Priory Park: Community-Led Renewal That Puts Biodiversity First

Priory Park in St Neots was redeveloped with biodiversity as the primary organising principle. Rather than treating ecology as a separate deliverable, the project team made habitat enhancement, water management and community priorities the framework that guided all design decisions.

Huntingdonshire District Council carried out extensive public consultation. Residents consistently prioritised wildflower meadows, woodland enhancement, more tree planting, orchards and improved wildlife habitat. The design team did not use the consultation merely to validate a preset proposal. Instead, community aspirations directly shaped the landscape strategy and public engagement functioned as an active design tool.

The masterplan centres on reconnecting habitats across the park. Existing mature trees, woodland edges and grassland were analysed to find opportunities to link fragmented corridors. New planting and habitat areas were positioned to allow movement for pollinators, birds and small mammals and to increase habitat diversity sitewide. Interventions are woven into everyday parkland so visitors encounter nature as part of routine use rather than in isolated zones.

Existing drainage patterns and low-lying areas informed where to retain and slow surface water naturally. Wetland and moisture-tolerant planting around drainage corridors supports water attenuation and seasonal storage. These water-driven interventions both boost biodiversity—by creating varied wet and dry habitat—and increase the park's resilience to heavy rainfall and summer drought.

The design keeps existing circulation routes and recreational spaces central while adding habitats that change through the seasons. Meadows, woodland margins and orchards provide opportunities for informal learning, wildlife observation and low-impact recreation without reducing accessibility. The approach reveals the park's ecological potential rather than imposing a new identity.

Large swathes of intensively mown amenity grass were selectively converted to species-rich wildflower meadows using native grass and perennial mixes suited to local soils. Woodland enhancement used layered planting—canopy trees, small trees, shrubs and ground flora—to create structurally diverse habitats that support year-round food and shelter for wildlife. Orchard planting provides productive landscape elements that support biodiversity and local character.

The project was designed by epd Landscape (part of the Glendale Group) for Huntingdonshire District Council. Construction was carried out by Glendale Countryside Ltd. Lead design credits include Yuwei Chen and project director John Nuttall CMLI. Photography and visual material were credited to The St Neots Gallery and Yuwei Chen.