Martin Hird

Following an early career in Local Government, Martin joined terra firma in June 2006, becoming an Associate a year later. During his time at terra firma he has been involved in nearly 300 projects in the UK, and abroad (in France, Romania, and in the Middle-East). 

Martin’s experience extends from masterplanning new towns and large-scale landscape reclamation, to detailing around apartment blocks and school extensions, with work for housing and industrial developers in-between. He regularly authors LVIA’s and during his time at terra firma has provided advice on behalf of Local Planning Authorities including the South Downs National Park, and acted as an Expert Witness on behalf of housing developers.

Some of the more memorable projects have included producing landscape strategies for reclaiming despoiled land in the Transylvanian alps following proposed open-cast gold mining, and masterplanning the Al Falah new town outside Abu Dhabi. He has also designed the landscape of 2 Police divisional headquarters and a Police training facility in West Yorkshire, and of several large-scale industrial developments, including the prestigious Origin Park in West London. 

Martin has provided iterative landscape design input for several proposed ‘exceptional’ dwellings in the countryside (considered in relation to the NPPA paragraph 80(e), (previously para 72 and earlier para 55)). He also oversaw a project to reclaim previously contaminated land at Brookwood Cemetery (a Registered Historic Park and Garden), transforming it into a new Muslim burial grounds along with space for contemplation.

Qualifications:
Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (2003)

Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture
– Leeds Metropolitan University (2000-2001)

BA(Hons) degree in Landscape Architecture
– Manchester Metropolitan University (1996-1999)