Stackpole Estate

Project:

Stackpole Estate, Bosherston, Pembrokeshire

Client:

National Trust

Information:

The National Trust’s coastal Stackpole Estate in South Pembrokeshire is noted for its scenery and nature conservation value. It is the site of a National Nature Reserve, several SSSI’s and a European Special Area of Conservation. It is also significant for its historic landscape. Chris Burnett Associates were commissioned to carry out detailed field and tree surveys accompanied by original archival documentary research of the Cawdor family archive in order to assess the full significance of its historic designed landscape. CBA were then commissioned to work closely with the NT management team to produce a Conservation Plan which embraced all aspects of the estate landscape and its history. Contract period : 3 years.

In 2003 I commissioned Chris Burnett Associates (CBA) to undertake a Designed Landscape Survey of the Stackpole Estate on behalf of the National Trust. The Estate is extremely complex, with a raft of European and national designations. CBA had the requisite range of expertise at they’re disposal to cover all the required aspects, and bought in specialist technical support where necessary. They were innovative in the approach they took, and produced a thorough and comprehensive survey, on time and in budget.

Equally important to the quality of the work they produced, was the way they approached the job. They went to considerable lengths work with us, and became “embedded” in the project team, facilitating meetings and helping to draw the best from our collective skills. As a result of the confidence we had developed in their expertise, we retained their services to produce the Conservation Plan for the Estate. This has been drawn together with great skill, diplomacy and good humour, and is an excellent piece of work.

Jonathan Hughes, National Trust Property Manager, Pembrokeshire