Landscape planning and development

Guidance on landscape requirements of planning applications for proposed developments, including surveys and landscape and woodland management plans.

Major planning applications

The Landscape content of major planning applications guidance document provides advice on what needs to be taken into consideration in regards to the landscape surrounding major developments, and what you may need to include in your planning application. It includes advice on trees, soil, planting plans, hard landscape plans and which surveys may need to be carried out.

Green space guidance

High quality, accessible and natural green spaces close to where people live and work are vital for health and wellbeing, biodiversity and climate change adaption and are a key element of successful placemaking.

This guidance covers design and management requirements for quality green spaces in new developments comprising:

  • public open space
  • play
  • natural green space
  • SUDS
  • green corridors and connections
  • private amenity space including balconies, communal gardens, roof gardens

It is intended for use by developers, landscape architects, urban designers, architects and place-makers, as well as planning officers.

Green space guidance

Landscape management plans

You may be asked to produce a landscape management plan if your development includes any of the following:

  • a significant public aspect
  • important habitat qualities in terms of biodiversity
  • communal private spaces in larger residential development
  • public greenspace

This guidance document gives a checklist of things to include with a landscape management plan.

Topsoil

The Topsoil guidance document gives recommendations for stripping, handling and preparing topsoil for developments where there is a prior agreement to reuse site-claimed soils.

Visual impact assessments – large-scale infrastructure and renewable energy proposals

Guidelines around the requirements of visual impact assessments for large-scale infrastructure projects and renewable energy developments (including wind turbines and solar farms).

Greening the built edge

This Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) document gives guidance on the treatment of the edge of developments adjacent to land which includes:

  • green belt
  • green corridors
  • greenspace
  • playing fields
  • significant water courses
  • transport corridors

Trees and woodland

Management Plans

Where trees and woodland are a feature of a development site, a Management Plan may be required. The Woodland Management Plans document offers guidance on what needs to be included as part of a management plan.

Urban tree planting

See the Urban tree planting guidance document for advice around including trees in urban settings, including soil and substrate requirements, drainage considerations and tree selection and planting.

Planting checklist

Successful planting schemes are a fundamental element in good place making. Trees are important for physical and mental wellbeing as well as for biodiversity and climate change resilience. 

This checklist is intended to assist in ensuring that the best possible standards are applied in new planting schemes.

Guideline distances from a development to trees

This guidance document can be used to help developers and planning officers assess whether a planning application is achieving a balance between the needs of trees and the needs of the building and its users.

Existing trees and developments

Based on the British Standard, this document provides guidance on tree–related information when considering development proposals. A tree survey (including root systems) enables conflicts with trees to be identified early and forms the basis for tree protection fencing on construction sites.

Buffer planting

Large scale woodland type planting can be required to blend developments into their surroundings and to soften the impact of large structures that would otherwise be in full view.

The document provides guidance on how to design a buffer belt, including all the technical requirements. For example, choice of plants, rabbit protection and management.

Landscape character assessments

Landscape Character Assessments can make a valuable contribution to the formation of planning policies such as allocation of land for development.

View a map of Leeds landscape assessments.