The siting and design of aquaculture in the landscape: visual and ...

When a number of developments occupying the same loch are not coordinated in terms of siting,
orientation, layout and design, negative cumulative effects can occur, as shown here. Proposals to
change a lease, for example from a finfish farm to shellfish lines, should also take this into account.
This illustration demonstrates the sense of clutter introduced by an additional development being
orientated differently from original developments. In addition, because the new lines are close
to existing lines, the shellfish lines on the loch overall seem much more extensive – although
individually they are modest.
Further development, here of different types, sizes and orientation, as well as simply a large
quantity of development relative to the size of the loch can create a great deal of visual clutter and
distract completely from the landscape.
This illustration demonstrates a different type of cumulative effect. If small inlets or bays are
gradually filled up with development indentations along the coastline become difficult to read, as
the eye ‘jumps’ along the seaward edge of the structures.
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