Environmental assessment

Education, Books, Styles, Computer Aided Design, UK Designers, EA

See note on environmental consultants in Landscape Guide. You may be surprised to find a note on environmental assessment in a website dealing with gardens - but please read on!

The problem is that when real estate is developed for housing, the architects, realtors and planners think about the houses AND NOT ABOUT THE GARDENS. This results in almost all new housing projects being developed without good garden spaces, especially in towns. The solution is to make an environmental assessment of the garden space a key aspect of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project. Every garden owner should argue for the appointment of landscape architects as environmental consultants on housing projects.

• Has the environmental impact of each house on each garden been assessed?
• Has the house been placed bang in the middle of the plot, disregarding the environment?
• Does the garden have good views of the surrounding environment?
• Does the garden environment have provision for shelter and shade?
• Does the garden door open on the south-facing side of the house?
• Have sustainable water management practices been used to ensure that the impact of water on the environment is positive?

Have landscape environmental assessment consultants been appointed for the development?