Policies in the NW Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) seek to control and manage the quality of nationally protected landscapes and wider undesignated landscapes.  RSS Policy EM1 provides strategic policy at a regional level.  However, until new landscape policy is developed as part of the emerging Local Development Frameworks some policies of the Cumbria Joint Structure Plan have been "saved".  It is still relevant to look at these policies when considering new development proposals.  These are saved policies E34, E35, E36 and E37 in the Joint Structure Plan in the Planning Policy section.   These policies build on the studies and guidance referred to in the Character Assessment and Landscape Strategy sections above.

The policies provide a hierarchy of control for different landscapes depending on whether they are designated or undesignated.  They will soon be replaced by policies at a regional and local level.  These will still have the same goal of managing landscape change.

Landscapes and features with international and national designations are given the highest level of protection against adverse change.   In Cumbria there are 5 designated landscapes of national importance:

• The Lake District National Park
• Yorkshire Dales National Park
• Arnside and Silverdale AONB
• North Pennines AONB
• Solway Coast AONB

We manage change in the AONBs. The Lake District National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authorities manage change in the National Parks.  For more information on these designations click on the links below.

Nature conservation areas and features of historic interest are also protected internationally and nationally and contribute to the special landscape character.   In Cumbria these include:

• Special Areas of Conservation
• Special Protection Areas
• St Bee’s Heritage Coast
• Over 50 Limestone Pavements 
• 25 National Nature Reserves
• 274 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
• 800 Scheduled Ancient Monuments
• 600 Grade I and Grade II* Listed Buildings

More information can be found on these in the Biodiversity and Historic Environment sections, or by clicking on the links below.

Much of our landscape is not designated but is of a high quality with a distinctive character of its own.   We have defined the landscape character of all parts of the County (excluding the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks) to ensure that our policies, strategies and decisions support development and change that respects their landscape characteristics and features too.   More information can be found in the Character Assessment and Landscape Strategy sections above, or by clicking on the links below.

Strategic Landscape Character Guidance is being prepared in 2009.  This will bring together all the landscape character assessments and strategies for Cumbria.  It will help local authorities develop local landscape character policy and provide guidance to local authorities, developers, land owners and managers.

Workshops seeking views on our existing landscape character descriptions and management guidelines were held across the county in June and July 2009.

It is anticipated that following the publication of the guidance a pilot study will be carried out to determine how best to develop a county wide Landscape Character Supplementary Planning Document.  More information on this project can be downloaded below.

We have recently prepared a Supplementary Planning Document for Wind Energy Development.   This provides detailed guidance on landscape and visual effects for developers working on wind energy proposals.   This is based on a landscape capacity study that has been carried out for land outside the National Parks.    It is complemented by the landscape classification for the Lake District National Park which was published in 2009.