Landscape

• Landscape issues relating to planning applications
• General landscape issues

Landscape Issues relating to Planning Applications

The Heritage Team provides advice on and deals with all landscape issues relating to planning applications. This includes:

• Advice to developers and the general public before a planning application is submitted – outlining landscape details that may be required to be submitted as part of a planning application.
• Liaison with the Council’s planning officers and applicants or their agents on submitted planning applications - where existing landscape features on site need to be considered or where there is a need for new planting to be provided as part of the scheme.
• Evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessments that have been submitted to the Council for consideration as part of a planning application - where an EIA is required to be submitted, depending on the type of development proposed.
• Advice to applicants or their agents after planning consent has been granted and a landscape condition has been imposed – on what landscape details need to be submitted to the Council in order to comply with the condition.
• Evaluation of landscape schemes submitted to the Council to comply with landscape conditions that have been imposed on a planning consent – in order to approve the submitted scheme or negotiate any amendments that may be required before the scheme can be approved.
• Advice to Parish Councils and the general public on whether the landscape requirements of any completed development have been complied with.

For further information contact:

Eileen Marshall,
Landscape Officer
Telephone: 01386 565309
E-mail: eileen.marshall@wychavon.gov.uk

Useful links

• General Landscape Advice Note  (521.09 KB)
• Tree Advice Note  (443.69 KB)
• Planning for Trees Advice Note  (500.65 KB)
• Landscape Proposals Advice Note  (511.53 KB)
• The Landscape Institute – their Register of Landscape Practices gives details of landscape architects who can be engaged to prepare landscape schemes to submit either as part of a planning application or to comply with a landscape condition.
• Communities.gov – details about Environmental Impact Assessments
• “The Landscapes of Worcestershire  (2.03 MB)” document from Worcestershire County Council's Planning Services > Environmental Policy.

General Landscape Issues

Further advice on the following landscape related issues is available from the websites specified

• The English Woodland Grant Scheme- this is the Forestry Commission's suite of grants relating to both proposed and existing woodlands
• Felling Licences - everyone involved in the felling of trees, the owner, agent or contractor must ensure that a licence has been issued from the Forestry Commission before any felling is carried out, unless one of the exemptions applies.  If the trees are protect by a Tree Preservation Order, an application to fell must also be submitted to the local authority.
• Wildlife Designations - sites identified as having special wildlife value
• Landscape Designations - special designations within Wychavon include the Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) to the south of the District, the Droitwich Special Landscape Area and the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covering the areas around Broadway and Bredon Hill.  These will be considered for development control purposes under Policies ENV1 and ENV2 of the Wychavon District Local Plan June 2006.
• Landscape Character - Worcestershire County Council have produced a Landscape Character Assessment for Worcestershire.
• Natural England is the Government's Statutory adviser on landscape issues and has responsibility for the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covering areas around Broadway and Bredon Hill
• The England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) - these DEFRA schemes include grant aid for proposals to conserve and improve the rural environment.
• Environmental Stewardship - an agri-environmental scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land managers who deliver effective environmental management on their land.
• Fruit Trees for Worcestershire - this is a Worcestershire County Council initiative to promote the planting of locally distinctive fruit tree varieties.
• The Woodland Trust - a conservation charity dedicated to the protection of our native woodland heritage.
• Worcestershire Wildlife Trust for local conservation and wildlife issues