This document discusses mainstreaming the European Landscape Convention (ELC) into UK planning policy and practice. It outlines how spatial planning approaches can meet the goals of the ELC by taking a holistic view of the landscape. UK planning policy shows some alignment with ELC principles but does not explicitly reference the convention. Statutory development plans generally do not mention the ELC or reflect its aims. However, some local plans and neighborhood plans demonstrate good practice in landscape protection. Overall, greater awareness and integration of the ELC is needed across UK planning and policymaking.

1. Mainstreaming the European
Landscape Convention in UK
Planning Policy and Practice
Prof Alister Scott BA PhD MRTPI

2. Outline
1. Boundaries of concern
2. Spatial Planning meets the ELC
3. An ELC Assessment Framework
4. UK Planning Policy responses
5. Development Plan responses
6. Planning Case Studies of ELC
practice
7. Hooks for ELC mainstreaming
8. Concluding thoughts

3. Boundaries of Concern
Built Environment Natural Environment

4. UK Planning vs the ELC

5. Spatial Planning meets ELC
• FROM traditional
notions of planning
driven by land-use
allocation and design
emphasising control
and restraint
• TO proactive, positive
and holistic emphases
involving multi-scalar
and multi-sectoral
perspectives

6. Spatial Planning: Plan-led
1. Democratic Principle
2. Subsidiarity Principle
3. Participation Principle
4. Integration Principle
5. Proportionality Principle
6. Precautionary Principle
United Nations 2008

7. A Plan-led system
• National Planning
guidance informs
(dictates) the shape of
local plans which are the
statutory document for
all development
decisions.
• “presumption in favour of
the development plan
unless material
considerations dictate
otherwise”

8. Planners Toolkit
• Regulatory
• Incentive
• Participative
• Valuation
• Futures
• Impact Assessments
• Designations
• Zoning
• CIL/ Section 106
• Landscape character assessments
• Ecosystem Service mapping
• Subsidies
• Capacity studies
• Neighbourhood plans
• Village design statements
• Scenarios
• Visioning

9. Framework for Assessment

10. Scotland and the ELC
Roberts, Scott et al 2008
• Recognise landscape in law (biodiversity)
• Improve public engagement and awareness on
landscape matters
• Better reflect people’s vision for their landscapes;
• Better integration of social, economic and
environmental interests in landscape quality objectives.
• Recognise multi-functionality and benefits of Scottish
landscape
• Take advantage of EU policies and programmes to help
realise landscape objectives

11. UK Policy Responses

12. National UK Plans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ENG X X ? ? ?  ? X X X ? X
WAL X X ? ? ?  ? ? X ? ? X
SCO X ? ? ? ?  ? ? ? ? ? X

13. NPPF (NPPG) Principles
• No mention of ELC
• Focus on designated landscapes
• Focus on localism
• “Empowering people to shape
their surroundings, with succinct
local and neighbourhood plans”
• “take account of the different
roles and character of different
areas,.. protecting the Green
Belts …. recognising the intrinsic
character and beauty of the
countryside”

14. ‘Valued’ landscapes

15. Potential ‘material’
considerations
• Duty to Cooperate think of issues at
landscape scales BUT has to go beyond
housing numbers
• Viability BUT too developer driven and has to
include limits to landscape change

17. Planning Principles
• Engagement and
involvement, ensuring
that everyone has the
chance to obtain
information, see how
decisions are made and
take part in decision
making.
• Putting people and their
quality of life now and
in the future, at the
centre of decision
making

18. Relevant Strategies & Plans
• No mention of ELC in
supporting strategies.

19. Valuing nature

21. National Planning Framework
3
• No explicit ELC
references.

23. ELC Valuing the Environment

24. Valuing the Environment

25. (Scottish) Land Use Strategy
4.2 The European Landscape
Convention defines landscapes as
areas perceived by people and for
many people their most direct
connection to the land is through their
local landscapes. All of our landscapes
have to a greater or lesser extent been
shaped by people over centuries, and
this re‐shaping continues through land
use today. Landscapes also contribute
to our sense of identity and to our
feeling of wellbeing.

26. NEWP
• No mention of the ELC

27. Statutory Development Plans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
• City focussed

28. Relevant Plans and Policies
• No mention of ELC in evidence base to
support policy development.
• Planners unaware of its existence and
relevance.

30. Green Infrastructure

32. Historic Environment

33. N Devon &Torridge Local Plan
• Policy ST11: Enhancing
Environmental Assets:
The quality of northern
Devon’s natural environment
will be protected and
enhanced by: …
(g) conserving and enhancing
the robustness of northern
Devon’s ecosystems and the
range of ecosystem services
they provide;” (North Devon
and Torridge Local Plan, 2013:
54

34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

37. England : Neighbourhood Plans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

38. Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway
NSAs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

39. Results and outcomes
• Full landscape character for all 3 areas published
• Intensive consultation and engagement with
stakeholders thru Advisory Groups
• 3 Management Strategies
• Delivery of projects involving local people
• Strategies as SPG in development plans
• Raised public awareness
• LEADER + exemplar sharing experience
• Post budget vulnerability?

40. Planning Decisions HS2
• “HS2 can be beautiful –
not a blot on the
landscape”
• Prof Kathryn Moore

41. HS2LV
REINVENTING THE REGION

42. Policy and Decision Making:
Scott 2011

43. ‘Active’ public role
• Assessment
• Planning
• Management
Neighbourhood Plans England
(Reiss and Scott 2014)
Community buy outs Scotland
(McMorran and Scott 2014)

44. Hooks for Mainstreaming
• CPD and training
• Localism
– Neighbourhood plans
– Land Reform Act
• Development plans
– Landscape chapters/policies
– Green Infrastructure
• Landscape Officers
• Cultural Ecosystem Services
• EU Directives
– SEA (landscape objectives)
– WFD

45. Concluding Thoughts
• The forgotten ELC
• Legal status of landscape
• Integration vs Silo
• Top down technocentric
approaches dominate
• Public(s) Engagement
deficit
• Training and Awareness
deficit in planners
• Learning from practice

46. Alister.Scott@bcu.ac.uk