Shetland Local Landscape Designation Review: Final Report

WEIGHTING
7.12 In order to reflect the importance of those criteria which are most influential
in the perception of ‘special landscapes’, a system of weighting was developed.
Three criteria were given additional weight, as follows:
The rarity criterion was double-weighted, as a characteristic of special
landscapes; and
The scenic qualities, and views criteria were triple-weighted, as these
were seen as the most significant qualities in terms of the perception of
landscapes.
7.13 These criteria were agreed with SIC following a number of trials with
alternative weightings. It was notable that broadly similar results were
obtained regardless of the weighting applied, with the same core areas
scoring continuously highly.
TOTAL SCORES
7.14 A combined map was prepared using the total weighted score for each LCU.
These were calculated by assigning a value of 1 to a ‘low’ evaluation, and 4 to
a ‘very high’ evaluation for non-weighted criteria. These numbers were
doubled or tripled for the weighted criteria noted above.
7.15 The weighted scores have a possible range of between 14 and 56, though
most areas scored between 30 and 50. Scores for each area are set out in
Table 7.1 (ordered by LCU number) and Table 7.2 (ordered by total
score). The total scores are illustrated on Figure 7.10.
7.16 Esha Ness and Hillswick (22) was the single highest-scoring LCU, with 51
points, followed by Gunnister (23) and North Bressay and Noss (47) each
with 49 points. Areas in or adjacent to the NSAs make up the majority of
the highest scoring areas.
7.17 The lowest-scoring landscape was Sullom Voe (15) with 24 points, followed
by Gluss and Sullom (17) with 27 points. Both of these areas are affected by
the large-scale industrial development at Sullom Voe oil terminal. Other
lower-scoring areas included the less remarkable moorland areas on the
Mainland and Yell.
AREA OF SEARCH
7.18 The highest-scoring LCUs in the evaluation process form the Area of Search
for candidate Local Landscape Areas. It was agreed with SIC that the highestscoring
50% of LCUs would form the Area of Search, to be examined in
greater detail at the next stage. While this is recognised as an arbitrary cutoff,
it is considered that the very best of the Shetland landscapes, ie those
that most merit designation, will be found within these LCUs.
7.19 29 LCUs were selected to form the Area of Search, being those that scored
40 points or more in the final evaluation, representing slightly more than 50%.
These LCUs are highlighted in bold text in Table 7.2, and are illustrated in
Figure 7.11.
Shetland Islands Local Landscape Designation Review
Land Use Consultants
Final Report 40 October 2011