3. GUIDANCE. The Landscape Institute

Below is a selection of guidance deemed relevant to the development of a large new settlement in the Forest of Dean District. This guidance becomes particularly relevant in phase two of the process when working in more detail with the character spatial hierarchy and sustainable infrastructure of the site. It is also relevant to the decision-making process in the location of the site and how it will fit in the existing landscape context.

Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA,3)

Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) can be key to planning decisions by identifying the effects of new developments on views and on the landscape itself. The LVIA is a part of the Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) process and its main purpose is to protect the environment and make sure that proposed developments are properly considered. It acknowledges that project led development cannot be entirely effective in protecting landscape and that it sits within a strategic framework. The European Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) seeks to ensure the environmental impact of development is addressed at a strategic level. Further the document seeks to assess the value of landscape not just in natural, physical cultural terms but also define the perception of the landscapes value to the people who live and work in it. It quotes, “Landscape is about the relationship between people and place. It provides the setting for our day to day lives. The term does not just apply to designated landscapes and it does not only apply to the countryside… it results from the way different components of our environment- both natural ( the influences of geology, soils, climate, flora and fauna) and cultural(the historical and current impact of land use, settlement, enclosure and other human interventions) interact together and are perceived us. Peoples perceptions turn land into the concept of landscape. (Swanwick, 2009)

This is an influential perspective on the process of this study as the process of choosing a location for the new settlement must hold this in mind throughout. The sieving process will ensure that the chosen site will not be on designated land but landscape in which it will be sited is still precious and must be considered with care.

LI Housing Guidance.

The guidance states the demand for new homes is greater now than at any time since the post-war building boom. In 2015, the government set a target of building 1 million new homes by 2020. There is still an estimated 300,000 yearly shortfall in housing delivery. There is a growing need to deliver more housing while meeting other demands, such as enhancing biodiversity, ensuring flood resilience, and creating places and spaces where people can interact and lead healthier lives.

(Landscape Institute,2020)

The guide, ‘Profitable Places,(Landscape Institute, 2014) it shows how housebuilders and developers who use a landscape-led approach are reaping the rewards of focussing on landscape first. Integrating landscape into a housing development increases its capital value and the living standards of residents, says a 2020 survey by property agent Savills. (Savills, 2020) Increasingly, developers understand that landscape planning ensures the best use of land, including identifying the most sustainable sites for development. In 2019 the Landscape Institute published its 12 Key asks document which outlines their policy priorities. 12 key points under 4 broader headings;