Question: What landscape services are needed for a planning application?
Answer: Local Planning Authorities typically require landscape information to demonstrate that a development will be well integrated into its setting and provide high-quality external spaces. Common requirements include:
- Landscape masterplan and planting plans
- Hard and soft landscape specifications
- Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for schemes affecting the wider landscape
- Landscape strategy supporting Biodiversity Net Gain and SuDS
- Urban Greening Factor calculations in London
- Landscape management and maintenance plans
- Tree planting schedules to replace trees lost to development
Landscape proposals are often secured by planning condition and must be implemented before occupation.
Question: What is a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment?
Answer: A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) evaluates the effect of a proposed development on the character of the landscape and on views experienced by people. It is undertaken in accordance with the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA3) published by the Landscape Institute and IEMA, and is required for developments in sensitive locations, such as the countryside, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Green Belt or near heritage assets, and for Environmental Impact Assessment schemes.
Question: What does a landscape design include?
Answer: A landscape design develops the external spaces of a development from concept to construction detail, including site layout, levels, planting, paving, boundaries, street furniture, play areas, SuDS features and green roofs. The design responds to the site context, planning policy, ecology, drainage and maintenance requirements and is developed through RIBA stages alongside the architectural design.
Question: How does landscape design support Biodiversity Net Gain and SuDS?
Answer: Landscape design is the primary means of delivering the habitat creation and enhancement required for Biodiversity Net Gain, through native planting, wildflower grassland, hedgerows, trees, ponds and green roofs. It also integrates sustainable drainage features such as rain gardens, swales and detention basins into attractive public realm. Coordinating landscape, ecology and drainage design from the outset allows a single scheme to satisfy multiple planning requirements.
Question: What is a landscape management plan?
Answer: A landscape management plan sets out how the soft and hard landscape will be maintained after completion, including establishment maintenance for new planting, mowing regimes, habitat management, tree care and replacement of failures. Plans are commonly required by planning condition, by BREEAM LE 05 for a minimum of five years, and by Biodiversity Net Gain for a period of at least 30 years.
Question: Why is landscape important for planning success?
Answer: The NPPF places strong emphasis on design quality, green infrastructure and the creation of attractive, healthy places. Well-designed landscape improves the acceptability of a scheme to planning officers, councillors and local residents, helps mitigate visual impact, supports climate resilience and delivers biodiversity, drainage and wellbeing benefits. Poor or absent landscape proposals are a common reason for design objections.
Question: Why choose Syntegra Group for landscape services?
Answer: Syntegra Group provides landscape design, planting plans, landscape management plans and Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments for residential, commercial, education and mixed-use developments across the UK. Our landscape specialists work alongside our ecologists, arboriculturists, drainage engineers and Biodiversity Net Gain assessors to deliver integrated green infrastructure that satisfies planning requirements.
We produce clear, deliverable landscape proposals that add value to developments while meeting the expectations of planning authorities and communities.
