Mainstreaming the European Landscape Convention in UK Planning Policy and Practice

Prof Alister Scott BA PhD MRTPI

Outline

1. Boundaries of concern 2. Spatial Planning meets the ELC 3. An ELC Assessment Framework4. UK Planning Policy responses5. Development Plan responses6. Planning Case Studies of ELC

practice 7. Hooks for ELC mainstreaming 8. Concluding thoughts

Boundaries of Concern

Built Environment Natural Environment

UK Planning vs the ELC

Spatial Planning meets ELC • FROM traditional

notions of planning driven by land-use allocation and design emphasising control and restraint

• TO proactive, positive and holistic emphases involving multi-scalar and multi-sectoral perspectives

Spatial Planning: Plan-led

1. Democratic Principle 2. Subsidiarity Principle 3. Participation Principle 4. Integration Principle 5. Proportionality Principle 6. Precautionary Principle

United Nations 2008

A Plan-led system

• National Planning guidance informs (dictates) the shape of local plans which are the statutory document for all development decisions.

• “presumption in favour of the development plan unless material considerations dictate otherwise”

Planners Toolkit

• Regulatory • Incentive • Participative • Valuation• Futures

• Impact Assessments • Designations • Zoning • CIL/ Section 106 • Landscape character assessments • Ecosystem Service mapping • Subsidies • Capacity studies • Neighbourhood plans• Village design statements • Scenarios • Visioning

Framework for Assessment

Scotland and the ELC Roberts, Scott et al 2008

• Recognise landscape in law (biodiversity) • Improve public engagement and awareness on

landscape matters • Better reflect people’s vision for their landscapes; • Better integration of social, economic and

environmental interests in landscape quality objectives. • Recognise multi-functionality and benefits of Scottish

landscape• Take advantage of EU policies and programmes to help

realise landscape objectives

UK Policy Responses

National UK Plans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

ENG X X ? ? ? ? X X X ? X

WAL X X ? ? ? ? ? X ? ? X

SCO X ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? X

NPPF (NPPG) Principles

• No mention of ELC • Focus on designated landscapes • Focus on localism • “Empowering people to shape their

surroundings, with succinct local and neighbourhood plans”

• “take account of the different roles and character of different areas,.. protecting the Green Belts …. recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside”

‘Valued’ landscapes

Potential ‘material’ considerations

• Duty to Cooperate think of issues at landscape scales BUT has to go beyond housing numbers

• Viability BUT too developer driven and has to include limits to landscape change

Planning Principles

• Engagement and involvement, ensuring that everyone has the chance to obtain information, see how decisions are made and take part in decision making.

• Putting people and their quality of life now and in the future, at the centre of decision making

Relevant Strategies & Plans

• No mention of ELC in supporting strategies.

Valuing nature

National Planning Framework 3

• No explicit ELC references.

ELC Valuing the Environment

Valuing the Environment

(Scottish) Land Use Strategy

4.2 The European Landscape Convention defines landscapes as areas perceived by people and for many people their most direct connection to the land is through their local landscapes. All of our landscapes have to a greater or lesser extent been shaped by people over centuries, and this re shaping continues ‐through land use today. Landscapes also contribute to our sense of identity and to our feeling of wellbeing.

NEWP

• No mention of the ELC

Statutory Development Plans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

• City focussed

Relevant Plans and Policies

• No mention of ELC in evidence base to support policy development.

• Planners unaware of its existence and relevance.

Green Infrastructure

Historic Environment

N Devon &Torridge Local Plan

• Policy ST11: Enhancing

Environmental Assets: The quality of northern Devon’s natural environment will be protected and enhanced by: … (g) conserving and enhancing the robustness of northern Devon’s ecosystems and the range of ecosystem services they provide;” (North Devon and Torridge Local Plan, 2013: 54

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

England : Neighbourhood Plans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway NSAs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Results and outcomes

• Full landscape character for all 3 areas published • Intensive consultation and engagement with

stakeholders thru Advisory Groups • 3 Management Strategies • Delivery of projects involving local people • Strategies as SPG in development plans • Raised public awareness • LEADER + exemplar sharing experience • Post budget vulnerability?

Planning Decisions HS2

• “HS2 can be beautiful – not a blot on the landscape”

• Prof Kathryn Moore

HS2LVREINVENTING THE REGION

Policy and Decision Making: Scott 2011

‘Active’ public role

• Assessment• Planning • Management

Neighbourhood Plans England(Reiss and Scott 2014) Community buy outs Scotland (McMorran and Scott 2014)

Hooks for Mainstreaming • CPD and training • Localism

– Neighbourhood plans– Land Reform Act

• Development plans– Landscape chapters/policies– Green Infrastructure

• Landscape Officers• Cultural Ecosystem Services • EU Directives

– SEA (landscape objectives) – WFD

Concluding Thoughts

• The forgotten ELC • Legal status of landscape • Integration vs Silo • Top down technocentric

approaches dominate • Public(s) Engagement

deficit • Training and Awareness

deficit in planners • Learning from practice

Alister.Scott@bcu.ac.uk