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After reviewing the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s planning guidelines

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After reviewing the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s planning guidelines for Landscape Character Assessments (LCA) it is clear the intentions of these documents. These guidelines give a template for the production of cohesive reports that include the input of professionals and non-professionals alike. These reports are focused around the landscape and encourage communal guidance for landowners, county councils and even ordinary interested parties. LCA’s give a comprehensive guide to the landscapes identity and share valuable information to aid development of land while being aware of various values the landscape may have to offer. As Landscape and Landscape Assessment portrayed, ‘we have inherited our present …show more content…

The first stage is the Identification of Physical Units i.e desk-study. This stage looks at the combination of landform and land-cover. Landform looks at the product of geological and geomorphological history which is achieved through O.S Contour maps, water catchments, drainage surveys and geo-logical and –morphological studies. Landcover looks at the physical attachments to the basic landscape such as human settlements, rivers and vegetation. This information is found through satilette imagery and Corine landuse maps. When focusing on an existing LCA such as Meath it is important to note the main aspects within the topic landcover. This falls into four categories for Co. Meath; river corridors/estuaries, lowland landscapes, hills and upland areas and coastal landscapes. Within these headings we then look at the site’s sensitivity, importance and value. After this study you are left with a map of the physical attributes of chosen your chosen County’s LCA. This is the initial step in understanding the character of an area and will act as the base for any further study.
ID of Visual Units
This stage requires field work which enables visibility from the landscape. This is key when realising the physical boundaries within a landscape whether it be a visual barrier(i.e mountain range), a physical barrier(i.e water body) or the meeting of two areas.
ID of Image Units
This makes us look at the

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