Visual Impact Assessment Books
Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (2nd Edition)
The second edition of this book was published in 2002 and incorporates changes needed after changes in the statutory framework for Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Statements within the European Union. EU Council Directive 97/1/EC was implemented in England and Wales by the Town and Country Planning (England and Wales)(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations in 1999 and in Scotland by the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations, also in 1999.
The book is divided into nine parts. The first three focus on general principles of good practice, a background to the EIA process, the methodology of analysis and planning policy context. Parts four to nine fall into a logical sequence that clearly illustrates the practical application of the various processes and recommended methods. A number of these sections are illustrated with relevant case studies. The book is rounded off with an invaluable glossary and 10 appendices of which, Appendix 6 is worth special note. This appendix contains five examples of threshold criteria for visual impact as used by practitioners. This is an excellent source of information for those who have never before been involved with a visual impact survey and it gives an important insight into the methodology adopted by well respected practitioners.
The GLVIA is a well thought out, logically presented and superbly illustrated. This is essential reading for all consultants involved with landscape and visual impact assessment and should be required reading for all developers.
The text above is an extract from the book review by David Watson, published in Urban Design International, Volume 8, Number 1/2 (June 2003).
Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (2nd Edition) is published by Spon and is available from Amazon.co.uk. An online preview may be found here.
Visual Representation of Windfarms: Good Practice Guidance
This publication should be a standard text in any landscape office engaged in visual impact assessment. Although it is specifically written as advice for practitioners engaged in VIA projects involving windfarms, much of the content is also relevant to more general VIA projects. In some respects, this book plugs some of the gaps in the GLVIA. That book is rather short on technical detail. This book provides that in spades. It is full of technical detail and covering everything from the most appropriate colours to use for ZVI mapping to the size of printed images used for the presentation of photomontages.
One of the most significant points in this document is the authors' choice of a new term to describe what has been known up until now as "ZVI". The preferred term is ZTV (Zone of Theoretical Visibility) since this more accurately describes what a ZVI map shows.
An excerpt of the book is available as a PDF for download.
Visual Representation of Windfarms: Good Practice Guidance is available from Scottish Natural Heritage.
Landscape Institute Advice Notes
Advice note 01/09 - Use of photography and photomontage in landscape and visual assessment
