The South Devon Landscape Character Assessment is a Level 2 local assessment that fits within a hierarchy ranging from the countrywide assessment (1:250,000 scale) that established today’s network of National Character Areas down to landcover parcels (at 1:10,000 scale) and finer scaled site features (at 1:1,250 scale or finer).
This assessment contributes to the refinement of The Devon Landscape (2002) An appraisal of Devon’s Landscape at the beginning of the 21st Century. The first phase of work for South Devon was carried out as part of a Devon wide project to establish a framework of Landscape Description Units for the whole of the county of Devon. These building blocks of the assessment were then verified and amended where required during the second phase for the project - field survey. Similar work in neighbouring local authority areas has been developed alongside work in South Devon and collectively provides full landscape character assessment coverage for the county of Devon.
This new assessment replaces the unpublished draft Landscape Character Assessment for South Hams originally produced in 2001. This early work followed an approach that predated national guidance on landscape character assessments.
For landscape character assessment information for the neighbouring areas of Torbay, Teignbridge, Dartmoor National Park, West Devon and Plymouth, please visit the county Landscape Character webpages at www.devon.gov.uk/landscapecharacter for an overview and signposting to relevant studies. For completeness, the full extent of character areas and description units are shown within the South Devon Landscape Character Assessment, including where these extend into neighbouring authority areas. Please note however that landscape character information for locations within neighbouring authority areas should be sought directly from those authorities. For locations outside of South Hams, information of this type takes precedence over material contained in this assessment. In the case of Torbay for example, a much finer scaled assessment has been undertaken.
AONB Management Plans
The assessment provides an important evidence base for the South Devon and Tamar Valley Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The material enables the targeting of strategic landscape scale projects and initiatives in addition to directing land management activities that strengthen landscape character and contribute to the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty.
South Hams Local Development Framework
The assessment forms part of the evidence base for the South Hams Local Development Framework, particularly Policy DP2 of the Development Policies DPD.
See the South Hams Local Development Framework webpages for more information.
Historic Landscape Characterisation
Material from the findings of a county level Historic Landscape Characterisation project were utilised within this assessment. Historic Landscape Characterisation is a method for understanding and mapping the landscape that we see today with reference to its historical development. Though aspects of Historic Landscape Characterisation are similar to landscape character assessment, the purposes and methodologies of the two approaches are very different. For further information on the Historic Landscape Characterisation of Devon, please visit http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environment/historic_environment/landscapes/landscape-characterisation.htm
Current Status of the South Devon Landscape Character Assessment
This material represents the published landscape character assessment for South Devon.
Further moderation work is required to those character types and description units that are shared with neighbouring authority areas. Landscape Description Unit information will be updated once a full county set of assessments has been completed across Devon and locally relevant Character Areas have been defined.
These webpages will continue to provide the main point of access to the South Devon Landscape Character Assessment material and will be added to and updated as required.
