Ascerta

Substandard densities

Landscape Audits (post-build)

Whilst developers are acutely conscious of the need to deliver high quality developments, irrespective of the type (residential/commercial etc), there is a worrying number of sites that fail to meet minimum standards when it comes to implementing the landscape scheme. Great efforts are made at the planning and design stage to provide a scheme that ticks all the necessary boxes, but when it comes to delivering the project, the final result can often fall woefully short of the standards desired at the design stage.

Lower than approved planting densities

The Result?

Difficulty in discharging planning conditions,sometimes impacting on sales. Potential enforcement action by the local planning authority. Developers being billed for sub-standard, non-compliant work. Shoddy looking landscape schemes reducing the visual appeal of the site. Some common areas to look out for are poor ground preparation (resulting in poor plant health), lower than specified plant numbers (we’ve seen schemes where as little as 50% of the specified number of plants have been planted), incorrect tree & shrub species planted (where the contractor chooses what is easiest or the cheapest to supply) and general sub-standard finishing.

Excessive weed cover

Our starting recommendation would therefore be to instruct your appointed landscape architect to project manage the landscape construction / implementation. For schemes that have already been completed, our recommendation would be that prior to final payments being made to the landscape contractor, an audit is carried out of the completed scheme against the approved design to ensure compliance and to minimise potential delays to the site sign-off. To help get you off site as smoothly and quickly as possible with minimum cost, contact us to discuss how we can help you ensure compliance with your landscape obligations.

Plant deaths following poor planting

As a developer you want to make sure that you get what you are paying for, that it is carried out to the highest quality possible and that you can be released from your planning obligations as quickly as possible. The most efficient route to ensuring schemes can be signed off confidently is to engage the landscape architect / designer as a project (or contract) manager to oversee the implementation of the approved design. Whilst this does attract a cost, balanced against the cost and wasted time of having to rectify substandard workmanship, this can pale into insignificance.

Mulch not to specified depth