Scottish Government

Regional Priority Code

Landscape Priorities

Relevant Packages

The landscape of Shetland is fundamentally important to the islands' natural and cultural heritage and contributes to our quality of life and economic development. The island location, the complex interplay of land and water, dramatic coastal scenery and expansive interior, the dramatic and constantly changing light and weather, and the long-standing human management of the more sheltered and fertile lowlands has created a very distinctive landscape. Whilst this landscape can sometimes be threatened by modern development and land management, it can also benefit from more sympathetic consideration.

Shetland's geology is central to our environment, being the foundation of our landscapes and a profound influence on the nature of our soils and freshwaters and on the plants and animals that they support. It is also fascinating in its own right and no less important than our ecological or cultural heritage. Shetland's geodiversity is also increasingly recognised as a valuable resource for sustainable economic development and this is the focus of the proposed Geopark.

The Orkney landscape is generally of an open rolling nature that is ringed by dramatic coastal scenery. The interaction between physical and human forces since the early settlers arrived is still clearly expressed in the landscape. The landscape of Orkney is important to the islands' natural and cultural heritage contributing to our quality of life and economic development.

13. Valued and attractive landscapes which contribute positively to peoples' environment, through:

NIS13a

a. The safeguarding and enhancement of the diverse character of rural landscapes. Particularly proposals that:

5 & 18

for Shetland;

• manage as appropriate the contribution to the specific landscape guidelines for each of the 29 landscape character types identified in The Shetland Isles Landscape Character Assessment through, e.g. traditional land management practises and building forms.

for Orkney;

• manage as appropriate the contribution to the specific landscape guidelines for each of the 23 landscape character types identified in the Orkney Landscape Character Assessment.

NIS13b

b. Enhanced experience, understanding and enjoyment of the landscape. Particularly proposals that:

5 & 18

for Shetland;

• enhance views from important viewpoints, settlements, transport routes, visitor attractions

• support initiatives and events which raise the profile of the cultural and historical landscapes

• contribute to more accessible, better understood and protected geodiversity through management actions, especially where such contribute to the proposed Shetland Geopark.

for Orkney;

• enhance key views from public roads, access routes, footpaths and public open spaces, and at recognised viewpoints.

NIS13c

c. High quality design in both new build and natural elements that enhance and strengthen the landscape character of an area. Particularly proposals that:

5 & 18

for Shetland;

• exemplify Shetland Islands Council's Siting and Design Guidance (The Shetland House), e.g. re-use of traditional vernacular buildings, building techniques which enhance the landscape character through use of local forms and materials, design that incorporates and re-uses natural and cultural features of the landscape.

for Orkney;

• meet Orkney Islands Council's Siting and Design Guidance.

NIS13d

d. Actions at a landscape scale which strengthen and/or enhance the landscape character of an area and contribute to sense of place. Particularly proposals that:

5 & 18

for Shetland;

• restore existing stone dykes as linear features

• preserve and enhance historic landscapes making use of existing dominant landscape features (e.g. vernacular buildings, archaeological landscapes, dykes, remnant native woodland)

• effectively screen intrusive structures, storage areas and infrastructure

• strengthen and enhance the special qualities of the Shetland National Scenic Area (NSA); any locally designated landscapes as per the Shetland Development Plan; Shetland Gardens and Designed Landscapes identified in An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, Volume 2: Highland and Islands.

for Orkney;

• enhance the landscape character within recognised landscape partnership, e.g. Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership Scheme

• strengthen and/or enhance the special qualities of the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area (NSA); the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site (WHS); locally designated landscapes as per the Orkney Local plan; Orkney Gardens and Designed Landscapes identified in An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, Volume 2: Highland and Islands

• safeguard important views, viewpoints and landmarks from land use that would detract from their visual integrity

• maximise existing dominant natural landscape features (such as remnant native woodland/scrub, policy woodlands, dry stone dykes) to enhance landscapes degraded by past use.

NIS14

An increased contribution to the diversity and character of landscape form Scotland's woods and forests, through restructuring planted woodlands, particularly through the use of Low Intervention Silvicultural Systems, and diversification of a range of well designed woodland types in the preferred areas, as identified in regional Indicative Forestry Strategies or Woodland Strategies or in line with Forest Habitat Networks, particularly the improvement of degraded or unsightly local environments. Particularly proposals that:

for Shetland

• manage and expand woodland in Shetland in line with the Shetland Woodland Strategy

for Orkney

• manage and expand woodland in Orkney in line with the Orkney Woodland Strategy

• protect, restore and enhance the woodland and tree elements of Orkney's Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes

• support heritage trees, particularly in Conservation Areas.

15, 16 & 18