Landscape Character Assessment - Chelmsford Borough Council

7 View types and composition Landmarks1.5.7 The survey information (including photographs) was used to (i) inform the descriptions oflandscape character and (ii) to test and refine the draft Landscape Character Area boundaries.Characterisation1.5.8 The characterisation stage involved the combination of the desk study research and fieldsurvey analysis to identify and map generic Landscape Character Types and geographicallyunique Landscape Character Areas at 1:25,000 scale (see Section 2.5 for details).1.5.9 For each generic Landscape Character Type, its boundaries were mapped and its keycharacteristics described. For each unique Landscape Character Area, its boundaries weremapped and the following characterisation information was recorded: Key Characteristics Overall Character Description Visual Characteristics Historic Land Use Ecological FeaturesEvaluation1.5.10 This stage involved making the following judgements about each Landscape Character Area: Key Planning and Land Management Issues Sensitivities to Change Proposed landscape Strategy Objectives Suggested Landscape Planning Guidelines Suggested Land Management GuidelinesEvaluation of Landscape Sensitivity1.5.11 The methodology for evaluating the intrinsic sensitivities of each Landscape Character Areato change is based on the criteria for judging sensitivity set out in an accompanying paper tothe Landscape Character Assessment – Guidance for England and Scotland 6 , taking intoaccount current best practice.1.5.12 It should be noted that the evaluation is based on the relatively broad-brush analysisundertaken at 1:25,000 scale for this Study. The degree of sensitivity is not absolute. It islikely to vary according to the nature of change under consideration, and is therefore onlyindicative. This evaluation should be read in conjunction with the more strategic evaluationof landscape sensitivity set out in the Essex Landscape Character Assessment 7 .1.5.13 The criteria used to evaluate the relative sensitivities of each Landscape Character Area aredefined in Box 2.6 Landscape Character Assessment – Guidance for England and Scotland : Topic Paper 8 – Techniques and Criteria forJudging Capacity and Sensitivity (Swanwick, 2004).7 Essex County Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (July 2002).11100101R Final LCAs_09-06Section 1.0 - Introduction