Planning permission granted for a new 'World of Plants' at Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside, in the Lake District National Park.
To help plan the redevelopment of Hayes' plant sales area Malcolm Scott carried out a strategic design audit of the site and decided to place plants at the very heart of the garden centre by creating a circular 'World of Plants'.

This involved an extensive redevelopment of the existing plant sales area to create new protected sales spaces consisting of a 1,140m sq, an 'open sky' glasshouse to allow the sale of bedding plants all the year round, and a new 1,124m sq glazed covered plant sales area for seasonal plant promotions.

The new development sees not only the creation of an innovative plant sales offer but takes into account the changing weather patterns by providing more plant and customer protection.

Links with sustainable drainage and water harvesting will also make Hayes a more sustainable centre.

The planning application was approved by the Lake District National Park following extensive consultation.

The Lake District National Park Planning Authority were pleased with the design and the way the new garden centre layout, being organic in its shape, fits into its sensitive surroundings.