80 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project| Landscape and Visual Effects | Contributing Factors Higher Lower Examples The Viewing Audience (sensitivity) Susceptibility to change Views from dwellings and recreation areas where attention is typically focussed on the landscape. Views from places of employment and other places where the focus is typically incidental to its landscape context. Views from transport corridors. Dwellings, places of work, transport corridors, public tracks Value attached to views Viewpoint is recognised by the community such as an important view shaft, identification on tourist maps or in art and literature. High visitor numbers. Viewpoint is not typically recognised or valued by the community. Infrequent visitor numbers. Acknowledged viewshafts, Lookouts Magnitude of Change Size or scale Loss or addition of key features in the view. High degree of contrast with existing landscape elements (i.e. in terms of form scale, mass, line, height, colour and texture). Full view of the proposed development. Most key features of views retained. Low degree of contrast with existing landscape elements (i.e. in terms of form scale, mass, line, height, colour and texture. Glimpse / no view of the proposed development. - Higher contrast/ Lower contrast. - Open views, Partial views, Glimpse views (or filtered); No views (or obscured) Geographical extent Front on views. Near distance views; Change visible across a wide area. Oblique views. Long distance views. Small portion of change visible. - Front or Oblique views. - Near distant, Middle distant and Long distant views Duration and reversibility Permanent. Long term (over 15 years). Transient / temporary. Short Term (0-5 years). - Permanent (fixed), Transitory (moving) Table 2: Determining the level of visual effects Nature of Effects In combination with assessing the level of effects, the landscape and visual effects assessment also considers the nature of effects in terms of whether this will be positive (beneficial) or negative (adverse) in the context within which it occurs. Neutral effects can also occur where landscape or visual change is benign. It should also be noted that a change in a landscape does not, of itself, necessarily constitute an adverse landscape or visual effect. Landscape is dynamic and is constantly changing over time in both subtle and more dramatic transformational ways; these changes are both natural and human induced. What is important in managing landscape change is that adverse effects are avoided or sufficiently mitigated to ameliorate the effects of the change in land use. The aim is to provide a high amenity environment through appropriate design outcomes. This assessment of the nature effects can be further guided by Table 2 set out below: Nature of effect Use and Definition Adverse (negative): The activity would be out of scale with the landscape or at odds with the local pattern and landform which results in a reduction in landscape and / or visual amenity values Neutral (benign): The activity would be consistent with (or blend in with) the scale, landform and pattern of the landscape maintaining existing landscape and / or visual amenity values Beneficial (positive): The activity would enhance the landscape and / or visual amenity through removal or restoration of existing degraded landscape activities and / or addition of positive elements or features Table 1: Determining the Nature of Effects Cumulative Effects This can include effects of the same type of development (e.g. bridges) or the combined effect of all past, present and approved future development82 of varying types, taking account of both the permitted baseline and receiving environment. Cumulative effects can also be positive, negative or benign. Cumulative Landscape Effects Cumulative landscape effects can include additional or combined changes in components of the landscape and changes in the overall landscape character. The extent within which cumulative landscape effects are 82 The life of the statutory planning document or unimplemented resource consents.
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