PLANS for a memorial garden at Arley Hall and Gardens have won the backing of Historic England.

Arley Hall and Gardens, in partnership with The Walled Garden Company, has submitted a planning application to create a new memorial garden on the Cheshire estate.

Arley Hall is the home of Viscount Ashbrook and his family, whose ancestors have lived there for over 500 years.

The memorial walled garden will draw inspiration from Arley Hall’s existing gardens, and built into the boundary wall will be a series of niches for cremated ashes to be interred.

The walled memorial garden will be open to visitors of Arley Hall and Gardens, and those visiting loved ones resting in the garden will be able to congregate there for reflection and remembrance.

As part of the planning process, Rowland Flower, trustee of the Estate, and the Arley team have been engaging with the community and organisations to comment on the application.

The project team said they had been delighted with the support shown for the project, which, once completed, would help increase visitor numbers coming to Arley Hall and Gardens and provide crucial revenue to maintain the estate and its historic buildings.

Earlier in the year Arley Hall welcomed members of the community to learn more about its proposals to create a memorial walled garden, to be situated near the chapel.

The proposed garden would be designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, considered by many to be Britain's most influential living garden designer.

Historic England said: “We consider that the creation of the new memorial garden is a sensitive way to diversify; the scheme could sustain and enhance the significance of the heritage asset.”

Cheshire East’s Visitor Economy Development Manager said of the proposals: “The fact that Tom Stuart-Smith will be designing the walled garden at Arley Hall will add another dimension to the development.

“His name alone will raise the profile nationally of Arley Hall and has the capability to attract visitors from far afield; thus, adding to the visitor economy of Cheshire East.”

Ninian Macgregor, chief executive of The Walled Garden Company said: “We are delighted to have submitted our planning application for the new memorial walled garden at Arley Hall.

“Together with Rowland and the team at Arley Hall we have worked hard to engage with members of the community, local parish councils and stakeholders in the wider region to understand their views and feed them into our designs.

“We underline our commitment to deliver a stunning new garden at Arley by working with one of the most respected landscape gardeners in the industry – Tom Stuart-Smith.

“We believe our proposals will make a significant impact to supporting the future of the Arley Estate and are excited about the prospect of receiving planning permission for Arley’s memorial garden in the coming weeks before starting work to create it in the autumn.”