Nicholas Pearson Associates Landscape Architects undertake Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) of a wide variety of development types. The assessment process ensures new developments take account of the landscape setting and visual context and assists with design and mitigation strategies.  It is important that all those involved in the promotion of new development are aware that the guidance for carrying out Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments has now changed.

The Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment’s Guidelines for Landscape and Visual assessment 3rd Edition (GLVIA3) were published earlier this year. The GLVIA 3 guidance states that it has been produced with the objective of ‘continuing to encourage higher standards in the conduct of landscape and visual assessments’

The GLVIA 3 guidelines define ‘Development’ ‘as any proposal that results in a change to the landscape or visual environment’

Our Chartered Landscape Architects can provide our clients with further project specific advice on the implications of this document, given our expertise in landscape matters; however, we felt it would also be helpful to provide our clients with a summary of the key changes linked here.

The preparation of high quality photomontages (now termed Visually Verified Montages) continues to be an important part of the LVIA process and for visualising scheme proposals over time and is an area where Nicholas Pearson Associates has expertise and a successful track record. The Landscape Institute advice note covering this topic published last year continues to be the key source of reference on this topic sited in the guidelines.

Please contact us if you need any advice on Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments or would like to discuss further how our LVIA and photomontage work could increase the chance of achieving a successful planning application and scheme design for your proposed development.