Protecting, Enhancing and Restoring Landscape Character

.16 Protecting, Enhancing and Restoring Landscape Character A. Landscape Character and Enhancement Development proposals must: 1. Demonstrate how they have been informed by and respond positively to the local distinctiveness and historic character of South Warwickshire’s diverse landscapes, including the relevant Landscape Character Area descriptions and management guidelines. 2. Protect landscape character and avoid adverse effects on features that contribute to the character, history or setting of a settlement or landscape. 3. Incorporate measures to enhance and where appropriate, restore the landscape character of the locality, proportionate to the scale of development and contribute where relevant to wider green and blue infrastructure and nature recovery objectives. 4. Development layout, design and masterplanning must be landscape led, demonstrate how the landscape context has shaped the form, density, orientation, movement network, open space structure and overall design approach from the earliest stages and supported an early-stage landscape appraisal that demonstrates how landscape considerations have shaped the design from inception 5. Must be sensitive to an area’s capacity for change, acknowledge cumulative effects and guard against the potential for coalescence between existing settlements B. Minimising Visual Impacts 1. A proportionate Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) will be required for all major developments (as defined in the NPPF), proposals over 0.5ha or those that affect the setting of heritage assets. 2. Development that would result in harm to the existing landscape, will only be supported if it can be demonstrated that the harm is unavoidable and outweighed by wider public benefits. Any harm to such features must be clearly justified and shown to be unavoidable, with appropriate mitigation secured. 3. New landscaping must be incorporated to reduce predicted visual effects and enhance the existing landscape using native and locally characteristic species. Planting should be implemented at the earliest practicable stage and provision for long term establishment, management and maintenance must be secured through planning conditions or obligations. 4. Development must avoid locations where it would appear visually intrusive or harm the openness, tranquillity or rural character of the area, particularly where these qualities are identified as key characteristics of the relevant LCAs. 5. Proposals must demonstrate that key viewpoints and public visual receptors have been assessed, that alternative siting or design options have been considered and that measures have been incorporated to reduce visual prominence, including avoiding skyline intrusion or excessive landform alterations. DS.16 ~ Development Management Considerations In relation to Part A1 of the Policy ~ Landscape Character Area descriptions and management guidelines set out the special characteristics of the landscape character areas and provide guidelines which provide invaluable strategies for managing and enhancing these landscapes. In relation to Part B1 of the Policy - LVIAs must follow current Landscape Institute guidance and assess effects on relevant LCAs, key visual receptors, and public viewpoints, including cumulative effects, seasonal variation, and where relevant nighttime impacts. Policy Justification 2.12.1 The landscapes of South Warwickshire are a defining feature of its character, identity and environmental quality. Development must be informed by and respond positively to; the distinctive landscape character identified in the Landscape Character Assessment and related evidence. Development should be designed and located in a way that conserves and enhances landscape qualities, minimises adverse effects, and contributes to the restoration and strengthening of landscape features. In considering proposals, attention will be given not only to individual impacts but also to the cumulative effects of development on the character and quality of the wider landscape. 2.12.2 South Warwickshire’s landscapes are a defining environmental and cultural asset. National policy requires planning decisions to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside, protect valued landscapes, conserve heritage assets and their settings and reinforce local distinctiveness. The Landscape Character Assessment provides a detailed understanding of the districts varied landscapes including landform vegetation patterns settlement form historic field patterns key views and areas of high sensitivity. 2.12.3 Landscape led design is essential to ensuring that development responds to landform key views settlement patterns and landscape sensitivities from the outset rather than relying on retrofitted mitigation. This approach ensures that development reinforces local distinctiveness, respects settlement patterns, and avoids avoidable harm to landscape character and visual amenity. 2.12.4 Requiring proportionate Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) for major development, larger sites and proposals in sensitive locations ensures that landscape and visual effects are properly understood including cumulative seasonal perceptual and nighttime impacts. This evidence is essential to shaping siting scale layout and design to avoid or minimise harm and where possible deliver landscape enhancement or restoration. The policy applies proportionality with requirements scaled to the sensitivity of the location and the nature of the proposal. 2.12.5 This policy therefore provides a robust, evidence-based framework to protect, enhance and restore the districts landscape character, settlement patterns and visual amenity for the future generation, wh