Landscape Character Assessments

We want to preserve the features of our local landscape for the future. We use Landscape Character Assessments to:

• find out what makes our borough's landscape so unique
• make sure any future developments do not change or take away the area's natural features

In 2007, consultants did a Landscape Character Assessment for the borough. They found which features made the largest contributions to the character of areas in the borough. Their report provided a strategy for how to protect, conserve and enhance the land.

We used the Landscape Character Assessment report when we wrote our Local Plan. This means we have a strategy for managing:

• what can be built in the borough
• where developments can take place

By using the Landscape Character Assessment, we can make sure all local developments:  

• conserve and/or enhance the characteristics of Guildford's landscape, villages, and towns
• maintain locally valued features
• enhance or restore any deteriorating local features
• respect the relationship between towns, villages, and the countryside
• conserve and/or enhance local views, landscape features and landmarks
• stay in line with local building styles and materials
• support our efforts to look after plants and animals living in the borough

If you're planning a development in the area, you should read our Landscape Character Assessment reports. They show you which features you'll need to help conserve, improve and/or protect.

The Landscape Character Assessment is split into three reports. Each covers a different type of area within the borough. These are:

• rural areas
• rural-urban fringe areas
• urban areas

You can check which kind of area your development is in using our Landscape Character Assessment master map (PDF) [140KB] . If your development would be on the border between two types of area, you should read the reports for both.

You can read the Landscape Character Assessments for Guildford by downloading these files:

• 1:25,000 borough-wide rural assessment (PDF) [15MB]
• 1:10,000 rural-urban fringe assessment (PDF) [11MB]
• 1:10,000 townscape assessment (which deals separately with Guildford Town, Ash and Tongham) (PDF) [20MB]

Our  Glossary of terms (PDF) [40KB] (opens new window)  can help you understand the reports.