Neil Higson, MKDC's Landscape Architect from 1977 to 1988

As a child, Neil was evacuated to Madeley Heath in WWII and enjoyed a lot of freedom during that period. He returned to secondary school in Newcastle after the war, gaining A levels and developing an interest in landscape and environment. Inspired by a book on planning and environmental design by McAllister, he decided that he wanted to be part of post-war planning: ‘Landscape was a considerable part of that’. He obtained a Diploma in Landscape Architecture at Reading University and worked successively for Councils in Kent, London and North West Essex (as a Landscape Architect) and North Essex (as a Planner). On moving to a job in Basildon, he says: ‘the whole atmosphere of a new town was so different’. Neil worked for two years in Basildon, and then for 8 years in Runcorn, working for Fred Roche, Architect and Planning Officer. He says: ‘… that was the start of a terrific working relationship’. Othe future MKDC staff there were Brian Salter and Don Ritson: they worked together on landscapes for estates like Halton Brow. Regular visits to Finland inspired his ideas and Neil says: ‘That was really when I formed the foundation of most of the things I’ve tried to design ever since.’