Landscape capacity and sensitivity

Scotland has a rich diversity of landscapes.  These landscapes have different capacities to accommodate development without significantly changing their character.

Landscape capacity is the extent to which a particular landscape type is able to accept a particular kind of change (e.g. mining, forestry, windfarms) without significant effects on its character.  The capacity of a landscape for a specific type of change will depend upon the nature and magnitude of the change and the landscape's sensitivity.  Capacity is usually expressed in relative terms, showing how greater levels of a particular change increasingly and cumulatively affect landscape character, ultimately changing it into a different character. For example increasing amounts of housing development ultimately change the landscape's character from a rural to a built one.

Landscape capacity assessment is based on a detailed Landscape Character Assessment done at a regional, local or site scale.  It can be done to determine the capacity for particular types of development or land-use change, for example for windfarms or forestry.  At a local scale, it can be used to identify development capacity thresholds, development opportunities and constraints.

The Landscape Capacity Study Toolkit    is available to help support the production of capacity and sensitivity studies.  Please note that this is a large file - 9.2MB.

Local authorities are required to carry out strategic assessments of windfarm potential in their area, as described in Scottish Planning Policy  .  See also planning for renewable energy.

In 2010, Scottish Natural Heritage produced Landscape capacity studies in Scotland - a review and guide to good practice. Some examples of the studies reviewed are here