The South Devon Landscape Character Assessment covers the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and those additional areas of the South Hams district outside Dartmoor National Park, including elements of the Tamar Valley AONB. The assessment has been produced in accordance with national guidance, following an accepted methodology and has been verified by the Devon Landscape Policy Group that includes both Natural England and neighbouring local authorities.  The main body of work was undertaken by Diacono Associates Ltd during 2007.

The Assessment’s aims were:

• To systematically describe and analyse the landscape of the South Hams and South Devon AONB.
• To record the existing condition of the landscape based on desktop studies and subsequent verification by on-site survey work.
• To provide landscape scale information that can act as a ‘tool’ to inform policy development, planning decisions, the Local Development Framework process and targeting of landscape based projects.
• To inform and influence the targeting and direction of strategic landscape scale initiatives.

And in the longer term:

• To provide landscape related information to aid landscape management and nature conservation activities undertaken by a wide range of landowners, farmers, site managers, developers, and other interest groups.

The study area for the assessment covered 1035km² and was carried out at a 1:50,000 scale.  96 Landscape Description Units (LDUs) are used as the building blocks of this assessment: the smallest being just 0.06km² and the largest 81km².  LDUs have been grouped into Landscape Character Types (LCTs) where they share sufficiently similar characteristics.  There are 16 character types for the study area – these form the basis for strategic level planning and management guidelines.  The smallest character type of Uninhabited islands is just 0.1km2 and the largest character type of River valley slopes and combes is 167.80km2.

Further work is planned in support of the assessment to develop both land management and development guidelines to assist with conserving and enhancing those features that contribute to landscape character.  Subject to funding, further work is also anticipated to develop a Seascape assessment of the coastal zone and inshore waters; and additional work within the market and coastal towns to develop greater understanding of individual Townscapes.