Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Landscape and Visual Effects characteristics, and finer more detailed ‘component’ scales considering separate more local parts, such as specific bays, escarpments or reaches. Where effects are identified, an assessment of natural character should therefore consider the change to attributes which indicate levels of natural character at a defined scale. Effects on Natural Character An assessment of the effects on natural character of an activity involves consideration of the proposed changes to the current condition compared to the existing. This can be negative or positive. The natural character effects assessment involves the following steps; • assessing the existing level of natural character; • assessing the level of natural character anticipated (post construction); and • considering the significance of the change Landscape Effects Assessing landscape effects requires an understanding of the landscape resource and the magnitude of change which results from a proposed activity to determine the overall level of landscape effects. Landscape Resource Assessing the sensitivity of the landscape resource considers the key characteristics and qualities. This involves an understanding of both the ability of an area of landscape to absorb change and the value of the landscape. Ability of an area to absorb change This will vary upon the following factors: • Physical elements such as topography / hydrology / soils / vegetation; • Existing land use; • The pattern and scale of the landscape; • Visual enclosure / openness of views and distribution of the viewing audience; • The zoning of the land and its associated anticipated level of development; • The scope for mitigation, appropriate to the existing landscape. The ability of an area of landscape to absorb change takes account of both the attributes of the receiving environment and the characteristics of the proposed development. It considers the ability of a specific type of change occurring without generating adverse effects and/or achievement of landscape planning policies and strategies. The value of the Landscape Landscape value derives from the importance that people and communities, including tangata whenua, attach to particular landscapes and landscape attributes. This may include the classification of Outstanding Natural Feature or Landscape (ONFL) (RMA s.6(b)) based on important physical, sensory and associative landscape attributes, which have potential to be affected by a proposed development. A landscape can have value even if it is not recognised as being an ONFL. Magnitude of Landscape Change The magnitude of landscape change judges the amount of change that is likely to occur to areas of landscape, landscape features, or key landscape attributes. In undertaking this assessment, it is important that the size or scale of the change is considered within the geographical extent of the area influenced and the duration of change, including whether the change is reversible. In some situations, the loss /change or enhancement to existing landscape elements such as vegetation or earthworks should also be quantified.
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