Today (2nd December) at the 40th BALI National Landscape Awards, BALI Registered Contractor Willerby Landscapes took the Grand Award for an unprecedented sixth time. This incredible achievement recognised the work carried out by the leading landscape contractor on the regeneration of King’s Cross, London.

Held annually at London’s Grosvenor House in Park Lane the BALI National Landscape Awards, in association with Horticulture Week and headline sponsor Green-tech, recognise excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance, and Affiliate customer service, achieved by registered members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). 127 entries were received this year and a total of 102 awards made. This year’s Awards ceremony was hosted by writer, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth, who was invited back this year to host BALI’s 40th celebratory Awards after his hugely popular hosting of the Awards in 2011. In his inimitable style he addressed the audience of a record-breaking c. 950 BALI members and guests during the luncheon and joined Awards sponsors on the stage to present the Principal and Special Awards to 22 BALI members. The presentation of the Grand Award to John Melmoe, Managing Director of Willerby Landscapes, was made by headline sponsor Green-tech’s Chairman, Richard Kay.

ALS Limited is pleased to confirm the acquisition of ALcontrol’s food, water and environmental businesses in the UK from ALcontrol Financial Ltd with immediate effect. The deal includes the acquisition of the ALcontrol laboratories in Hawarden, Rotherham, Aberdeen, Bellshill, Dunstable, Shrewsbury and Newton Abbot as well as the online reporting systems.

The acquisition will result in the creation of one of the largest analytical testing organisations in the UK and Ireland, operating from a total of 22 sites and employing over 1,500 staff in the food, water and environmental sectors.

HortLoam - British Sugar TOPSOIL’s new BS3882:2015 compliant planting topsoil launched in June – has been chosen as the base planting medium for the new Global Growth Vegetable Garden at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford, Essex.

It has been mixed in a ratio two parts HortLoam with one part native clay and green waste compost to provide an open, friable and humus-rich medium ideal for growing vegetables from around the world.

Dee Valley Water have successfully prosecuted two businesses in the Chester area for illegally accessing water from hydrants connected to its water supply network. The two companies prosecuted were Clean Line Waste Water Solutions Limited of Birkenhead and TDM Drainage Ltd (trading as Metro Rod) based in Deeside. Following a successful court case, both were charged with offences that breached Section 174 of the Water Industry Act 1991 and received quite significant financial penalties of a fine with full costs awarded plus an additional victim surcharge.

Following a number of complaints made about water quality within the Chester area, the Company paid particular attention to the problematic areas which eventually led to its staff finding tankers owned by the two aforementioned companies filling up from a hydrant and who were subsequently prosecuted.