Tothill Park, Plymouth

Space Landscape Architects (previously known as YGS EC) were commissioned by Plymouth City Council to develop a landscape concept plan for Tothill Park in St Judes, Plymouth. The key aim was to protect the park’s open spaces from unauthorised use (such as caravan encampments) while delivering a naturalistic, playful design that enhances biodiversity and supports local amenity.

Our approach involved creating a subtle landscape framework that gently guides movement, reinforces boundaries and planting, and provides places of rest, play and ecological richness. By integrating naturalistic planting, sculptural landforms and durable, low-maintenance materials, the park’s character is strengthened for everyday users such as families, dog-walkers, and local residents, while deterring inappropriate uses through design rather than purely restrictive measures.

In doing so, the scheme reinforces Tothill Park’s role as a valued community green space: better connected, more resilient, and richer in wildlife. With a design rooted in nature’s rhythms and played out through a thoughtful landscape strategy, the park becomes more than a field. It becomes a place people want to be, respect and care for.