A debate about the future design and development of gardens and landscapes around new homes

The panel

Nigel Thorne
Nigel is a chartered landscape architect and specialist landscape manager. He is director of his own practice based in London. His client's include multi-national organisations, local authorities as well as other built-environment professionals and both commercial and residential developers. Nigel is President of the Landscape Institute, a lecturer at the University of Reading and a respected judge for the Civic Trust Green Flag Awards.

Andrew Wilson
Andrew is an award winning garden designer, lecturer and writer based in Surrey, England. Although trained originally as a landscape architect he now combines creating contemporary gardens with teaching garden design and landscape architecture. Andrew lectures internationally and is currently a Course Director at Merrist Wood College near Guildford and a Director of The Tutor Group, a responsive teaching organisation based in Surrey. He writes a regular column for Gardens Illustrated and is also a Fellow and a former Chairman of the Society of Garden Designers.

Sarah Gaventa
Sarah joined CABE in October 2006 as director of CABE Space - the specialist unit within CABE that aims to bring excellence to the design, management and maintenance of parks and public space in our towns and cities. Previously Sarah co-founded Scarlet Projects (with Clare Catterall) in 2000. Scarlet Projects is a creative consultancy that curates architecture, design and public space exhibitions and events. She has a BA in art history from University College London and a Masters Degree from the Royal College of Art, London. Sarah is the author of Concrete Design and New Public Spaces for Mitchell Beazley. Sarah has written features for national newspapers and specialist magazines on contemporary design. Sarah is a founding committee member for the London Architecture Biennale and a member of the City Architecture Forum. She also contributes to Radio 4's Front Row and BBC2's The Culture Show and has presented 3 minute wonders on Channel 4.

Adam Khan
Adam Khan established Adam Khan Architects in 2006, having previously been an associate at Caruso St John Architects, and a student of Florian Beigel and Phil Christou. Adam received an RIBA Silver Medal commendation for the project Building Stories, an alternative masterplan for Peckham, and was awarded 3rd prize in the 2000 House of the Future competition. Adam's practice has established a diverse portfolio that includes work with regeneration agencies, housing developers, and private residential clients. All his projects incorporate a consistent commitment to beauty and sociability, to collaboration and engagement across disciplines and social boundaries. Adam's talk will focus on the value of collaboration between professionals, especially on new build housing projects where he believes architects have the opportunity to facillitate the creation of beautiful gardens around the new developments, by ensuring a landscape infrastructure is incorporated into the overall master-plan. He will show examples of good practice and will emphasise that careful thought and good design mean that quality landscapes need not be expensive. Adam will also focus on the social value, for all age groups, of well-designed shared gardens and communal outdoor spaces.

Crispin Kelly
Crispin Kelly is a trained architect as well as successful property developer who has worked with some of the the country's most talented and interesting architecture practices. Crispin has been president of the Architectural Association, a guest critic and lecturer at several London Universities and has written articles about the importance of bringing good design to everyday projects in numerous national publications.

Peter Thomas BSc. (Hons) MSGD
Peter Thomas, an Australian by birth, previously worked for Islington Borough Council and has been involved in garden design since 1997. Peter has designed award winning gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show and run his own design consultancy since 2004. He is currently the Chairman of the Society of Garden Designers.

Gerry Pople
Except for 4 years in the Army Gerry has been in the house building industry all his working life. Gerry has worked for both small and national house builders including Abbey Homes, Reason Homes and Barratt. For over 20 years Gerry has been Sales Director for Beazer Homes, which eventually became Persimmon Homes in a takeover. Persimmon Homes are now considered the largest volume house builder in Britain. During his time with Persimmon they were winners of 3 Greenleaf Awards and 3 New Homes Garden Gold Awards.

Tracy Gordon
Tracy has been with English Partnerships since 2006 and Programme Manager for the Carbon Challenge since it was established. She is an environmentalist with over 20 year's experience having graduated from Edinburgh University in Biological Sciences with Honours in Botany. Tracy started in the voluntary sector campaigning on wildlife and the environment she now focuses on sustainability issues at a local authority. Prior to her English Partnerships role she was Environmental Sustainability Manager for the Merseyside Objective 1 Programme. Tracy maintains her original interest in nature conservation as a Board member of Landlife, the national wildflower charity.

Denis Rawlings
Denis Rawlings started the New Homes Garden Awards 5 years ago with his friend and colleague, property writer David Hoppit. The awards initiative was born out of frustration at the lack of imagination shown by house builders when it came to creating outdoor space and an ambition to do something about improving the standard of gardens and landscapes around new homes. In those five years the house building industry has really embraced the New Homes Garden Awards initiative and great strides have been made. However, there is no room for complacency and although Denis has seen house builders give a much higher priority to outdoor space there is still room for improvement. Together with Head of Horticulture & Events at the Museum of Garden History, Anne Jennings, Denis was instrumental in introducing the No Stone Unturned Debate.