Viento Environmental works in a range of market sectors and we offer the following services:

  • Landscape and visual appraisal
  • Landscape and visual impact assessment
  • Landscape characterisation
  • Landscape design
  • Landscape appraisal and feasibility studies
  • Planning graphics
  • Expert witness services

Landscape and Visual Appraisal and Impact Assessment

Landscape and Visual Appraisal and Impact Assessment across a range of development types including commercial developments, agricultural proposals such as dairy and poultry applications, and renewable energy developments.

Viento projects have included Lower Leighton Dairy Unit near Welshpool, for which we provided expert evidence at public inquiry, various poultry unit applications in Wales where issues assessed included cultural heritage matters, landscape character and visual amenity impacts.

Our experience in renewable energy LVAs and LVIAs extends to over 80 wind farm and single turbine applications, over 40 solar farm and solar array applications, battery storage and anaerobic digestion facilities across the UK.

We have also undertaken over 20 solar farm and battery storage LVAs within Southern Ireland.

Landscape Characterisation

Landscape Characterisation including undertaking landscape character assessments as part of planning applications and environmental statements or environmental reports, and interpreting published landscape characterisations to provide advice to clients on aspects of site design, layout, site integration and improvements to landscape fabric.

Project examples include assisting a charity organisation in the Midlands with an application to Natural England to designate an area of landscape as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty national designation.

This work has involved drawing historic, cultural and landscape information from a number of sources, landscape characterisation work in the field and inputting information into prescribed landscape character forms.

Landscape Design and Site Appraisals

Landscape Design and Site Appraisals including advice at the site design stage, planting designs, advice on methods of soft landscaping for site integration and mitigation strategies, assisting with compliance and discharge of planning conditions etc.

As part of our design capabilities we have designed landscape areas at TFM Superstore in Stableford, Shropshire and several landscape areas for buildings used by HM Courts and Tribunals Service in South Wales.

We also regularly assist clients with the discharge of landscape planning conditions for solar farms.

Planning Graphics

Planning Graphics – we provide a range of graphics services including Zones of Theoretical Visibility (ZTVs), landscaping plans and landscape management plans, planting mitigation plans, landscape character and designations plans and viewpoint graphics.

These can be tailored to meet the needs of individual projects and examples are available on request.

Expert Witness

Expert Witness services including giving evidence at public inquiries, public hearings and written representation appeals.

We have provided expert witness evidence on a number of appeals for a range of development types including over twenty renewable energy appeals and agricultural developments.