England’s Minister for Housing and Planning Brandon Lewis has written to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) Simon Ridley to re-emphasise the importance of landscape character as a factor in considering planning decisions.
The letter states:
‘While National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coasts quite rightly enjoy the highest degree of protection, outside of these designated areas the impact of development on the landscape can be an important material consideration. We are publicising some of these appeal cases more widely, with the help of the Planning Advisory Service, to promote greater understanding of how landscape character can be taken into account by local planning authorities in their decisions.’
