What is Landscape Character Assessment?
Our appreciation and understanding of landscapes have increased over time, partly as the result of our need and desire to record, understand, influence and manage change.
Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) is one tool that helps in that understanding, and is defined as:
"The tool that is used to help us to understand, and articulate, the character of the landscape. It helps us identify the features that give a locality its 'sense of place' and pinpoints what makes it different from neighbouring areas."
(‘Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for England and Scotland’, The Countryside Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage, 2002)
LCA can be used in many situations, for example in devising indicators to gauge landscape change and to inform regional planning, local development, environmental assessment and the management of protected landscapes.
What is the Landscape Character Assessment Guidance?
The Landscape Character Assessment Guidance, published by Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage, shows how to identify and express the different elements, such as woodlands, hedgerows, moors, mountains and farmland, building styles, and historic artifacts, which give a place its unique character.
The Landscape Character Assessment Guidance Publication: (4.56mb)
and accompanying Topic Papers are available to download.
Datasets can be obtained from the MAGIC
(Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside) website.
(February 2010) - Natural England, with Scottish Natural Heritage have recently appointed Land Use Consultants to undertake a review of the existing guidance document and supporting papers. The guidance will be updated to reflect its current use, good practice, and the European Landscape Convention (ELC). It will include new topics and additional related guidance that may be needed. The guidance will be used to promote the increased use of landscape character assessment in the planning, protection and management of our environment.
Contacts
Christine Tudor – Natural England
Laura Campbell – Scottish Natural Heritage
Kate Ahern – Land Use Consultants
By emailing: LCAguidancereviewenquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
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Landscape Character Assessment topic papers
To further the application and use of Landscape Character Assessment in England and Scotland, a series of topic papers have been prepared to accompany the main LCA guidance.
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Landscape Character and Community Involvement
Landscape characterisation is the process of of understanding and explaining what makes the local landscape distinctive.
