SPECIAL
AREAS - IDENTIFICATION AND BOUNDARIES
Designation of areas of landscape deemed to be of special landscape
value has, for many years, been the key plank of landscape
conservation and management. National Parks and AONBs in England and
National Scenic Areas in Scotland, have played an important role in
planning policy and development control, as well as in conserving,
managing and enhancing the landscape. In England, the first step in the
designation of nationally important landscapes has been to choose the
broad area of special landscape and then to define an appropriate
administrative boundary that encapsulates areas of appropriate
character. In principle broad character areas, equivalent to those now
shown in The Character of England map, which did not exist when
most National Parks were designated, can be selected on the basis of
their special value measured against a series of criteria of the type.
These criteria are indicative only. Such criteria can also provide the
basis for a statement about why a particular area is valued, and such
comments can be found in many landscape assessments of AONBs in England
and in the descriptions contained in Scotland's Scenic Heritage for the
National Scenic Areas in Scotland [62].
Once a broad area has been selected for national designation or
recognition, a map of landscape character at the local level can help
to define detailed boundaries. For example, it may be that certain
landscape character types are considered appropriate for inclusion in
the area, while others are not. A map of landscape types can, in these
circumstances, make the task of boundary definition relatively
straightforward. Character and value are separate concepts so character
area boundaries may coincide with designation boundaries but they do not
have to, and in many instances do not. There are often other,
completely different criteria, for a variety of environmental, social
or political reasons, that are also used to select boundaries of such
areas.
Once
defined, more detailed Landscape Character
Assessments may be undertaken to meet
particular objectives. In England, the
Countryside Agency has initiated assessments for all AONBs with the aim
of providing a statement about their particular landscape value, and
raising awareness of their special qualities. These assessments also
provide the starting point for management proposals, although more
detailed work may be required for this purpose. In the Sussex Downs
AONB, for example, there is a suite of separate assessment reports,
each fulfilling a different function (Box 9.3).
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