The Luton Hoo estate is located immediately south of Luton town centre. It includes buildings and landscape features of national historic significance. The Hoo is a Grade I listed building. The Adam stable buildings are listed Grade II*. A general listing of Grade II has been applied to the formal gardens to the south of the Mansion, not specific to the garden houses and retaining terrace walls. The remainder of the landscape park, including the formal gardens and the works undertaken by Brown in the 1760’s and 1770’s, is listed as Grade II* in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.The role of the landscape architects included:
- landscape survey
- tree surveying
- commissioning of specialist landscape history consultants
- consultation with and involvement of interested parties, including English Heritage, Garden History Society, Environment Agency, District Council, County Council, parish council, Georgian Society
- design collaboration with conservation architect, archaeologist, engineer, contractor
- preparation and co-ordination of full EIA, including LVIA
- ecological survey / mitigation work and EPS licencing for bats
- landscape masterplanning
- detailed landscape designs and specifications
- production of landscape conservation plans
- production of ecological management plan
- production of golf course management plan
- management plan review
A landscape and a project of daunting proportions and historical significance, hugely vulnerable to pressures from outside the site, as well as inevitable pressures brought about by new development and a change of use. This was an exercise in reconciling fundamental conflicts between stakeholders.
