Thorndon, Grade II* Registered Park and Garden where Capability Brown's eighteenth-century landscape overlays a much older sixteenth-century parkland. Our Parkland Plan sets out a long-term vision to restore the historic landscape, improve visitor facilities, accessibility, legibility and enhance ecological resilience.

Working with Essex's Grazing Manager, park managers, arboricultural specialists, woodland consultants and ecologists, we developed an analysis of the park's key issues and prepared a coordinated programme of restoration proposals and long-term management to address visitor pressure, erosion and lost and eroded water courses.

The plan proposes targeted restoration to improve the legibility of the designed landscape including its degraded and lost water courses to restore habitats and strengthen ecological networks and Natural Flood Management. Particular focus was given to the watercourses, which are central to the park's character, biodiversity and accessibility. 

A key objective is to improve access, welcome and disperse visitors more evenly across the site, reducing pressure on sensitive habitats, veteran trees and heritage. Many of the proposals could be funded through Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy, supporting the needs of surrounding new communities.

The proposals are prioritised with the client team for Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship funding.