Bramshill, Hampshire
Bramshill, Hampshire
We supported the local planning authority (Hart District Council) in evaluating proposals for major works to this remarkable early 17th century house and its landscape. The house is listed Grade I and the landscape is also Grade I in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Bramshill was built in 1612. A so called ‘prodigy house’, it was intended by its owner, Lord Zouche, to entertain the King and Queen. At the same time, he laid out a landscape, including a lake with island, a maze and a long approach drive. Subsequent generations of owners developed, but did not fundamentally alter the landscape which survives as one of the best examples of pre-Civil War design.
In 1960, the site became the National Police College and various accommodation and other blocks, along with large areas of car parking were built in the landscape.
The Police College closed in 2015 and the site was bought by a developer. Initial plans for major housing development in the landscape, to cover the cost of demolishing the Police College buildings and restoring the house and elements of the landscape, were rejected at Appeal.
On behalf of Hart District Council, we worked closely with the developer and landscape architects LDA Design to support a scheme which is acceptable to all parties and which guarantees the future of this remarkable site.
Key to our approach has been an understand of the relationship between the house and the landscape as the basis for assessing their significance, individually and collectively as a Grade I heritage asset, and for deciding where new development could best be sited.
Client: Hart District Council
Architect: LDA Design