WL Straughan and Son

What WL Straughan and Son does

WL Straughan & Son Ltd is a family-run civil and environmental contracting business headquartered at Lane Farm, Bedlington, Northumberland, delivering landscaping, groundworks, civils, environmental, site clearance, winter maintenance, and Biodiversity Net Gain services across northern England and the Scottish borders. The company is part of the Lane Farm Group alongside sister company Greenleaf Recycling Ltd, which supplies PAS100-certified compost into the firm's landscaping and habitat-creation workflows. Customers include local government and public bodies (Forestry England, National Parks), heritage charities (the National Trust, National Trust Scotland, The Alnwick Garden, The Auckland Project), civil engineering main contractors (Costain, Esh Housing), and developers meeting statutory BNG obligations.

The service offering rests on an owned, operated plant fleet (8T, 14T, 5T, 1.5T 360 excavators, rollers, conveyors, tractors) maintained by an on-site workshop with daily inspections. Technical differentiators include a high-pressure hydroseeding spray system with reach up to 80 metres for seeding steep embankments and difficult-access terrain, and mandatory use of bio-degradable hydraulic oil across the fleet when working in SSSIs, watercourses, and conservation areas. Compliance credentials include CHAS, SSIP, Constructionline Gold, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, CPA membership, and SafeContractor certification, which together prequalify the firm for UK public-sector and large-infrastructure tenders.

Revenue is generated through project-based, quote-driven contracts across professional services (civil/environmental contracting, plant hire, BNG delivery) and managed services (winter maintenance programmes with 24-hour cover). GTM is direct enterprise field sales supplemented by an online quote-request form for plant hire, with the website and case-study portfolio acting as the primary inbound channel. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm employs over 70 staff from the local community and is led by Managing Directors Phil and Denise Straughan with Directors Dan Straughan and Gary Miller.

Name

WL Straughan and Son

Legal name

W L Straughan & Son Ltd

Website

https://wlstraughan.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WL Straughan & Son Ltd is a family-run environmental, civils, and landscape contractor in Northumberland delivering landscaping, groundworks, BNG, and operated plant hire to public bodies, heritage charities, civil engineering firms, and developers across northern England and the Scottish borders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering and Environmental Contracting

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Construction Project Management & General Contracting (HSAIABAK)

Keywords

• Environmental contracting
• Civil engineering services
• Groundworks construction
• Operated plant hire
• Landscaping services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bedlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Civil and environmental contracting projects: Project-based contracts delivering landscaping, civils/groundworks, environmental services, conservation and habitat creation, site clearance, fencing, drainage, bridge installation and road construction for government, public bodies, charities and civil engineering firms.
2. Operated plant hire (machine + operator): Hire of plant and machinery with qualified operators at competitive rates, on a quote-based / project-rental basis. Hire service is for machine and operator only.
3. Winter maintenance programmes and reactive services: Planned Winter Maintenance agreements with 24-hour cover, snow clearing, grit spreading and grit supply, plus reactive snow clearance and gritting services tailored per site.
4. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) delivery contracting: Delivery contractor for approved ecological designs — habitat creation, enhancement and long-term management to meet statutory BNG requirements for developers and landowners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WL Straughan and Son Ltd is a family-run civil and environmental contracting business delivering landscaping, groundworks, environmental services, site clearance, biodiversity net gain delivery, winter maintenance, and operated plant hire across northern England and the Scottish borders. Projects are delivered for local government, public bodies (Forestry England, National Trust, National Parks), civil engineering contractors, charities, heritage estates, and residential developers using an in-house modern fleet of plant machinery.

Product overview

WL Straughan & Son Ltd is a family-run environmental, civils, and landscape contracting business based in south east Northumberland, delivering services across northern England and the Scottish borders to local government, civil engineering firms, charities, and public bodies such as Forestry England, the National Trust, and National Parks. The offering is a portfolio of related service lines rather than a single unified software product: core services include Landscaping, Groundworks & Civil Engineering, Environmental Services, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), Site Clearance, Winter Services, and Operated Plant Hire, with Greenleaf Recycling operating as a sister company under the Lane Farm Group to handle green waste and supply PAS100 compost back into the landscaping workstreams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greenleaf Recycling: Sister-company brand (Greenleaf Recycling Ltd) that recycles green waste from WL Straughan & Son's site clearance operations and supplies PAS100 compost and soil conditioner.

Products and services

• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Delivery-focused service implementing approved ecological designs for Biodiversity Net Gain, including habitat creation, grassland and hedgerow enhancement, scrub management, wetland restoration, and fish pass construction to support statutory biodiversity requirements for developers and landowners.
• Environmental Services Specialist environmental contracting covering flood alleviation, river works and fish passes, pond and wetland creation, riverbank stabilisation, re-meandering, and wildlife habitat creation such as hibernacula, badger sets, and sand martin nesting sites, delivered for public bodies and developers in ecologically sensitive areas.
• Landscaping Commercial hard and soft landscaping services including high-pressure hydroseeding (up to 80 metres), conventional seeding, turfing, wildflower planting, tree and shrub planting, and ongoing landscape maintenance such as grass cutting and weed treatment for public bodies, contractors and developers.
• Groundworks & Civil Engineering Civil engineering and groundworks services including path and track construction, concreting, paving, tarmac surfacing, kerb installation, drainage, bridge installation and maintenance, fencing, and road construction and maintenance for civil engineering contractors, local government and developers.
• Site Clearance Commercial site clearance using specialist equipment such as tree shears, mulching heads, high-speed heavy-duty shredders, chippers, and selector grabs for tree and hedge removal, scrub clearance, allotment clearance, fly tip clearance, and wildflower meadow clearance.
• Winter Services Planned and reactive winter maintenance including snow clearance, gritting of car parks, roads and driveways, with optional 24-hour cover and weather-monitored dispatch, delivered to commercial businesses on tailored multi-year programmes.
• Operated Plant Hire Hire of operated plant and machinery with qualified operators from a modern, regularly serviced in-house fleet with rigorous daily inspections; hire is for machine and operator only on a quote-based pay-as-you-go basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000 trees planted on the A1 Morpeth Northern Bypass project for Costain
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship community partnership, core sister-company integration, parent group context, major repeat client / strategic relationship, strategic infrastructure sub-contractor relationship, established client relationship, strategic heritage/charity relationship and reference project / flagship hydroseeding showcase.

• The Alnwick Gardenflagship community partnershipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2025Donated a brand-new fleet of mini pedal-powered tractors to The Alnwick Garden, with ongoing supply of Greenleaf compost and joint hosting of Tractor and Truck Day on 25 July 2025. Senior Partnerships Manager Lauren St Hilaire publicly endorsed the partnership. Activities include supporting children's engagement with rural life and helping the Garden nurture nature and community.
• Greenleaf Recycling Ltdcore sister-company integrationOthersSister company within the Lane Farm Group that recycles green waste from WL Straughan site-clearance projects and supplies PAS100 compost and soil conditioner for use on WL Straughan landscaping and BNG projects (e.g., Seaton Delaval Rose Garden). Site-clearance green waste is removed using WL Straughan wagons/tractors/trailers and processed by Greenleaf.
• Lane Farm Groupparent group contextOthersWL Straughan & Son Ltd is part of the Lane Farm Group of family-run businesses, working alongside sister companies including Greenleaf Recycling (green-waste recycling) and an equestrian business, all based at Lane Farm, Bedlington.
• National Trust (and National Trust Scotland)major repeat client / strategic relationshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing direct contract relationship delivering multiple heritage and conservation projects: Seaton Delaval Hall Rose Garden upgrade (direct award), Wimpole Hall Multi-Use Trail (9 km), Wallington Hall Cycle Trails (11 km fencing, 75,000 trees, 8 river crossings), Penshaw Monument masonry and pathway works, and the Robert (Robbie) Burns Birthplace Museum pond/wetland project for National Trust Scotland.
• Forestry Englandmajor repeat client / strategic relationshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecurring environmental delivery contract across Northern England covering road/path installation and maintenance, culvert/drain installation, turning areas and access ramps, site clearance (including brash removal), tarmac construction, and bridge installation and maintenance. Notable work included rapid road upgrades after Storm Arwen to enable accelerated timber extraction.
• Costainstrategic infrastructure sub-contractor relationshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSub-contracted environmental and landscape scope on the A1 Morpeth Northern Bypass — 20,000 trees planted, roadside embankments and verges seeded with grass and wildflower mixes, tree maintenance and seeding of SuDS areas as part of a three-lane carriageway upgrade.
• Esh Housingestablished client relationshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery of willow acoustic perimeter fencing at the West Park, Darlington housing development to act as a sound barrier from the adjacent A1, achieving planning compliance and drastically reducing sound levels on the housing development.
• The Auckland Projectstrategic heritage/charity relationshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery of the Faith Garden and Broadwalk at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland — excavation, drainage, kerbs, stone-dressed retaining wall, stone masonry, natural stone paving, computer-controlled lighting, fencing, tree planting, and amber binding surface, delivered on time and on budget.
• Northumberlandiareference project / flagship hydroseeding showcaseChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHydroseeding delivery for the iconic Northumberlandia land sculpture, referenced on the Landscaping page as an outstanding example of high-pressure hydroseeding in difficult-to-access areas.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• idverde: UK's largest landscape services provider, delivering grounds maintenance, landscaping, environmental and arboricultural services for local authorities, housing associations and developers. Directly comparable in offering, though multi-region and considerably larger than WL Straughan.
• Maydencroft: UK environmental services contractor delivering habitat creation, ecological contracting, landscaping and countryside management. Most comparable in size and specialism to WL Straughan, particularly on BNG and conservation work.
• The Landscape Group: UK landscaping and grounds-maintenance contractor delivering commercial landscape construction and maintenance. Overlapping service offering with WL Straughan on hard and soft landscaping, but operating at multi-region scale.
• Nurture Landscapes: UK commercial landscape contractor providing grounds maintenance, landscaping, planting and tree work to corporate and public-sector clients. Comparable in service lines and customer mix to WL Straughan, with national coverage.
• MJ Church: UK regional civil engineering, plant hire and groundworks contractor. Comparable to WL Straughan in operating model (own fleet, regional civils, plant hire to third parties), though focused on the South West rather than the North East.
• Ground Control: UK-based environmental and landscaping contractor delivering grounds maintenance, arboriculture, environmental improvement and civils works for public-sector and infrastructure clients. Closely comparable service mix and customer profile to WL Straughan, but at significantly larger national scale.

Regional players

• Tilhill Forestry: UK forestry management and timber harvesting company with adjacent civil and environmental contracting on woodland sites. Comparable to WL Straughan's Forestry England-facing work (roads, bridges, site clearance on forest estate), though forestry management is their core offering.

Broad incumbents

• Morgan Sindall: UK construction and regeneration group with significant civils and infrastructure divisions. Overlaps with WL Straughan on infrastructure-led landscape and groundworks sub-contracting, particularly through public-sector frameworks.
• Kier Group: Major UK construction and infrastructure group with civils, highways and environmental services arms. Overlaps with WL Straughan on civils groundworks and infrastructure landscaping (e.g. as main contractor where WL Straughan is sub), but at much broader national scale.
• Galliford Try: UK construction group covering building, infrastructure and environmental civils. Adjacent to WL Straughan via infrastructure schemes (e.g. A1 projects) where they may be principal or competitor on landscaping scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wlstraughan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wl-straughan-son-limited
• Xx.com/wlstraughan

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WL Straughan and Son