Ben Bolgar is the Executive Director for Projects at The King’s Foundation.

He first discussed architecture with the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, at Kensington Palace in 1988 and there was a meeting of minds that has underpinned Ben’s work during his nearly 25 years at the Foundation.

In that time Ben has led over 50 collaborative planning and design frameworks all over the world, championing the Enquiry by Design (EbD) process.

Describing architecture as “the mother of the arts”, Ben explains why he chose placemaking as his career, and how he challenged what he was taught at university where he says modernism was “shoved down our throats”.

The King's Foundation - Ben Bolgar

Enquiry by Design

Turning underutilised land into thriving leisure and hospitality destinations is what entrepreneur Joel Cadbury does best.

In the latest episode of Estate Matters, the founder and chief executive of Longshot tells podcast host Anna Byles how he has spent 30 years spotting opportunities where others see challenges.

Joel describes how, as chair of The Royal Parks Foundation, he transformed empty buildings into lettable properties generating millions of pounds a year and championed the creation of Winter Wonderland – an idea initially dismissed because "British people don't skate."

Now he has turned his attention to Mad Swans, a new leisure and hospitality concept, developed on the sites of failing golf courses – including on the Mendips in Somerset.

Working with leading architect Tom Mackenzie, the team has established what Sir Nick Faldo has called the first proper 12-hole course built in over a century, alongside padel and pickle courts, high-end accommodation and dining.

Reducing the number of holes, means land has been made available at the 200-acre site to reflect Joel’s passion for sustainability and self-sufficiency, including a planned solar farm, growing horseradish and keeping bees.

There were critics, Joel admits, but his philosophy remains simple: leave things better than you found them.

Gavin Lane is President of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).

Gavin, who farms 1,200 acres in Norfolk and runs a holiday lettings business with his wife, Jane, explains one of his ambitions during his two-year presidency is to try to present an accurate and positive view of what farmers and landowners provide for their communities and the nation more widely.

He tells podcast host Anna Byles that the social value provided by farmers and landowners in many rural communities often goes unrecognised. But he says it is time to put the pride back into the industry.

Lord Gascoigne is Chair of the House of Lords Built Environment Committee.

In this episode, Lord Gascoigne discusses how he got into politics; worked with Boris Johnson on his election campaign for Mayor of London in 2008, through to Johnson later taking office as Prime Minister.

He goes on to explain the key findings from the first part of the Committee's enquiry into New Towns, emphasising the importance of meaningful engagement and explaining that change won't happen overnight.

Alongside KOR's Senior Public Affairs Consultant, Grace Gladding, the pair discuss the role landed estates can play in the delivery of high quality placemaking.

Living life in the glare of publicity, with a hugely popular YouTube channel, would not be for every owner of a historic country Estate.

But for James Lowsley-Williams and his wife Emma, documenting the running of the 500-year-old Chavenage Estate in the Cotswolds to thousands of viewers every week has proved to be a major success.

In this episode of Estate Matters nothing is off-limits as James, a former professional cyclist, tells podcast host Anna Byles about inheriting the Estate, welcoming film crews for Poldark and Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, and managing family expectations in a multi-generational business.

With a café, accommodation, weddings, filming, a 2,000-acre farm and tours of the house, James and Emma have turned an Elizabethan and Tudor Manor into a 21st century diversified business.

There have been challenges and mistakes along the way, he admits, but authentic and open engagement with the local community have helped Chavenage thrive.

Rebekah Pierce is a farmer and solar grazier in New York state. In this episode she explains how she got into farming by ‘accident’, but is now paving the way with ‘Agri Energy’ through solar grazing.

She candidly explains to podcast host, Anna Byles that energy and food production don’t have to be separate and it is projects like her own solar grazing that are bridging that gap.

Listeners will also hear how this is benefiting soil, livestock, local communities and economies, even if the planning process can sometimes be tedious.

Rebekah makes it clear that communication and involvement with local communities is crucial to pulling back the curtain on renewable energy in order to challenge misconceptions the public might have.

Eliza Ecclestone is the owner and Managing Trustee of St Clere Estate in Kent and Executive Chair of Trustees at Chevening Estate - the official country residence of the Foreign Secretary.

Eliza talks openly about the challenges she has faced since unexpectedly inheriting the 3,000-acre estate near Sevenoaks in Kent.

But those challenges have not stopped Eliza’s YIMBY (yes in my backyard) attitude.

She has been working hard and communicating honestly to build trust with her local community, to ensure that the Estate not only remains a core part of the local community, but supports it too.

Jake Fiennes is one of Britain’s most high-profile and in-demand conservationists and he sat down with podcast host, Anna Byles, at Holkham Nature Reserve in Norfolk.

Jake speaks candidly about the need for a natural capital 'Doomsday Book' to accurately measure the UK's fauna and flora, and what that means - not only for landowners - but a broad spectrum of land and green space custodians.

Balancing productive land use with nature enhancement, developing baselining tools, influencing key policy and decision-makers, and clear public messaging to rebuild people's connection to and respect for the land, are all discussed.