Landscape & Visual Assessment
CEC landscape architects have extensive expertise in undertaking landscape and visual assessment work for a range of projects, and will work with you to design your project with landscape and visual constraints in mind.
The level and detail of assessment will depend on the requirements of an individual project and our landscape architects are happy to have an informal no obligation discussion with you prior to preparing a quotation.
Key services are;
Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA)
Landscape and visual appraisal work is recommended at early project stages to identify key constraints and opportunities for a site and its surrounding landscape. It will aid the integration of proposals into the landscape and enable creation of schemes with good amenity and biodiversity value. This type of input would also be used for feasibility studies. CEC can provide a brief report, note or letter (depending on level of detail requested) and a series of drawings and photographs (if required).
The initial work can then be progressed into an LVIA if the scheme moves forward.
Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA)
CEC landscape architects deliver specialist Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) services for a range of developments including residential and commercial developments, leisure industry projects, renewable energy schemes and infrastructure proposals such as roads, powerlines and Park and Ride facilities.A typical scope for this work would be to undertake desk study and field work, prepare a baseline description of landscape and visual resources including key receptors, feedback constraints and opportunities into the design process and liaise with architects on how to best incorporate a development into a given landscape, undertake the impact assessment when final proposal details are available.
Our LVIA reports are accompanied by a series of photographs and drawings and produced to a very high standard.
Landscape Character Assessment Services
CEC can undertake landscape character assessment work for Local Authorities, Neighbourhood Plan groups and other entities such as AONB or Natural England to inform their strategic, management and development plans. It can also be undertaken on a site specific basis, for smaller land units, if a specific project requires this.Landscape character assessment work looks at defining local land description units, landscape character types and landscape character areas. This is done using desk based information on for example geology, soils, land form, land use, settlement pattern, historic landscape, in combination with field work and consultation. It is often done using GIS data sets and producing GIS outputs.
We have expertise in preparing landscape character assessments, including GIS capabilities to support mapping needs. Published landscape character assessment information is used by CEC’s landscape architects frequently to inform LVA and LVIA work.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Some of the projects we work on fall under the remit of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. We have expertise to work on such projects and prepare inputs to them as follows:
- Preparing Screening Opinion requests or inputting to them
- Preparing Scoping Opinion requests or inputting to them
- Writing LVIA chapters for inclusion in Environmental Statements (ES) including assessment of alternatives, construction effects, significance and residual effects
- Compiling and submitting Environmental Statements for smaller projects.
If you require any further information please call us on 01872 245510 or contact us to discuss your project and requirements.
