Environmental Assessment

Landscape impacts are considered in Environmental Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, for which Scottish Natural Heritage is a statutory consultee.  Environmental Assessment (EA) is the method used to consider the environmental effects of a major development.  Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment is the principle technique for considering landscape.  Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is the method used to consider the environmental effects of a plan, programme or policy. For example, a development plan produced by a local authority, or a planning policy produced by the Scottish Government. See SNH's Policy Summary on SEA . More information on how landscape effects are considered can be found in the SNH publication Landscape considerations in SEA  .