Evidence, data and monitoring
Landscape Assessments
Landscape Character Assessment and Landscape Sensitivity and Impact Assessments
The character of the District's landscape is varied and ranges from the rugged open moorland of the South Pennine uplands to rolling farmland, and open river valleys to wooded hillsides.
As part of the preparation of the new Local Plan the allocation of sites must be justified and supported by a robust and credible evidence base. Consideration needs to be given to the range of environmental constraints found in the District, this includes looking at the impact of new development on the District's different landscapes.
Where proposed new development sites are likely to have an impact, the significance of that impact needs to be assessed and a determination as to whether it can be reduced or mitigated needs to be made, in order to deliver sustainable development.
The existing Landscape Character Assessment for the District and its associated Supplementary Planning Document now need updating to take account of changes which have occurred over the last 10 to 20 years. In addition, site specific Landscape Sensitivity and Impact Assessments (LSIA) will be carried out for those proposed site allocations which have been identified as likely to have an adverse impact on the landscape character.
This new landscape evidence is currently being commissioned and will be used to inform decisions on the allocation of development sites in the Local Plan. The new Landscape Character Assessment and site specific LSIAs will be made available at the Local Plan Regulation 19 (Publication) consultation stage.