Landscape Character Assessment

In the European Landscape Convention definition ‘Landscape’ means an area, as perceived by people, whose visual features and character are the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors.

All landscapes combine natural components (such as geology, soils and watercourses) and human influences (such as settlement and land use) with cultural perceptions (such as history, social associations and aesthetic values).

Landscape Character is created by the way the physical components come together and can be defined as "a distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements in the landscape that makes one landscape different from another".  Although landscape character is also about experience and sense of place it is not about opinions or judgements on whether one landscape is considered better or worse than another.

Landscape Character Assessment identifies, describes and maps variation in landscape character in a systematic way. Coastal Character Assessment complements this by carrying out a similar process for coasts.