Completing the first stage involved collating and mapping required data (and identifying gaps), as well as reviewing and confirming the proposed Area of Search. This was informed by an initial rapid, desk-based appraisal of natural beauty potential, and a whole team site familiarisation exercise to gain invaluable first-hand experience with the landscape.

The site familiarisation visits also facilitated the testing and trialling of innovative approaches to field surveys and data recording. Our GIS specialists set up an interactive mapping app to allow team members to simultaneously view information and data in real time and create or edit notes while out in the field. All information collected in the app feeds into a central database; ensuring that everyone involved in the project has the most up-to-date version of all available information in one accessible ‘go to’ place. This includes spatial data and qualitative judgements made against natural beauty indicators derived from work undertaken in the field.

We are now in the process of defining evaluation areas for the second stage of the project, which will require a detailed technical assessment of natural beauty.

LUC’s Landscape Planning and GIS teams will continue to work closely with Natural England, the Chilterns Conservation Board, local authorities, and partner organisations through a Management Advisory Group (MAG) and a Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

Find out more about Landscape Planning at LUC.