Taking on a limited number of new commissions this quarter. Get in touch to discuss your project.

Wiltshire · Hampshire · Dorset

Ecological design, restoration and landscape planning.

For developers, landowners, planning consultants and ecologists who need a landscape architect who understands ecology as well as planning. From feasibility to management plan.

Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM

Fixed fees  ·  Straight answers  ·  No surprises

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Currently scheduling new commissions. Enquire early.
Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute · Full Member of CIEEM · 25+ years’ experience in ecological design, landscape management and planning
Chalke & Bourne 25 Years

of landscape planning and management experience.
Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute · MIEEM.

Landscape and ecology are not separate disciplines. We work where they meet.

Good ecological design starts before a planning application is submitted. Understanding what a site can offer, what it carries, and how to frame it through a management plan changes what is possible.

We help clients understand their site’s landscape and ecological potential at the earliest stage, then support delivery through to management plan and beyond.

Who we work with & what we do

Who we work with

We work with clients at every stage, from early feasibility through to long-term land stewardship.

  • Developers and land promoters
  • Landowners and estate managers
  • Planning consultants
  • Architects and masterplanners
  • Ecologists and environmental consultants
  • Local authorities

Whether you are testing a site before acquisition, designing a habitat restoration scheme, or need a management plan to satisfy a planning condition, we provide advice grounded in 25 years of practical landscape and ecological experience.

Services

Specialist landscape and ecological consultancy from feasibility through to delivery.

  • Ecological Design, Restoration & Landscape Management Plans
  • Preliminary Opportunities & Constraints Mapping (Feasibility / Due Diligence)
  • Landscape and Visual Appraisals

All work is produced to the professional standard of Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM. Fixed fees agreed before work begins.

Kevin and Nicola Harrington, Chalke & Bourne
The people behind the work

Landscape advice from someone who has been on both sides of the table.

Kevin Harrington spent years inside local government before founding Chalke & Bourne. That background shapes everything: how work is scoped, how ecological and landscape thinking are integrated, and how recommendations are framed so they are actually useful on the ground and in the planning process.

Nicola Harrington leads operations and client experience, bringing a background in programme management across government and healthcare environments. Projects are structured, clearly communicated, and delivered without drift.

Between them they cover the two things planning work needs most: technical credibility and reliable delivery.

Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM  ·  Chartered Landscape Architect  ·  Director
Nicola Harrington Operations & Client Experience  ·  Director

Why Chalke & Bourne

01 Practical judgement

Advice shaped by managing and working with real landscapes, not just reporting on them.

02 Proportionate advice

We recommend the right level of assessment for the project, not the largest possible scope.

03 Personally led

Kevin's professional judgement is applied from first conversation through to final output. We limit the number of active commissions to make sure every project gets the attention it needs.

04 Clear scope

Fixed fees agreed before work begins. No ambiguity later.

Contact

Ready to discuss your project?

Tell us about your project and we’ll confirm whether and how we can help, and what the most appropriate next step looks like.

We respond to all enquiries within one working day.

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Get in touch directly

We respond to all enquiries within one working day and provide a fixed-fee proposal within three working days of receiving your site details.

✉ hello@chalkeandbourne.co.uk
∘ Wiltshire / Hampshire / Dorset border

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Services

What we do

Ecological design, restoration, feasibility and landscape appraisal from a single source

Most landscape consultancies focus on what happens at the planning application stage. We work across the full project arc: from early feasibility through ecological design and into long-term landscape management. That breadth matters because the decisions made at the beginning, about what a site can carry, what it should restore, and how it should be managed, shape everything that follows.

All work is led personally by Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM. Scope and fee are agreed before anything begins.

Lead service

Ecological Design, Restoration & Landscape Management Plans

Kevin’s dual membership of both the Landscape Institute and CIEEM means this work is genuinely integrated, not subcontracted. Ecological and landscape thinking are applied together from the outset, which is where the value lies.

This service covers the design of habitat creation and restoration schemes, the preparation of Landscape and Ecology Management Plans (LEMPs) required under planning conditions, and the long-term stewardship frameworks that make those plans work on the ground.

With mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain now embedded in planning legislation, a well-designed LEMP is no longer optional. It is the document on which planning conditions are discharged and management obligations secured. We produce them to a standard that planning authorities and ecologists can rely on.

What this covers

  • Habitat creation and enhancement design
  • Ecological restoration schemes
  • Landscape and Ecology Management Plans (LEMPs)
  • Biodiversity Net Gain landscape strategies
  • Green infrastructure design and integration
  • Long-term stewardship and maintenance frameworks
  • Post-consent management condition discharge

Who this is for

Developers and site promoters who need an integrated landscape and ecology management plan as part of a planning consent. Landowners and estate managers seeking to restore degraded habitats or establish long-term management for land they own. Ecologists who need a landscape architect to lead the design element of a restoration scheme.

Why it matters now

The mandatory BNG requirement under the Environment Act means every residential and commercial development above threshold must demonstrate a 10% net gain in biodiversity, secured and managed for at least 30 years. A LEMP is the mechanism through which that obligation is met. Poorly prepared plans are returned by planning authorities and delay discharge of condition. We prepare LEMPs that are clear, ecologically sound, and structured so land managers can actually implement them.

Contact us with your site details and we will confirm the appropriate scope and fee.

Lead service

Preliminary Opportunities & Constraints Mapping

Feasibility studies · Due diligence · Pre-acquisition assessment

Most planning applications fail, or cost far more than they should, because the landscape and ecological position of a site was not properly understood before commitment was made. This service addresses that gap.

We produce a structured map and report of the landscape and ecological opportunities and constraints relevant to your site. This is the assessment you need before you instruct an architect, appoint an EIA team, or acquire a parcel of land.

It gives you a clear, honest picture of what a site can bear, what sensitivities will need to be addressed in planning, and whether the landscape and ecological position is likely to support or undermine the proposed development type.

What this covers

  • Landscape character and sensitivity analysis
  • Landscape designations (National Landscapes, Green Belt, AGLV)
  • Ecological designations and proximity to protected habitats
  • Ancient woodland, veteran trees, hedgerow constraints
  • Zone of theoretical visibility and visual sensitivity
  • Public rights of way and access context
  • Preliminary BNG potential and constraints
  • Pre-acquisition due diligence reporting

Who this is for

Land promoters and developers assessing sites before acquisition or before committing to a planning strategy. Planning consultants who need landscape and ecology input at the options appraisal stage. Architects and masterplanners needing an informed constraints base before design begins.

When to commission this

Before you buy. Before you appoint a wider team. Before you set a planning strategy that will be difficult to revise once work is underway.

The cost of this assessment is a small fraction of the cost of a planning application, and a smaller fraction still of the cost of an application that fails because landscape or ecological constraints were not identified early enough to be designed around.

Send us the site address, proposed development type and any known constraints and we will confirm scope and fee.

Further service

Landscape and Visual Appraisals

Where a scheme does not require a full Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment under GLVIA3, a Landscape and Visual Appraisal provides a proportionate, professionally credible alternative.

This is a desk and field-based assessment of landscape character and visual sensitivity, structured to support a planning application, pre-application submission, or appeal response. It is not a reduced-quality LVIA. It is a different, more appropriate tool for smaller or less complex schemes.

When this is appropriate

  • Minor residential or commercial proposals in sensitive locations
  • Pre-application discussions with local planning authorities
  • Appeal submissions where landscape was a reason for refusal
  • Householder or small-scale rural development
  • Technical notes on specific landscape or visual issues

How we work

All work is produced to the professional standard of Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM, drawing on 25 years of experience in landscape planning, assessment and local government.

Scope and fee are confirmed before work begins. If a full LVIA is what is actually required, we will say so. If a simpler approach is adequate, we will recommend it.

We do not produce reports that are longer than they need to be, or charge for methodology that the planning context does not require.

Please note: we are not currently able to accept commissions where the determining authority is Test Valley Borough Council. This is due to a conflict of interest arising from Kevin’s continuing role there. This may change in the context of local government reorganisation and we will update this notice accordingly.

Before you commission work

We always confirm scope and fee before work begins. If we are not the right fit for what you need, we will tell you early.

Send us your site details and we will confirm the most appropriate service and provide a fixed-fee proposal within three working days.

About us

Founded on expertise.
Built on straight talking.

Kevin Harrington

CMLI MIEEM  ·  Chartered Landscape Architect  ·  Director

Kevin is a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute and Full Member of CIEEM, with more than 25 years’ experience spanning ecological design, landscape management, restoration and planning, including senior roles at Test Valley Borough Council.

His dual membership of the Landscape Institute and CIEEM reflects the breadth of his practice. He works at the intersection of landscape and ecology, which is where most of the interesting and complex problems in land management and planning sit.

His work spans habitat creation and restoration design, Landscape and Ecology Management Plans, Biodiversity Net Gain strategy, public open space management, SANG design, nitrate neutrality, landscape and visual appraisal, and feasibility assessment across residential, commercial and rural development contexts.

What defines his approach is not the volume of work produced, but the quality of judgement behind it. He limits the number of active commissions so that every project receives the attention it needs.

Kevin holds a Masters in Landscape Architecture with Distinction and has a published paper.

LinkedIn →

Nicola Harrington

Operations & Client Experience  ·  Director

Nicola leads operations, client experience and delivery.

With a background in programme and project management across government, national security and healthcare environments, she ensures projects are delivered clearly, efficiently and without unnecessary complexity.

She manages workflow, communication and scheduling so clients always know where things stand and technical work remains focused and consistent from start to finish.

LinkedIn →

Luna, Office Mascot

Luna

Office Mascot  ·  Chief Morale Officer

Luna is responsible for morale, perimeter monitoring and informal environmental oversight.

Duties include squirrel surveillance, snack timing optimisation and site visit supervision where appropriate.

Engagement levels remain high. Formal qualifications pending.

She does not respond to emails, but may attend site visits if snacks are available.

Fees

Clear scope. Fixed fees.
No surprises.

Planning work should be understood before it begins, not discovered during delivery.

All fees are fixed once agreed. The price quoted is the price paid.

How fees are set

Every commission begins with a scoping conversation.

We assess the site, clarify what is needed and confirm the appropriate service before any work is commissioned. Fees depend on site complexity, the nature of the commission, programme requirements, and the level of ecological and landscape analysis required.

All confirmed upfront. The price quoted is the price paid.

Kevin’s background spans both sides of the planning process. Over 25 years in landscape planning and management, including senior roles at Test Valley Borough Council, he has reviewed landscape and ecology submissions from inside a local planning authority. He knows what stands up and what gets questioned. That experience informs how every piece of work is scoped and priced.

Service Description Fee guide
Opportunities & Constraints Mapping Preliminary landscape and ecological feasibility assessment for pre-acquisition or pre-application due diligence From £1,200
Landscape & Visual Appraisal Desk-based and field assessment of landscape character and visual sensitivity for minor schemes or pre-application submissions From £1,800
Landscape Management Plan Landscape and Ecology Management Plan (LEMP) for planning condition discharge, including BNG management framework From £2,200
Ecological Design & Restoration Habitat creation or restoration scheme design, integrated with landscape framework and management strategy By scope

All fees are fixed once agreed. Larger or more complex commissions are scoped individually. Contact us with your site details for a proposal.

What you’re paying for

You are commissioning judgement formed over 25 years of landscape planning, ecological management and local government experience. Not a template. Not a junior report reviewed at the end. Every commission is led personally by Kevin Harrington CMLI MIEEM from first conversation to final output.

The value lies in doing the right work, at the right stage, so that what follows in the planning process is as straightforward as it can be.

Why does this cost more than some other quotes?

A management plan that planning officers cannot discharge conditions against, or a feasibility report that misses a key constraint, costs far more in time and delay than any difference in fee. Getting the scope right at the start, and the work right first time, is what this practice is built on.

Before you commission work

We always confirm scope and fee before work begins.

If a full assessment is not required, we’ll say so.

If a more proportionate approach is appropriate, we’ll recommend it.

If we are not the right fit for the work, we’ll tell you early.

Please note: we are not currently able to accept commissions where the determining authority is Test Valley Borough Council. This is due to a conflict of interest arising from Kevin’s continuing role there. This position may change in the context of local government reorganisation and we will update this notice accordingly.

Send us your site information and we’ll confirm the appropriate level of landscape input and provide a fixed-fee proposal.

Insights

Why landscape management plans fail, and how to avoid it

A Landscape and Ecology Management Plan that cannot be implemented is worse than no plan at all. It creates a condition that can never be discharged.

Kevin has spent 25 years on both sides of the planning process. These are the problems he sees most often, and what good practice looks like instead.

Management objectives that no one can measure

The most common failure in LEMPs is aspirational language dressed as management prescription. "Maintain habitat in good condition" is not a management objective. It tells a land manager nothing about what to do, when, or how success is judged. Every management action should be specific, timed, and verifiable. If a planning officer or monitoring ecologist cannot assess whether an obligation has been met, the plan has failed before anyone has picked up a tool.

Ecological design that ignores the landscape

Restoration schemes designed purely around habitat metric targets often produce planting layouts that make no sense in their landscape context. Hedgerow species that are wrong for the soil or locality. Grassland seeding mixes inappropriate for the aspect. Native woodland on open grassland with no regard for the local character area. Good ecological design and good landscape design are not different disciplines applied separately. They need to be resolved together, from the earliest stage of a project.

BNG metrics and the LEMP telling different stories

A metric tool can show a 10% net gain on paper while the LEMP describes a management regime that would deliver something quite different in practice. When the two documents contradict each other, it is usually because they were prepared by different consultants without coordination. The result is a set of planning documents that undermine each other at committee or on appeal. If you are commissioning BNG assessment and a LEMP, they should be produced from the same technical base.

Feasibility assessment done too late

The most expensive landscape and ecological constraints are the ones discovered after a planning application is submitted. Ancient woodland buffer zones, veteran trees, proximity to designated sites, high-sensitivity visual receptors, rights of way that limit site layout options. These are all identifiable at the feasibility stage. Identifying them early does not necessarily mean a site is unviable. It means the scheme can be designed around them, rather than redesigned at cost later.

Delivery mechanisms absent from the plan

A management plan that is not tied to planning conditions or obligations is an aspiration document, not a legal commitment. We always structure recommendations around the mechanisms through which they will be secured, whether conditions, a s106 obligation, or a conservation covenant. If it is not clear how mitigation will be delivered and enforced after consent, it will not be delivered.

This is the standard we apply to every piece of work, whether it is a single-field restoration scheme or a landscape management framework for a large mixed-use allocation.

If you want to talk through how this applies to your site or project, get in touch for a scoping conversation.