Alan contributes to Queensland’s first landscape planning guideline
13 December 2018
Cardno: Senior
Consultant Alan Chenoweth has had a long career in
landscape
architecture and ecology and even though he has started transitioning
towards retirement, he has continued to take on new challenges and
contribute to the industry he is passionate about.
After a five-year period of consultation and development, Alan and a
committee of experienced landscape planners recently launched guidance
notes for the practice of landscape and visual impact assessment in
Queensland, through the
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
(AILA).
Australian Landscape Architects have traditionally relied on various
guidance documents available internationally or from government bodies,
but to date there has been no agreed industry standard. The project
arose from a need for a consistent approach and terminology for a field
that is continually growing in importance for governments, developers,
and affected communities.
“Authoritative guidelines are useful for planning and
approval agencies
when assessing the documentation which accompanies
development
applications,” Alan said.
“Guidelines exist for almost all areas of technical expertise, but there
hasn’t been one for landscape planning in Queensland, so it’s a real
first.
“Landscape planning is about creating a balance between development and
protection of a range of values, including the natural and scenic
elements of an area.
“It’s important a development application accurately describes and
assesses the impacts of proposed infrastructure accurately and this
guideline provides a framework for how you should approach the process,”
he said.
Alan believes that the growing role and voice of communities in the
development of urban and city infrastructure has also driven the need
for an industry guideline.
“As our cities become more densely populated, there is need for new
development but communities are also very focused on liveability, so
they want to maintain amenity, scenery and character of an area and
encourage designs that enhance a sense of place.
“Community identity is also important - people still want to recognise a
particular part of the coastline or the distinctive visual elements of
their suburb, district or region.
“This guidance note provides a common framework and language when
analysing the existing conditions, describing the proposed development,
and identifying and mitigating impacts it may cause,” he said.
Alan hopes that in the future, he and his colleagues will be able to
develop the guideline to include more in-depth material and practical
examples. He would also like to see it developed for use throughout
Australia.
“After forty years in the industry, I’m pleased to be able to contribute
to further methodology development in this field so we can continue to
create environments that are beautiful to look at, have high liveability
and also provide a sense of place.
“Guidance documents like this build our collective knowledge as a
profession, which in turn improves the way we engage with our
stakeholders and deliver our projects.”
View the guidance note on the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects website, http://www.aila.org.au/imis_prod/documents/AILA/QLD/2018/AILA_GNLVA_June_2018V2.pdf.
Find out more about Cardno’s Landscape Architecture services, https://www.cardno.com/services-au/infrastructure/landscape-architecture/.
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Source: Cardno - www.cardno.com
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External Links:
View the guidance note on the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects website.
Find out more about Cardno’s Landscape Architecture services.
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