Specialist Hydroseeding and Ecological Seeding Team
CDTS North & West is run by an in-house team of hydroseeding and ecological seeding operatives. Crews are direct employees, not agency labour or subcontractors. Average operative tenure with the company is more than ten years.
The team is structured as two crews of four operatives, working UK-wide from our base at Alport Farm in Cheshire. Estimating, project management and client liaison are handled directly by director James Thomson.
Seeding specialists
James Thomson, Director
James founded CDTS North & West and runs estimating, project management and client liaison. He has more than forty years in landscaping and land management, with a background in commercial landscaping and tree surgery before specialising in hydroseeding and ecological establishment. He has been featured in Horticulture Week and The Landscaper on hydroseeding methods and ecological seeding
For most projects James is the person quoting, scoping and signing off the works. Clients deal with him directly from first call to final sign-off.
Operations Team
John Davies, General Manager
More than twenty years with CDTS and a lifetime in the industry. John oversees crew scheduling, fleet readiness and day-to-day operations across both site teams.
Giles Davies, Site Manager
More than twenty years with CDTS. Giles runs one of the two site crews and holds CPCS plant tickets covering the equipment used on CDTS jobs. He typically leads on highways, rail and larger land restoration projects.
Jake Cooper, Site Manager
More than four years with CDTS. Jake runs the second site crew and holds SMSTS, making him the named site manager on projects requiring formal site management certification. He typically leads on housing, residential and commercial development work.
Henry Davies, Site Operative
More than two years with CDTS. Henry works across both crews and holds the standard operative competencies for plant operation, spraying and manual handling.
Qualifications
All site operatives and managers hold the competency certifications required for the equipment and chemicals they use.
Certificates of competency, RAMS and method statements are formatted for contractor pre-qualification packs and available on request. CHAS accreditation (membership CHAS-29009949, SSIP Approved Contractor) underpins our health and safety management system.
CPCS plant tickets, covering tractor and excavator/digger operation: 100% of operatives.
Manual handling: 100% of the team.
CSCS cards: 100% of operatives and managers.
PA1 and PA6 spraying certificates: 100% of operatives.
SMSTS: held by Jake Cooper, our named site manager for projects requiring it.
SSSTS: held within the team for supervised works.
First Aid at Work: qualified cover within the team.
Internal Training
All site operatives hold relevant competency certifications for the equipment they operate. Our internal training programme covers four key areas.
Equipment pre-start checks and maintenance
Working at height and on steep slopes
Safe hydroseeder operation and slurry application
Environmental controls and spill prevention
SEEDING SPECIALISTS
Retention
Most of our operatives have been with CDTS for more than ten years. Application uniformity, mix calibration, slope reading and timing against weather windows are judgement calls that improve with experience on real sites. Long crew tenure means fewer errors and more consistent establishment.
What Our Clients Say
"The CDTS team have over the last 3 years been carrying out various hydroseeding for us on a large road scheme in the Midlands. The results speak for themselves with fantastic establishment rates which impress our main client. The team are professional, hardworking and always set out to meet their own high expectations in regards to performance and meeting our strict deadline requirements. Having used their services for many years across all landscape sectors I can highly recommend them for all conventional and hydroseeding needs."
- Roy Bellamy, February 2026
"We have collaborated for many years with CDTS on a whole range of seeding projects covering conventional seeding, hydroseeding and wildflower seeding for BNG enhancement. Extremely professional with highly experienced and qualified teams. Great communication, flexible and reactive service."
- Paul Hadley, November 2025
Discuss Your Project
Send us your drawings, your specification, or a description of the site. James will review access, slope, ground conditions and programme, and come back with an approach and a budget figure or fixed quote. Most enquiries get a response within 24 hours.