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If a proposed development could significantly impact the surrounding landscape, townscape or seascape you are more likely to need an LVIA, but the decision also depends on the different aspects of the proposed development including:

Project Size, Location & Complexity

Scale: Both larger scale &/or taller developments are more likely to require an LVIA.

Visibility: Developments where the visual impact has a noticeable change, &/or developments are in a prominent location, &/or where development is near a public viewpoint, are more likely to require an LVIA.

Protected areas: Developments that significantly change the character of a landscape, especially when they are within or near to a protected or designated landscape, such as a 'National Park', a 'National Landscape' (previously an 'AONB'), a 'Conservation Area', oe development outside of a 'settlement boundary' are more likely to require an LVIA.

Typical developments that might require an LVIA

Residential Developments: Large housing estates or high-density apartment buildings, especially in rural or sensitive areas, where significant changes to the landscape & visual character may occur.

Commercial Projects: Retail centres, office buildings, or industrial facilities situated in prominent locations or near protected landscapes that could impact the landscape character or ecology.

Infrastructure Projects: Major transport projects, such as new roads, railways, or bridges, which can alter views & affect the landscape over extensive areas.

Renewable Energy Installations: Wind farms, solar farms, or biomass facilities, particularly those located in scenic or more rural areas where visual impacts could be significant.

Agricultural Developments: Large-scale agricultural operations, such as intensive poultry farming, or new cropping schemes such as fruit farming under polytunnels, where they are planned for all-year-round use, or near a heritage asset

Advantages of having an LVIA

Speed: By including an LVIA in your initial planning application, it can illuminate a potential delay if the LPA decide they want an LVIA & you haven't commissioned one. Finding a Landscape Architect who can fit an LVIA into heir schedule & then produce the report can take several months.

Better Design: By integrating an LVIA into the design process from the outset means mitigation measures factors can be designed into the overall scheme rather than being 'bolted on'. The resulting scheme should be of higher value.

Local Planning Authority (LPA): When an LPA team receive an application with an LVIA included, they know the Applicant is prepared to invest in assessments that will produce higher quality design outputs, that in the long run should be environmentally beneficial & more sustainable.

LVIA methodology

The standard methodology for an LVIA is included within the 'Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (3rd edition)' also known  as 'GLA3'. An LVIA is a technical document that can be difficult to understand. Every LVIA should start with a 'non-technical summary' outlining the project & the key findings so should be able to be understood by a non-specialist.

Summary of Typical LVIA Costs

Small projects: £3,000 - £8,000

Medium projects: £8,000 - £20,000

Large / complex projects: £20,000 - £50,000+

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