This month our Director Linden Groves has taken our campaign to the airwaves to highlight the vital importance of protecting the UK’s historic parks and gardens in light of current planning reforms.
On the Roots and All podcast, Linden discussed the vulnerability of designed landscapes under proposed changes to the planning system. She explained what the Government’s suggestion to remove The Gardens Trust’s statutory consultee role could mean for these treasured green spaces, why this role matters to communities nationwide, and how listeners can support efforts to safeguard parks and gardens for future generations.
Linden also featured on the HortWeek podcast, where similarly she underscored that removing our role would weaken protections for historic parks and gardens, potentially leaving many sites—especially Grade II landscapes—to be decided without dedicated expert input.
Across both conversations, Linden emphasised how historic parks and gardens contribute to economic growth, community wellbeing, nature recovery and cultural heritage—and why ensuring their voice in planning matters is essential. You can read more about this in our recent report Harnessing Parks and Gardens in the 21st Century.
Listen to the Roots and All podcast here
We encourage all our members and supporters to help with our campaign and to respond to the Government’s consultation before it closes on 13 January 2026. Find out more about how to support our campaign here.
