Landscape Leads the Way for Dorset Mineral Site Selection
30/06/2009
New mineral extraction sites have been proposed across Dorset and Dorset County Council has appointed LDA Design to undertake landscape and visual assessments to ensure that work will have the least possible impact on the landscape and the people that live in and visit the county.
Dorset County Council received a number of suggested sites from developers and LDA Design, a leading independent UK environment and design consultancy, will identify the capacity, in landscape and visual terms, of each site to accommodate the proposed use and give recommendations for design and mitigation.
“Looking at sites from a landscape-led perspective is an uncommon way to consider mineral sites,” explained Tony Harris, senior landscape officer at Dorset County Council. “However, it is far more flexible and robust than the traditional planning approach of seeking just environmental constraints and will help identify sites which will have minimal impact on Dorset’s unique landscape.”
Colin Goodrum, partner, at LDA Design added: “We are delighted to extend our work in this sector into Dorset. We will identify sites that would have a detrimental impact on the landscape and views, and sites that would be less harmful and where potential effects can be minimised.”
“Our previous work on similar projects and with the renewable energy sector has given us a great understanding of the challenges of balancing the demands for development against the need to respect the landscape,” said Philip Brashaw, project leader.
The work will inform the allocation of sites in the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Minerals Site Allocations Document. LDA Design is using the same method that it created when carrying out similar assessments of potential minerals and waste sites for Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council.
ENDS
Media Contacts
Carol Walsh, LDA Design on 01865 887 050
