RHS Gold Medal and BBC People’s Choice Award winning Landscape Architects, Davies White Ltd has been commissioned by Southampton City Council to develop new nature play space proposals for Southampton Common.

Davies White specialise in designing bespoke play landscapes and structures using locally sourced timber handcrafted using traditional woodland craft techniques.

Southampton Common is the largest open space in the City boundaries (326 acre site). It is a haven for flora and fauna and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with the inclusion of the Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre which gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the local ecology and wildlife.

The project aim is to reconnect families with nature through play by creating a bespoke nature play and water play area in the location of the existing paddling pool area. During 2016 Davies White will engage with the local community to ensure issues and concerns are taken into account and new ideas and opportunities are included in the proposals where possible.

This website gives you an insight to the developing project and has a comments page to enable you to share your thoughts online. We are at the very early stages of the project and the moment we have developed the concept design we will share it with you on this website. In the meantime we welcome your thoughts on what a new play space might include and how the play offer on Southampton Common could be improved.