Our view

We want to ensure that the character of local landscape is at the heart of decisions made about planning, design and development. We want architecture that draws inspiration from local historic buildings and landscapes, instead of debasing them. We want developments that add to the uniqueness of individual communities instead of destroying them, and sensitive land management that safeguards and enhances distinctive landscape features such as hedgerows, dry stone walls and ancient trees.

We need to find creative ways of managing and determining change in our countryside. We need to be better at pinning down what we value about local landscape character and more effective in taking action to safeguard it.

The solution, we argue, is to get a grip on what makes a sense of place, whether it is the pattern of woods and fields, local building materials or designs, local foods, markets or traditions. These characteristics can be accurately described and then informed judgements can be made in deciding future change. This process is called Landscape Character Assessment, the most important tool we have for safeguarding countryside character.

Building on landscape character assessment
Many local authorities have prepared a Landscape Character Assessment for their area.  One way local people can influence and strengthen this assessment is by producing a Community Landscape Character Statement, developed by CPRE  The statement describes and champions the special qualities of the local environment.  It records the community's views on its future use and management. It can help a community protect and improve the landscape or celebrate its importance.

While Landscape Character Assessments usually describe what makes an area distinctive and why, they do not capture what landscapes mean to local people and how people interact with the land. The purpose of the Community Landscape Character Statement is to do this and provide an opportunity for communities to protect what is valued about their local landscapes.

Making the most of a character statement
The statement can be used in a number of ways and benefit a range of different people. It can be used to:

• help local people influence the decisions that local authorities and landowners make about local landscapes once the statement is embedded into the Local Development Framework
• help to ensure that future change protects local distinctiveness by recording how the community merits special character
• add a community's local knowledge, perceptions and aspirations to an existing Landscape Character Assessment and influence local planning policies, once the statement is added into the local development framework as a supplementary planning document
• support local views in a consistent and well informed way when a council is considering planning applications and other proposals which may change the landscape
• complement other planning documents, such as Parish Plans (which relate to the built environment), Village Design Statements (where landscape frequently remains secondary to the built environment) and Community Strategies (which set priorities for bodies such the local authority, police and health service)
• support a bid by farmers and landowners applying for land management funding
• raise awareness of local landscapes and how they are valued