Forest of Dean: Developing in a Precious Rural Landscape

Forest core

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The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire possesses a rich and diverse landscape resource, ranging from dense forest and rolling hills to riverside pastures and rural villages. The tranquil forest, once the scene of intense industrial and mining activity, is a key recreational asset in the district and a popular destination for tourists and visitors. But the Forest of Dean is more than a holiday beauty spot; it is also a thriving rural district with a growing economy.

Like many rural areas in the UK, the district must plan for its future growth and develop new housing, industry, community facilities and infrastructure to address the needs of existing and future inhabitants. It faces a common problem: how can new development be delivered while protecting and enhancing the assets that make the area attractive to holidaymakers, new settlers and investors?

Prior to the preparation of the landscape supplementary planning document (SPD), the District Council commissioned a full landscape character assessment and strategy for the district. Building on this earlier assessment, LDA Design worked closely with the Council's development planners and other stakeholders to design a new type of SPD. The result is guidance that is accessible to both those who work in planning, or a related profession, and those who do not. This enables a range of people to understand and interpret the character of a locality and its wider setting and develop relevant proposals for the particular place and its context.

The SPD's practical, step-by-step guidance includes methods of site survey and appraisal; how to consider the potential impacts of new development; the optimum time of year to undertake ecological surveys; and how to engage effectively with local communities when preparing development proposals. There is also information describing the planning application process.

Since its adoption in spring 2007, the SPD has made a significant contribution to the planning development in the district raising the standards of design and delivery. It demonstrates what can be achieved with a more open approach to planning new development and how landscape character assessment information can be used on a day-to-day basis by designers, developers, planners and local communities.