Landscape plan

Published on 27 September 2016 - Updated 04 January 2021

Orléans (45)

The landscape plan is a tool for elected representatives to harness in boosting the appeal of an area by defining aims in terms of landscape quality, required as part of the PLU, PLUi and SCoT procedure. It is a way of seeing the landscape as a resource and driver for local development.

The landscape plan is a procedure which encourages reconsideration of the way spatial planning is approached (urban planning, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, etc.) by making landscape a central consideration of the process once again. It bears on urban and rural environments, deteriorated and high-quality areas, remarkable and everyday spaces alike.

Underpinning the procedure is:

a review of the landscapes and their role within the area in question;
a definition of aims in terms of landscape quality;
the roll-out of a programme of actions.

The landscape plan is voluntary, but must be supported by the local authority (ies). It involves residents, economic stakeholders and associations in the area in question. Facilitation and coordination considerations are essential throughout the process, from the analysis to the drafting of the landscape project and action plan. The measures set out in the action plan must be implemented. This plan coordination and monitoring must be anticipated to ensure that the procedure is sustained over time, beyond the initial momentum.

OUV and the landscape plan

If the landscape plan corresponds to a larger area than the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed site, the Outstanding Universal Value of this site must be paid special attention and considered at every stage of the process.

During the assessment stage, it shall be identified and defined spatially. It may then be subject to aims in terms of landscape quality and a programme of actions allowing for its preservation, maintenance, showcasing and perhaps even restoration. The OUV assessment is a decision tool for elected representatives who approve and uphold the objectives and programme of actions.

Lire aussi : Landscape Plan 2017 Call for Proposals

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