Visible Settings of Landscapes in Wales

Nature of data: showing the extent of areas visible from a range of landscape-scale polygons and view points.

Purpose of data: To assist strategic site choices when planning visually prominent development types. A web page with general introduction and links to map images produced from the data is available from Natural resources Wales. This is new data output, believed to be seminal for Wales.

Resolution and extent: The visibility mapping uses a 30m resolution open-source digital terrain model for the whole of Wales, out to maximum viewing distance of 35km, including overlaps to/from England where relevant. The 30m digital terrain model was sourced from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (Van Zyl, 2001) and processed using the Quantum GIS plugin developed by Cuckovic (2016). See page 23 of technical report (via the link above) for more detail.

Identifier: NRW_DS124929

Alternative Title

Mapping the visible settings of Designated Landscapes in Wales

Metadata Language: English

Lineage: Types of data: Data comprises GIS files, a selection of thematic map images created from the GIS, a technical report and user guidance. Output types are (1) zone of theoretical visibility (ZTV); (2) height of object before it is visible (HOBV). Geographical units from which these calculations were run are (a) Key iconic view points to or from nationally designated landscapes – 200 points showing ZTV and HOBV; (b) The visible settings of nationally designated landscapes – 9 large polygons in or affecting Wales, showing ZTV, HOBV; and (c) The visible settings of LANDMAP Visual and Sensory Aspect Areas, 1920 polygons showing ZTV only. Additional derived maps arising from the data for (b) are: ‘heatmaps’ indicating relative concentrations of visibility, and a combined national map showing the pattern of coverage of where there is visibility from a designated landscape.

Caveats on use: The data is designed for strategic planning and site selection use only. It is quantitative data on visibility and does not itself indicate a qualitative measure of visual sensitivity. It does not replace the need for (i) more detailed site and development-specific zone of theoretical visibility mapping evidence and (ii) landscape and visual impact assessment, as part of a development consenting process.

Additional Information: Hodges, C.J., Batten, H., Roberts, O., Dowding, D. 2021. Mapping the visible settings of Designated Landscapes in Wales. NRW Evidence Report No: 522, 81pp, Natural Resources Wales, Bangor.

Dataset Reference Date (Publication): 2024-02-19

Temporal Extent

Begin date: 2001-12-31

End date: 2024-02-19 Before

Topic category

Elevation

Owner

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Originator

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Extent

Geographic Extent: Wales (WLS)

Distribution

Format Type and Description

Geographic Information System ( )

Specification

ESRI feature class

Resource Locator: Download Data ( WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link )

Data quality

Quality Scope: Dataset

Conformity: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation: This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
Degree: false

Lineage: Types of data: Data comprises GIS files, a selection of thematic map images created from the GIS, a technical report and user guidance. Output types are (1) zone of theoretical visibility (ZTV); (2) height of object before it is visible (HOBV). Geographical units from which these calculations were run are (a) Key iconic view points to or from nationally designated landscapes – 200 points showing ZTV and HOBV; (b) The visible settings of nationally designated landscapes – 9 large polygons in or affecting Wales, showing ZTV, HOBV; and (c) The visible settings of LANDMAP Visual and Sensory Aspect Areas, 1920 polygons showing ZTV only. Additional derived maps arising from the data for (b) are: ‘heatmaps’ indicating relative concentrations of visibility, and a combined national map showing the pattern of coverage of where there is visibility from a designated landscape.

Caveats on use: The data is designed for strategic planning and site selection use only. It is quantitative data on visibility and does not itself indicate a qualitative measure of visual sensitivity. It does not replace the need for (i) more detailed site and development-specific zone of theoretical visibility mapping evidence and (ii) landscape and visual impact assessment, as part of a development consenting process.

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2008-06-01

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus

LANDMAP

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-19

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Code: British National Grid (EPSG::27700)

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title: Mapping the visible settings of Designated Landscapes in Wales

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type: Other restrictions

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations: no limitations

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints: There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.

Use Constraints

Use constraints type: Other restrictions

Other constraints: © CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.

Attribution Statement

Other constraints: Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)(2013). Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Global. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9445JDF .

Licence

Other constraints: Open Government Licence

Metadata

File Identifier: 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313234393239 XML

Metadata Language: English

Resource type: Dataset

Metadata Date: 2025-02-04T09:59:08.952Z

Metadata Standard Name: NRW

Metadata Standard Version: 1.0

pointOfContact

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Publishing Body

Access the portal

Full access to the portal and metadata.

Visible Settings of Landscapes in Wales

Identification

Temporal Extent

Extent

Extent

Distribution

Distribution

Quality

Data quality

Keywords

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Spatial Reference System

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Access Constraints Directive

Access Constraints Text

Use Constraints

Attribution Statement

Licence

Metadata

Metadata

Publishing Body