Conservation and Planning

We work with owners, managers, local authorities and developers to conserve Devon’s designed landscapes, particularly those which might be at risk: gardens, parks, public parks and cemeteries, both private and public, in both urban and rural areas. We can offer advice to owners and managers of designed landscapes. The Trust draws on the expertise of its members as well as the wealth of information held in the Trust's archive. We welcome comments, enquiries or suggestions to [email protected] about any of the county's historic gardens, particularly if they are under threat in any way. The Trust offers Conservation Grants for projects in important designed landscapes in Devon and occasionally practical help.

A major part of our work is responding on all planning issues affecting historic designed landscapes in Devon that are on the Historic England Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, and those sites of local importance that are included in the Devon Local List. We do this on behalf of The Gardens Trust, the statutory consultee for planning applications which affect sites on the Historic England Register. On average there are 50-70 applications per year in Devon that require consideration. Planning applications and our responses can be viewed in our planning casework log.

In addition, we identify and propose sites that might be of national importance to Historic England for consideration to be included on their Register, and the Trust itself considers those of local significance for inclusion in the Devon Local List. 

We undertake research to underpin our conservation work and where possible we record the current status of the landscapes. The Trust's extensive Parks and Gardens database is informed by our research and conservation work.