Landscape, Seascape and Visual Impact
Developments – for example anything that needs
planning permission – change the landscape. The changes may cause
“impacts” on the landscape.
Whatever the merits of the development itself, it’s important to
make sure that the development is in the right place and designed
to fit in with its landscape setting. That’s why we assess the
“impacts” of developments.
This is very important where the development is large or where
the location is sensitive. That’s why methods for assessing impacts
on the landscape have been developed. These are part of a
wider process of assessing environmental impacts.
Changes to landscapes and views
We usually distinguish between impacts on the landscape (changes
to the character of a place) and visual impacts (changes to the
appearance of views). We also separate describing the changes
from whether those changes should be welcomed or
not.
Development and change are essential to our livelihood. Our role
is to help guide the right development into the right place. This
is how landscapes evolve. The question is therefore, would the
development help change that landscape in ways we would wish or
not?
RELATED ARTICLES...
See Also...
Guidance
for Coastal Defence
in relation to their Landscape and Visual Impacts
One of
the largest changes in the appearance of the coast stems from the
construction of coastal defences. This guidance document explains a
landscape and visual impact assessment method appropriate for
coastal defences and sets out simple design concepts that should be
considered in their assessment and design.
LANDMAP
Information Guidance Note 3
LANDMAP - Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
This
guidance explains how Wales's LANDMAP landscape information system
can be used in the landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA)
process.
Other Websites...
Seascape and Visual
Impact Assessment
A DTI publication (2005) to GUIDE OFFSHORE WIND FARM DEVELOPERS ON
HOW TO ASSESS SEASCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS in their environmental
impact assessments for individual proposals. The guide is also of
relevance to those scoping and commenting on such assessments.