National Trust commissioned Nicholas Pearson Associates to work on landscape and ecological consultancy services for Saltram East, a new, free-to-access country park. National Trust are creating nature positive access areas at Saltram Estate in Plymouth. The project sets out to provide new, accessible green space for the rapidly growing local community, benefitting wellbeing and supporting nature.
The Saltram Estate, located to the east of Plymouth city centre is a valued place for local residents and visitors. The estate is a Grade II* Registered Park and Garden, and is home to the Grade I Listed Mansion.
The proposals enable National Trust to expand public access into new areas of the Estate and are an important step to help manage visitor pressures whilst contributing to the improvement of strategic cross-community cycling and pedestrian links. The plans are supported by Sport England and help deliver a healthy, active and accessible parkland. This project is the first step in a 10-year programme to enhance well-being by connecting people with nature, heritage and green space. It is hoped that this transformational change of land use into a country park will become a legacy for future generations.

The landscape and ecological proposals entail the transformation of an area of agricultural land to the east of the Estate, beside Colesdown Hill. The new area, approximately 32ha, has not previously been open to the public. The new country park will be accessible to the local community and visitors, providing access to an increased area of green space and includes trails for cycling, walking and spaces for rest relaxation and play. Biodiversity gains and habitat improvements are integral to the project and will aid nature recovery through habitat creation and sensitive land management techniques. The design incorporates existing habitats and landscape features and includes improvements to estate infrastructure and a new accessible, multi-use trail suitable for a range of uses and abilities, linking to the wider Saltram Estate trail network. Hidden historic views of the estate from the east, painted by landscape artist William Tomkins in the 1770’s will be reinterpreted and re-discovered.
Site sensitivities relate to the site’s heritage and capacity for change and the preservation of archaeology. In tandem with the management of impacts on woodland and the enhancement of the environment including habitats, watercourses and soils.

Nicholas Pearson Associates have supported the National Trust through the design process through the preparation of an estate biodiversity baseline, a spatial audit, ecological impact assessment, design and access statement, the provision of landscape plans for the current planning application and assistance with planning for the creation of biodiversity gains for the current and future planning applications.
If you would like to speak with one of our team about this sort of project, please do contact us.