Natural England

Criteria-based landscape policies and guidance in Local Development Frameworks: an approach in West Sussex

Objectives of the project
The objectives of the demonstration project were to:

• assemble an integrated landscape character and local distinctiveness evidence base for the LDFs
  
• draft criteria-based landscape and local distinctiveness policies to be included in the Vision and Core policies of the District LDFs
  
• prepare criteria-based policies for certain areas where special considerations of landscape character apply (eg strategic gaps)
  
• prepare Supplementary Planning Documents that give further guidance on the conservation and enhancement of landscape character
  
• make appropriate linkages between the planning policy work in the LDFs an guidance at the County level for land management
  
• disseminate this practice to other local planning authoritie, locally and nationally.     

Main findings 
It was suggested that there were two alternatives to formulating criteria-based policies based upon landscape.   One option is to disaggregate the range of issues relating to landscape character, however, it was found that this might lead to policies too numerous to include in a core strategy.   The alternative is to place an all-encompassing character policy in the core strategy and include disaggregated policies in a separate document.   Ideally, the core policies need to be supported by concise SPDs – as prepared as part of the project - covering landscape character, settlement character and design, which are not over-prescriptive and act as a portal to more detailed parts of the evidence base. Districts within the county, such as Mid Sussex, are taking the project outputs forward into their emerging LDF. The project manager has also been responding to a number of requests for further information from interested practitioners in other counties and districts.