As we step into a new year, it feels like the right moment to reflect, reset and, importantly, look ahead. For me, that means taking a closer look at the world of greenspace management, where we are today, where we are falling short, and where there is a genuine opportunity to do better.
As a chartered accountant by training, my professional background has always involved detailed scrutiny of fees, costs and value – a mindset ingrained through years in accountancy practice. Moving into the housebuilding sector has challenged and refined that perspective, exposing the practical realities behind how greenspaces are delivered, funded and managed over the long term.
I entered the sector initially through a finance role before moving into the operational side of housebuilding. Since becoming Managing Director of English Estates, I’ve had a front-row view of the challenges and contradictions that exist within greenspace ownership and management, an area that is too often overlooked, misunderstood, or treated as an administrative afterthought.
Yet greenspaces are fundamental to successful placemaking. They shape communities, influence wellbeing, and represent a lasting legacy for both developers and residents. Despite this, approaches to greenspace ownership, stewardship and management have remained largely unchanged for far too long.
Some readers may have seen my recent article in the Housebuilder and Showhouse Magazines. This blog marks the start of a new series in which I will share candid insights from inside the industry, drawing on both my financial background and my experience working directly within housebuilding and estate management.
Across the series, I will explore what needs to change, what “good” genuinely looks like, and how higher standards can benefit everyone involved. Topics will include Biodiversity Net Gain, long-term stewardship models, resident experience, cost transparency, and the realities of the managing agent tender process.
Invitation to readers
I would also like this series to be a conversation, not a monologue.
If there are topics you would like me to explore, questions you would like answered, or challenges you are currently facing within greenspace management, I would welcome the opportunity to hear from you.
Please get in touch via jenna@englishestates.co.uk and let me know what you would like to see covered in future posts.
