Appointed property advisor aiding in the Berkshire herbarium construction endeavor
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is set to move its herbarium to a new sustainable building at the Thames Valley Science Park (TVSP), following the appointment of Carter Jonas to lead the development. The new herbarium will maintain Kew's preserved plant collection of over 7 million dried specimens for future generations.
Carter Jonas, a leading planning and development consultancy, has expressed enthusiasm about being appointed for the project. Nicky Brock, Partner, Planning and Development, Carter Jonas Oxford, expressed pleasure about the appointment and looks forward to a positive resolution. Mark Rushworth, Project Director at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, also expressed enthusiasm to begin working with Carter Jonas.
The planning application preparation involves liaising with council officers and local stakeholders, with the application anticipated to be submitted in December 2024. It is hoped that planning consent will be granted in May 2025. Public and stakeholder consultation is planned later in the year.
The new Herbarium project is being supported by the University of Reading, and it is expected that the development will provide extra space for new plants to grow. As a world-class herbarium, the building will ensure the usability of the collections for biodiversity research. The project will keep in line with green targets, as Kew has established a sustainability strategy called 'Positive by 2030: urgently tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis'.
The estimated cost of the new facility is around £100m, and the strategy is based on a commitment to achieve or better the Royal Institute of British Architects 2030 challenge. The development will enable the redevelopment of the Kew Gardens site for improved and expanded research, education, and public engagement facilities.
The British Museum and the National History Museum are also located at the Thames Valley Science Park site, making it an ideal location for the new herbarium. The move to the TVSP site will support international collaborations to preserve plant biodiversity.
Although no further information about the EV battery factory plan was provided, the new herbarium building at Thames Valley Science Park forms part of Kew’s futuristic vision, combining sustainability in architecture with the preservation and scientific advancement of one of the world’s largest and most important preserved plant collections.
- Carter Jonas, in alignment with Kew's sustainability strategy 'Positive by 2030', aims to ensure the new herbarium building achieves or surpasses the Royal Institute of British Architects 2030 challenge, promoting sustainability in architecture.
- The £100m development at the Thames Valley Science Park will not only house the world-class herbarium but also provide additional space for new plants, supporting biodiversity research and collaborations with other institutions for the preservation of plant biodiversity.
- In the pursuit of climate-change mitigation, the new herbarium building will incorporate environmental-science best practices, demonstrating the interconnectedness of finance, industry, and science in fostering a sustainable future and regenerating our environment.
