Malls Mire Park in Glasgow is a 16-hectare urban retrofit scheme. The scheme will transform poor quality and previously neglected land into a mixed-use park, incorporating wetland habitats, play parks and gym equipment, a network of footpaths and cycle routes, a woodland educational facility, and many other significant wildlife and landscape enhancements.

Cycle routes on site will link to the wider cycling network in Glasgow, enabling climate-positive active-travel within the city. The scheme also incorporates a Local Nature Reserve, the Malls Mire Woodland and includes proposals to enhance this area for people and wildlife.

The project is up agaisnt two other nominees: Oakfield in Swindon and World of Water in Hampshire.

The Award winner will be revealed at the Landscape Institute Annual Awards ceremony on 24th November at Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, London, E1 0HX.

Dr Gemma Jerome, FLI who acted as a Building with Nature category judge this year, said: “With COP27 highlighting the need for urgent practical action to address the climate crisis, what speaks to me in all of the shortlisted entries this year is a fundamental recognition that green infrastructure is critical infrastructure – nature working as a design approach, and a design palette, which is I think an intuitive approach for landscape professionals. And the value of collaboration and multi-stakeholder investment in green infrastructure.

“In World of Water, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust worked directly with industry to secure a nature-led masterplan, which with nature at its heart is intrinsically low-carbon and provides new, high-quality habitat; in the case of Oakfield, Nationwide adopted a design vision that puts people and nature on a level footing, creating a range of spaces that encourage everyone to have an active, daily relationship with nature for optimal wellbeing benefits; and Malls Mire Park is the result of an impressive partnership between a team of community-based stakeholders including local organisation Urban Roots and government agency for nature and climate, NatureScot.”

Sue Morgan, CEO, Landscape Institute, added: “The LI Awards are all about celebrating people, place and nature, and the myriad ways that landscape projects can connect them. It celebrates spaces that people can be truly proud of.

“In February 2022 the government published its long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper, outlining its mission to ‘level up’ the country. The paper reflects the fact that placemaking, green spaces and the built environment will be instrumental to this agenda. We know that landscape professionals across the globe are already implementing this holistic vision and the awards will celebrate their exceptional contributions.

“Landscape professionals can implement this holistic vision, delivering nature-based solutions, giving local communities a voice, and designing spaces that people can be truly proud of.”