Shetland Local Landscape Designation Review: Final Report

Evaluation Process
3.13 The first stage of the evaluation was based on desk study, and on a field
survey of the Shetland landscape undertaken in June 2011. An evaluation
sheet for each LCU was completed in during the field survey, to record
justified rankings against each criterion. An example of the field recording
sheet is included in Appendix 1.
3.14 The initial findings arising from this evaluation were converted in to a
numerical ‘score’ for each LCU. A ranking of low=1, medium=2, high=3, very
high=4. A total score can then be derived, and the LCUs ranked in order of
their landscape quality.
3.15 The results of the evaluation were reviewed by SIC who made a number of
detailed comments. These comments, along with further desk study, were
incorporated into a revised evaluation.
3.16 The revised evaluation scores were used to generate an ‘Area of Search’,
based on the highest-scoring 50% of LCUs. While this represents an
arbitrary cut-off, it is unlikely that the best of Shetland’s landscapes will be
outside these LCUs.
3.17 To derive the Area of Search, an appropriate weighting was devised and
applied to the evaluation results, to emphasise important criteria. The
weighting was agreed with SIC and is described in detail in Section 7.
3.18 Following a second field survey, carried out in August/September 2011, and
focusing on the Area of Search, the evaluation was refined based on the
additional data gathered. The evaluation was again submitted to SIC for
comment, to enable input of detailed local knowledge prior to finalisation.
The results of the finalised evaluation are discussed in Section 7.
Field Survey
3.19 The first stage of fieldwork (June 2011) gathered basic information on each
LCU, in order to carry out an initial evaluation against the criteria.
3.20 The second field survey (August 2011) comprised a more targeted series of
visits to LCUs within the Area of Search, to gather more detailed evaluation
information, and to identify potential candidate Local Landscape Areas. Local
Landscape Areas may or may not correspond to LCUs, and therefore the
second survey also looked across LCU boundaries, to identify potential
groupings of landscapes. The second survey also sought also to gather more
specific information on the key qualities to be drafted for each candidate
Local Landscape Area.
3.21 The survey form for the second stage of the evaluation looked to the
identification of candidate Local Landscape Areas, and involved the recording
of descriptive prose relating to three aspects:
Objective description of landscape features, with reference to landform,
land cover, land use, settlement pattern, distinctive features;
Objective description of visual relationships and contrasts which are
important to the landscape, including relationships between LCUs; and
Shetland Islands Local Landscape Designation Review
Land Use Consultants
Final Report 13 October 2011