Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment Study

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council (NuLBC) is preparing a new Borough Local Plan to replace the existing Joint Core Spatial Strategy (with Stoke-on-Trent City Council). As part of the preparation of the evidence base to inform the new Local Plan, the Council is seeking to commission a new Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment. This involves preparing a full replacement of all previous landscape character assessment work undertaken in 2000 by Staffordshire County Council to support the previous Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan (1996-2011).

This commission comprises three key components:

• Part 1: Prepare new Landscape and Settlement Character Assessments and associated works to include highlighting areas and features considered to have significant landscape sensitivity. This is to include a Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Assessment- namely to assess the type and scale of development that might be able to be accommodated without compromising landscape character. This will replace all previous versions.
• Part 2: Prepare a Landscape Strategy for Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough.
• Part 3: Site Specific Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments.

The new study must be prepared in accordance with national policy guidance detailed in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), for example at Paragraphs 20, 127, 141-142, 149, 170-172 etc.; Planning Practice Guidance (PPG); Natural England approaches; and associated HM Government policy including 'A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment'.