Shropshire Council has now completed and published a Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) for the county. The project has been funded by the council, The Countryside Agency, English Nature, the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership and the former district and borough councils.
Landscape Character can be defined as "a distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements in the landscape that makes one landscape different from another, rather than better or worse" (The Countryside Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage. 2006. Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for England and Scotland).
The Landscape Character Assessment includes information about the six components that define landscape character. Geology, landform and soils tell us about the physical character, whilst settlement pattern, tree cover and land use inform us about the cultural dimensions of landscape.
These elements can be used to examine the landscape at different scales, from the national (or even international) down to the local level. They have allowed us to identify 27 different landscape types in the county, each of which is defined by a different combination of components that determine landscape character.
Landscape Character Assessment allows policy makers and landscape practitioners to ascertain the factors that give a locality its identity. This enables us to determine what conditions should be set for new development. Its unique strength is that it is both a strategic and objective tool, with wide ranging, nationally accepted applications in planning and land management.
You can download a copy of our Landscape Character Assessment, The Shropshire Landscape Typology, together with a summary pamphlet from this page. Alternatively, for an interactive version of the map follow the 'ShropMap' link in the further information section.
Additional information concerning Landscape Character Assessment, including how your community can undertake a Landscape Character Assessment of your parish to help you prepare a Village Design Statement, can be found by following the other links on this page.
If you wish to consult the detailed evidence base behind the Landscape Character Assessment please contact us.