RHS submits ambitious plans for fifth garden

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has submitted ambitious plans to establish its fifth garden, which has been earmarked for a 150+ acre site on designated greenbelt land in Greater Manchester.A hybrid planning application has been lodged by Barton Willmore on behalf of the RHS for the new garden in Salford to be known as RHS Garden Bridgewater.The scheme is part of the RHS’ ten-year £160m investment programme to enrich lives through plants and involves bringing the site of the former Worsley New Hall back to life. The revival of a site of this scale represents one of the largest contemporary gardening projects in Europe and one that is expected to lead to the creation of a world-class horticultural visitor attraction.The extensive plans, designed by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith and Hodder and Partners, will include the development of a welcome building, demonstration and teaching allotments, a shop and café, an events and learning space, a glasshouse and school of horticulture, and the sensitive restoration of the historic walled garden and its existing accompanying buildings.RHS Garden Bridgewater, made possible through a collaboration between the RHS, Peel Land and Property and Salford City Council, is expected to attract visitor numbers of between 600,000 and 700,000 by 2029 and see the creation of 140 direct and 180 indirect jobs.If planning permission is granted, work could start on site by the spring of 2017 with the aim of opening the walled garden to the public in June 2019.The RHS already has gardens at Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, Hyde Hall in Essex, Rosemoor in Devon and Wisley in Surrey.