Gloucester College Campus

The new college site is located within a brownfield site at the edge of the Forest of Dean. The surrounding landscape was ecologically sensitive so a host of measures were implemented throughout the scheme to minimise any potential impacts.

BCA Design were appointed to design the external areas of the college and were keen to create a series of spaces that responded to the striking building design whilst providing social spaces and a soft landscape design that was sympathetic to the surrounding forest landscape.

Formal planting was restricted to the main college entrance and car park areas with the site periphery designed to blend back into the surrounding naturalised landscape.  Opportunities to maximise the species diversity on site were explored through the use of species rich lawn turf, the selection of ornamental species that had added ecological benefit and through the use of a wide palette of native woodland and grassland species.

Hard landscape areas were designed to maximise their SUDS potential with the use of permeable block paving, reinforced gravel parking spaces and green roofs.