Landscape character assessments

Landscape character assessments (LCAs) describe and record what makes parts of Buckinghamshire different, distinctive or special. They use data from various landscape themes including:

geodiversity
biodiversity
archaeology
cultural heritage
tranquility studies

How LCAs are used for planning

LCAs are used as a tool to help decision making in the planning process. They ensure that development is sustainable and does not undermine local distinctiveness, essential character or sense of place.

Character assessment is also used to decide which measures can be taken to manage and enhance landscape.

Current LCAs

To understand the subtleties of the Buckinghamshire landscape, detailed LCAs were made by the former Aylesbury Vale District Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council.

This page includes third-party documents and documents published before 23 September 2018. Some of these documents may not be accessible. For more information, or to request an accessible version of any document, contact [email protected].

The Aylesbury Vale LCA was prepared by Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd in 2008.

The assessment was carried out at the Local Authority level using a methodology that followed national guidance. Biodiversity and historic environment factors were fully integrated with physiographic, natural, cultural and visual considerations.

The assessment identified 79 landscape character areas grouped within 13 landscape character types.

Aylesbury Vale Landscape Character Assessment Report (PDF, 530 KB)

1 Wooded Ridge PDF, 112 KB
1.1 Silverstone PDF, 1.11 MB
1.2 Forest High PDF, 1.41 MB
1.3 Wood Green Wooded Farmland PDF, 542 KB
1.4 Stowe Registered Parkland PDF, 1.55 MB
1.5 Lillingstone Wet Farmland PDF, 1.54 MB
1.6 Oatleys Plateau PDF, 1.31 MB
1.7 Maids Moreton Plateau PDF, 1.45 MB
2.1 Westbury - Biddlesden Great Ouse Valley DOCX, 1.69 MB
2.2 Shalstone Valley PDF, 1.42 MB
2 Incised Valleys PDF, 164 KB
2.3 Dadford Valley PDF, 1.57 MB
2.4 Stowe Park Approaches PDF, 534 KB
2.5 Foxcote Valley PDF, 497 KB
2.6 Barretts End Open Farmland PDF, 774 KB
2.7 Upper Great Ouse Valley PDF, 1.45 MB
3 Valley Bottom PDF, 255 KB
3.1 Lower Great Ouse Valley PDF, 1.62 MB
4 Undulating Clay Plateau PDF, 224 KB
4.1 Tingewick Plateau PDF, 1.44 MB
4.2 Preston Bissett Plateau Edge DOCX, 3.55 MB
4.3 Gawcott Ridge PDF, 579 KB
4.4 Thornborough - Beachampton Great Ouse Tributaries DOCX, 1.91 MB
4.5 Grove Farm Shallow Valley PDF, 497 KB
4.6 A421 Ridge PDF, 553 KB
4.7 Whaddon Chase PDF, 1.36 MB
4.8 Horwood Claylands PDF, 597 KB
4.9 Newton Longville- Stoke Hammond Claylands PDF,863KB
4.10 Greenway Open Farmland PDF, 1.22 MB
4.11 Mursley Soulbury Claylands PDF, 687 KB
4.12 Winslow Ridge PDF, 527 KB
4.13 Cublington Wing Plateau PDF, 1.62 MB
4.14 Wingrave Mentmore Ridge PDF, 1.66 MB
4.15 Weedon Ridge PDF, 500 KB
5 Shallow Valleys PDF, 196 KB
5.1 Padbury Valley Revised PDF, 1.48 MB
5.2 Ouzel Valley PDF, 1.69 MB
5.3 Ouzel Valley Lower Slopes PDF, 1.56 MB
5.4 Twyford Vale PDF, 1.82 MB
5.5 Claydon Tributary PDF, 1.52 MB
5.6 Claydon Valley PDF, 1.55 MB
5.7 Hogshaw Claylands PDF, 754 KB
5.8 North Marston Undulating Claylands DOCX, 1.44 MB
5.9 Westcott Claylands PDF, 552 KB
5.10 Crawley Narrow Valley PDF, 1.42 MB
5.11 Thame Valley PDF, 1.87 MB
6 Greensand Ridge PDF, 100 KB
6.1 Brickhills Scarp PDF, 642 KB
6.2 Stockgrove Wooded Slopes PDF, 1.48 MB
7.1 Poundon - Charndon Settled Hills DOCX, 2.35 MB
7.2 Calvert Clay Pit PDF, 428 KB
7.3 Claydon Bowl PDF, 545 KB
7.4 Kingswood Wooded Farmland PDF, 1.35 MB
7 Wooded Rolling Lowlands PDF, 108 KB
7.5 Bernwood Forest PDF, 554 KB
8 Vale PDF, 261 KB
8.1 Marsh Gibbon Vale PDF, 1.37 MB
8.2 Kingsbridge Valley PDF, 1.59 MB
8.3 Ouzel Valley Catchment PDF, 1.47 MB
8.4 Pitstone Edlesborough Slopes PDF, 1.55 MB
8.5 Northern Vale PDF, 460 KB
8.6 Hulcott Vale PDF, 1.37 MB
8.7 Cheddington Vale PDF, 1.34 MB
8.8 Panshill Vale PDF, 397 KB
8.9 Haddenham Vale PDF, 1.60 MB
8.10 Southern Vale PDF, 679 KB
8.11 Peppershill Arable PDF, 1.42 MB
8.12 Ickford Pastoral Vale PDF, 600 KB
9 Low Hills And Ridges PDF, 150 KB
9.10 Hartwell House and Golf Course DOCX, 4.11 MB
9.1 Finmere Hill PDF, 1.34 MB
9.2 Quainton Hill PDF, 354 KB
9.3 Pitchcott Whitchurch Ridge PDF, 1.44 MB
9.4 Waddesdon - Eythrope Parkland DOCX, 3.56 MB
9.5 Brill And Muswell Hill PDF, 569 KB
9.6 Ashendon Ridge PDF, 799 KB
9.7 Chearsley Ridge PDF, 508 KB
9.8 Chilton Ridge PDF, 1.43 MB
9.9 A418 Ridge PDF, 550 KB
9.11 Bierton Ridge PDF, 559 KB
10 Chalk Foothills PDF, 174 KB
10.1 Cheddington Hills PDF, 473 KB
10.2 Ivinghoe Foothills PDF, 1.60 MB
10.3 Marsworth and Pitstone Chalk Quarries DOCX, 3.74 MB
10.4 Wendover Foothills PDF, 723 KB
10.5 Drayton Manor Chalk Slopes DOCX, 3.88 MB
11 Chalk Escarpment PDF, 165 KB
11.1 Chiltern Scarp PDF, 593 KB
12 Chalk Dip Slope PDF, 141 KB
12.1 Chiltern Dip Slope PDF, 630 KB
13 Chalk Valleys PDF, 106 KB
13.1 Wendover Gap PDF, 1.55 MB

Key data

Key Data Index PDF, 17 KB
Plan 1 National Landscape Typology PDF, 128 KB
Plan 2A PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE Combined geology PDF, 856 KB
Plan 2B PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE Topography DEM PDF, 735 KB
Plan 2C PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE Topography slope PDF, 395 KB
Plan 2D PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE Physiographical Character Areas PDF, 1 MB
Plan 3A BIODIVERSITY IHS PDF, 3.3 MB
Plan 3B BIODIVERSITY IHS Grasslands Only PDF, 1.8 MB
Plan 3C BIODIVERSITY UK BAP Habitats PDF, 790 KB
Plan 3D BIODIVERSITY Designations PDF, 340 KB
Plan 4A HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Landscape Character PDF, 955 KB
Plan 4B HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Landscape Character Pre 18thC PDF, 520 KB
Plan 4C HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Landscape Character 18th 19th Century PDF, 495 KB
Plan 4D HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Landscape Character 20th Century PDF, 425 KB
Plan 4F HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Designations PDF, 275 KB

The Chiltern LCA was prepared by Land Use Consultants in 2011.

The aim was to provide an integrated landscape character assessment for the whole of Buckinghamshire and give people a better understanding of the landscape character of the Chiltern local area.

The LCA can be used to influence and inform policy, planning and management actions.

1 Introduction, 2.02 MB
2 Method Statement, PDF, 2.32 MB
3 The Character Of The Chiltern Landscape, PDF, 4.01 MB
13 LCT Chalk River Valley, PDF, 251 KB
13.3 LCA Hughenden Chalk River Valley, PDF, 190 KB
13.5 LCA Misbourne Upper Chalk River Valley, PDF, 3.97 MB
13.6 LCA Chess Chalk River Valley, PDF, 4.61 MB
14 LCT Wooded Plateau, PDF, 207 KB
14.1 LCA Great Hampden Wooded Plateau, PDF, 4.66 MB
15 LCT Undulating Plateau, PDF, 323 KB
15.1 LCA Lee And Buckland Common Undulating Plateau, PDF, 4.67 MB
16 LCT Settled Plateau, PDF, 196 KB
16.3 LCA Great Kingshill Settled Plateau, PDF, 2.75 MB
16.4 LCA Hyde Heath Settled Plateau, PDF, 4.63 MB
16.5 LCA Ashley Green Settled Plateau, PDF, 4.53 MB
17 LCT Dipslope With Dry Valleys, PDF, 186 KB
17.2 LCA Bellingdon Dipslope With Dry Valleys, PDF, 4.51 MB
18 LCT Rolling Farmland, PDF, 191 KB
18.2 LCA Penn Rolling Farmland, PDF, 3.79 MB
18.3 LCA Little Chalfont Rolling Farmland, PDF, 3.64 MB
18.4 LCA Codmore Rolling Farmland, PDF, 1.82 MB
19 LCT Settled River Valley, PDF, 214 KB
19.1 LCA High Wycombe Settled River Valley, PDF, 3.06 MB
19.2 LCA Lower Misbourne Settled River Valley, PDF, 4.77 MB
20 LCT Undulating Farmland, PDF, 168 KB
20.1 LCA St Giles Undulating Farmland, PDF, 2.82 MB
22 LCT Mixed Use Terrace, PDF, 175 KB
22.1 LCA Beaconsfield Mixed Use Terrace, PDF, 3.62 MB
22.2 LCA Chalfont St Peter Mixed Use Terrace, PDF, 4.74 MB
23 LCT River Valley, PDF, 258 KB
23.1 LCA Alder Bourne River Valley, PDF, 4.03 MB
Appendix 1 Baseline Data Maps, PDF, 18.66 MB
Appendix 2 Field Survey Sheet, PDF, 70 KB
Appendix 3 The Stakeholder Workshop, PDF, 225 KB
Appendix 4 Values Recorded At The Stakeholder Workshop By Character Area, PDF, 82 KB
Appendix 5 The Full Buckinghamshire Classification, PDF, 65 KB

The South Bucks District LCA (prepared by Atkins in 2003) was replaced by a new LCA prepared by Land Use Consultants in 2011.

The aim was to provide an integrated landscape character assessment for the whole of Buckinghamshire and give people a better understanding of the landscape character of the South Bucks local area.

The South Bucks LCA can be used to influence and inform policy, planning and management actions.

1 Introduction PDF, 2.00 MB
2 Method Statement PDF, 2.32 MB
3 Character Of South Bucks Landscape PDF, 4.05 MB
18 LCT Rolling Farmland PDF, 3.79 MB
182 LCA Penn Rolling Farmland PDF, 3.81 MB
19 LCT settled River Valley PDF, 213 KB
191 High Wycombe Settled River Valley PDF, 3.06 MB
192 Lower Misbourne Settled River Valley PDF, 4.78 MB
20 LCT Undulating Farmland PDF, 183 KB
201 LCA St Giles Undulating Farmland PDF, 2.87 MB
202 LCA Burnham Undulating Farmland PDF, 4.64 MB
22 LCT Mixed Use Terrace PDF, 189 KB
221 LCA Beaconsfield Mixed Use Terrace PDF, 3.61 MB
222 LCA Chalfont St Peter Mixed Use Terrace PDF, 4.72 MB
223 LCA Tatling End Mixed Use Terrace PDF, 2.47 MB
224 LCA Iver Heath Mixed Use Terrace PDF, 4.60 MB
23 LCT River Valley PDF, 273 KB
231 LCA Alder Bourne River Valley PDF, 4.00 MB
24 LCT Wooded Terrace PDF, 223 KB
241 LCA Burnham Beeches Wooded Terrace PDF, 4.76 MB
242 Farnham And Stoke Common Wooded Terrace PDF, 3.75 MB
25 LCT Lowland Fringe PDF, 196 KB
251 LCA Stoke And Langley Park PDF, 4.69 MB
26 LCT Floodplain PDF, 232 KB
262 LCA Dorney Floodplain PDF, 4.02 MB
263 Colne Valley Floodplain PDF, 4.51 MB
Appendix 1 Baseline Data Maps PDF, 18.66 MB
Appendix 2 Field Survey Sheet PDF, 70 KB
Appendix 3 Stakeholder Workshop PDF, 225 KB
Appendix 4 Values Recorded At Stakeholder Workshop PDF, 68 KB
Appendix 5 Full Buckinghamshire Classification PDF, 65 KB

The Wycombe LCA was prepared for Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council by Land Use Consultants in 2011. Both organisations are now part of the Buckinghamshire Council unitary authority.

The assessment was made alongside assessments for the Chiltern and South Bucks area. It uses the same format as the Aylesbury Vale LCA produced in May 2008.

The aim of the LCA was to provide an integrated landscape character assessment for the whole of Buckinghamshire and give people a better understanding of the landscape character of the Wycombe local area.

The LCA can be used to influence and inform policy, planning and management actions.