1.5 Constraints and Opportunities

The landscape constraints and opportunities for the site have been established from baseline desktop analysis, site appraisal and surveys of the site, along with engaging with the local stakeholders and surrounding communities.

The existing mature trees are a very important part of Ladyfield, for the local community, local wildlife and for the approach we take for the proposed development. Although to retain the trees may be described as a constraint to development, we take the view that these are valuable natural assets that should be retained and any development should happen well away from the mature trees and their roots.

Retaining the existing trees also offers a positive opportunity for the existing and any new community within the development. Trees are incredibly important to The Crichton Quarter and the evolving Ladyfield masterplan as an extension of this typology. Many of The Crichton buildings look out into the canopies of mature trees, we see this as being a huge benefit to health and wellbeing.

There is the opportunity to plan succession planting for tomorrow’s veteran trees and enhance the existing tree areas with low level planting for the benefit of biodiversity and wildlife. There is also the opportunity to increase the biodiversity of the site, with new landscape proposals relating to the development.

There is capacity for edible / food growing areas, dry and wet meadow swales, rainwater basins with marginal aquatic vegetation, planted raingardens that will also provide filtering and slowing of rainwater through the site.

New trees and hedges, and herbaceous planted areas with an emphasis on pollinator friendly species selected as well as bat boxes and bee bricks to support habitats for wildlife.