Colin Wishart, Highland Council
Modern technology –
design considerations to
reduce landscape impacts
SGP – Aquaculture in the Landscape - 29th November 2011
Workshop 3
Why Scotland’s coastal landscape matters
Why aquaculture's relationship with it
needs special consideration
How the design of sea farms can influence
their impact on the landscape
Alternative design strategies
Key questions for workshop discussion
Outline
Aquaculture can change landscapes
much of it is high scenic quality
much of it is in a natural/ semi-natural state
it has many of the UK’s key areas for wilderness/
tranquility/ sanctuary value
part of our national & local identity (and our
marketing package)
part of our legacy - from the past; for the future
Why Scotland’s coastal
landscape matters
physical potential for
expansion but
exploiting some of it
may conflict with
landscape interests
growth industry, eager
to expand
Why aquaculture's
relationship with landscape
needs special consideration
fjordic areas in the world are few; intensive
aquaculture is developing in most of them;
few sea lochs in Scotland are untouched
if site OK in principle, the
difference between
sympathetic and insensitive
development comes down
to detail design
character and value of
landscape can be enhanced
by sympathetic
development but
diminished by insensitive
development
good design may
even make a site
feasible which
otherwise might
be considered
inappropriate
scale/extent
positioning relative to landscape
features
number and distribution of units
orientation
shape
mass/ vertical dimension
repetition/ standardisation
colour
materials
lighting/reflectivity
connection/grouping of elements
cultural reference/ identity
shorebase design
noise
Managing impact on the
landscape: design variables
integration
FunctIonality fIrst an
d last
LOUD AND PROUD
High visibility, low
sympathetic but making a design
statement
camouflage and c ncealm nt
- - sympathetic alignment - -
Low visibility, high
integration
A spectrum of approaches
to design
How to find ways in which aquaculture
can expand without detriment to our key
landscape resources and qualities ?
The Challenge
Brave New World ?
Brave New World ?
4.
3.
2.
1.
Does the new guidance provide what you need ?
How is the technology of fish farming and
shellfish farming likely to develop in the future
and what are the design and landscape
implications of this ?
How can the design of existing fish farms and
shellfish farms be improved to make scaling-up of
production possible without detriment to
landscape character ?
How could the next generation of fish farms and
shellfish farms be designed to make them
acceptable in a wider range of locations ?
Key questions for
discussion