Ground Control receives 2026 National Landscape Award

On 5th December, Ground Control received a National Landscape Award by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) in ‘Schools and Community’ for Knowle Park. Created for The Parks Trusts, BALI judges highlighted how “The construction of the country park has clearly created an asset for the community".

• The BALI Landscape Awards provides the industry with a platform in which to showcase and improve their business and celebrate their achievements both within and outside of the industry.

An award-winning project: Schools and Community

Works at Knowle Park transformed over 22 acres into a community-focused park that creates space for the community and for wildlife. This included creating a series of usable community spaces, such as an amphitheatre for community groups and activities, as well as creating destination play areas and green spaces that integrate into new planting. The project is also protected by a new sustainable drainage system (SuDS).

The project was brought together by a partnership between the Knowle Park Trust (KPT), the Parks Trust, and the local community, which ensured the project always remained community first, and also included several volunteer and community days in the construction.

On receiving the award, Patrick Middlehurst, Operations Director, shared:

Ground Control’s history of BALI Awards

The BALI National Landscape Awards have continuously shown Ground Control’s excellence in landscaping, and the continued success of LDE (Landscape, Design and Energy), with winning projects including:

• 2019 Grand Award for The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, a design and build destination play area.
• 2022 Community and Schools for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Legacy Planting, planting 2022 acres of new woodland, and 72 Tiny Forests, which are linked to local schools
• 2023 Nature Conservation & Biodiversity Enhancement for Headstone Manor Recreational Grounds, working with the River Crane Catchment Solution to protect 225 homes.