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Application form
Please make sure you have read all the notes carefully before you start to fill in the application form. This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically - it is available on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning. Please complete all five sections. The deadline for submitting applications is 8 September 2006. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.
1 Please provide a name and contact details of the lead organisation responsible for this work.
Name | Karl Doroszenko |
Job title | Policy and Projects Manager |
Organisation | East Ayrshire Council |
Address | 6 Croft Street, Kilmarnock, KA1 1JB |
Telephone | 01563 576751 |
Fax | 01563 576774 |
Email | karl.doroszenko@east-ayrshire.co.uk |
2 If this is a joint application, please list the other partners who had a key role. You should also inform your partners that you are nominating the project for an award.
3 Tick the category of nomination
Title of entry | East Ayrshire Long Term development Strategy: Landscape Assessment of Potential Development Areas |
Please complete the form on the following pages by providing a brief summary of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude with a key reason as to why you think this work merits an Award. Only the two A4 pages supplied here can be used and your text must fit within the boxes. The font size should be no less than 12pt.
The judging criteria are set out below. Please tick only the key criteria relevant to your entry:
You must describe, in your written submission, how the criteria which you have ticked relate to your project.
Description of project
The Landscape Assessment of Potential Development Areas study has assessed the local landscape capacity of urban fringe areas around the main East Ayrshire communities to accommodate new development without having unacceptable adverse effects on landscape character, landscape designations and the appearance and landscape setting of the settlements concerned. The landscape study has categorised urban fringe areas into (i) areas not suitable for development; (ii) indicative landscape areas; (iii) areas with limited potential for development; (iv) areas with development potential; and (v) areas most suitable for development. |
Context - describe the background to the project
East Ayrshire Council is currently in the process of preparing an Alteration to the East Ayrshire Local Plan together with an accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment in response to increasing development pressure. Landscape and environmental considerations are seen as priority issues to be taken into account in the preparation of both documents. To supplement in house knowledge as well as the Ayrshire Landscape Assessment completed in 1997 and to provide an independent and expert assessment of these matters the Council agreed to engage and work in partnership with external landscape consultants. Entec UK Ltd. was consequently commissioned to assist the Council in this regard and to assist the Council to identify a range of potential local plan development sites that are appropriate for development in landscape terms. |
What are the aims and objectives of the project?
The aims of the Landscape Assessment were (i) to assess the landscape capacity of a series of broad areas surrounding all of the main settlements in East Ayrshire; (ii) to assess how these areas could best be developed without any unacceptable adverse effects on landscape character, local and national designations and the setting of communities being experienced; (iii) to identify those areas which are considered most suitable for future development in terms of their landscape and environmental impact and those which are the least suitable for development; (iv) to identify those landscape features and elements considered worthy of protection and safeguarding; and (v) to identify areas which should be protected from development to prevent the coalescence of settlements, to preserve their rural settings, to provide open space and green networks serving local communities and to provide buffer zones and areas required for screening purposes. |
Timescale - over what timescale has the project been developed?
East Ayrshire Council first commissioned Entec UK Ltd. in September 2003 to carry out a landscape assessment of urban fringe areas surrounding communities under the most pressure for development and the resulting assessment was completed in February 2004. A second phase of the study was later commissioned from Entec in December 2004 relating to a further series of urban fringe areas in additional communities, this being completed in June 2005. A third and final phase of the study was commissioned in December 2005 relating to those communities not previously studied and this was finalised in August 2006. The landscape capacity of urban fringe areas of all of the key settlements in East Ayrshire has now been examined. |
Action - explain the process and action taken
The assessment process which was based on extensive site visits was divided into four stages, viz (i) to describe the existing landscape resource of each particular area of study: (ii) to assess the local landscape and townscape character of each of the urban fringe areas studied; (iii) to assess the sensitivity of the local landscape character of individual urban fringe areas to accommodate potential development; and (iv) to assess the landscape capacity of the study areas to accommodate future development. The findings of the assessment process as they relate to each particular urban fringe study area were logged on individual Character Assessment Survey Forms and individual site survey areas, landscape character areas and landscape capacity areas were identified on a series of base maps contained in the final report. |
Explain the role of the key partners
The Landscape Assessment Study was initiated by East Ayrshire Council which identified the principle aims, objectives and broad parameters of the study and the extent of the urban fringe areas to be studied. The detailed assessment itself was implemented by Entec UK Ltd, using their specialised professional knowledge of landscape matters, who were engaged by the Council specifically to carry out this work. Close partnership working and co-operation between the Council and Entec at all stages of the study has ensured a finished product of the highest quality. Entec has been retained to appear at any future local plan inquiry if required. |
Results - what results were achieved?
With the completion of the Landscape Assessment Study the Council has been able to identify with confidence those areas of urban fringe land which are considered suitable for future residential and other development from the landscape capacity point of view and to identify any mitigation measures that may require to be put into place. This has, in turn, been invaluable to the Council in its identification of a long term development strategy and potential housing and other development sites in the ongoing alteration to the East Ayrshire Local Plan which are sustainable in landscape terms. The study has also facilitated the full and objective environmental assessment, in terms of landscape character, local distinctiveness and scenic value, of all potential housing and other development sites suggested for inclusion in the plan in terms of the Strategic Environmental Assessment process. It is considered that, as a result of the study, both the local plan alteration and its Strategic Environmental Assessment are much more robust and defensible at any future PLI. |
Conclusion - in summary, why does this piece of work merit an Award?
| The Landscape Assessment Study is a high quality piece of work which represents good practice and is a prime example of close partnership working, greatly extending the Council's ability to assess landscape matters and providing the authority with valuable information regarding the landscape capacity of important urban fringe areas with a potential for future development for the local plan process. The study has explored the subject of landscape capacity assessment in great depth and has broken new ground in bridging the information gap required to prepare quality local plans and strategic environmental assessments. Indeed, it is considered that the approach is an example of best practice in this regard. |
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