News

Scottish Executive Looks to Landscape

26th February 2007

The Landscape Institute has welcomed the Scottish Executive’s clear recognition of landscape in its new policy on architecture and place-making.

The Landscape Institute (LI) Scotland had lobbied the Scottish Executive during the policy development phase to ensure the importance of landscape is not overlooked. Scotland’s Architecture Policy 2007, Building Our Legacy, was launched on 21 February by the Scottish Executive’s Minister for Culture, Patricia Ferguson MSP. The policy acknowledges the value of working with the landscape architecture profession to help shape and ‘explore ways… landscape and greenspace can be built into the future direction of policy’ in Scotland.

Scotland has taken a proactive approach to development. John Nevett MLI, who represented the LI’s views to the Scottish Executive, said: “There are some wonderful developments and schemes in Scotland and it is vital to the country that these work within the very strong landscape for which it is famous.

“It’s reassuring that our Government has responded to our recommendations by acknowledging the importance of landscape and pledging to work with the Landscape Institute to create a forward-thinking and inclusive policy on making places.”

The Scottish Executive wants to provide an “outstanding legacy” in both the private and public sectors and is ensuring that there are expert organisations such as the Landscape Institute to assist. The establishment of Architecture and Design Scotland and the Scottish Building Standards Agency and a new planning act are testament to the long term aims and ambitions of Scotland.

“This is a great starting point,” said Bob Cuddihy, policy officer for the LI in Scotland. “Building Our Legacy shows that the Executive understands that landscape is the context in which development takes place. The Landscape Institute is keen to work with the Executive by addressing issues such as improving skills, education and best practice, increasing the number of landscape architects as demand grows and ensuring our professionals demonstrate excellence in landscape design and management and their work with communities.”

Source: LI