd June 1929 – 1^st April 2023

Seen here with our Chairman, Jeffrey Haworth.

Malcolm Meikle, our longstanding Gardens Trust member and stalwart committee member has sadly died at the ripe old age of 93. We will all miss him. The following words have been penned by Jeffrey Haworth.

On hearing Malcolm had died, Anne Langton (our Secretary) wrote, “Such a Grand Old Man, always interested and informative - and not afraid of lobbing the odd apple/pear/plum into the conversation.” We have appreciated his amiable insights and help since he joined the Committee 25 years ago, until he stepped down two years ago and even afterwards in phone calls. We've valued his guidance and ability to pull strings after a Worcestershire lifetime.

Malcolm was born at Wick Grange and only recently he and Mima formed a dower house nearby. He attended the remarkable Victorian choir school at St Michael's, Tenbury. He was sad when it folded and I told him about the refectory furniture, in the manner of William Burges, looking so desolate and unappreciated in the Leominster saleroom.

His father died suddenly when Malcolm was 18, so he had to stay on at Wick to help his mother run the large mixed farm.

He had a long association with Wychavon District Council, stepping down as Leader in 2004. Then Malcolm and Mima had more time for HWGT and have been regulars at our visits and lectures and generally conspicuous at our gatherings. They have been so hospitable at Wick, with several group visits there that we remember.

Several of us recall Malcolm being intrigued at his first Committee meeting by one or two of our more eccentric colleagues, John St Bodfan Gruffydd in particular, the decidedly Welsh and opinionated former President of the Landscape Institute (the Committee has never lacked spark). Malcolm was certainly a backbone of HWGT, if an organisation such as ours can have several. Many of us have lost a good friend.

For a quarter century Malcolm had been intrigued by the saga of the Pershore organ, with its novel twists and turns. He was thrilled when at last a new pipe organ was commissioned and entertained that it is Italian and placed uniquely high up near the vaults in the triforium. Delayed by Covid and Brexit, it was given its first major airing at Malcolm's memorial service, bringing the saga as well as his life to a close.