Technical notes provided by the LI have three status levels: Information; Guidance; and Mandatory Requirements.
“Information Notes” are for information only. They are not mandatory or indicators of best practice, they are intended as a useful reference for practitioners only. There is no requirement on members to read or apply the learning contained in information notes. They have no regulatory standing. An information note may refer to typical practice, other relevant guidance or law but may not be relied upon for legal advice.
“Guidance Notes” have elevated standing as compared to Information Notes. They are not standards but are developed by the LI’s sector experts, the Technical Committee. LI members are not mandated to follow Guidance Notes but they are strongly encouraged to do so as a matter of good practice, unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing so. Many Local Authorities and other bodies stipulate adherence to relevant LI guidance as a mandatory requirement. The detail of Guidance Notes will rarely be prescriptive and usually require professional judgement in their interpretation and practical application.
“Mandatory Technical Standards” are agreed by the LI Board. They have the highest level of compulsion and must be complied with unless exceptional circumstances apply. Practising in contravention of an LI Mandatory Technical Standard without justification may result in the termination of LI membership. There are, however, no Mandatory Technical Standards at present.
The following represents the majority of recent technical information and guidance produced by the Institute, although it may omit some older publications. This body is due for review (to begin shortly) and some documents may be in need of revision.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Pest and Disease Threats (1/15)
Landscape Character Reading List (5/15)
Landscape Character Assessment (8/15)
BRE’s Strategic Ecology Framework (3/16)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (3/17)
Natural Capital Accounting (2/18)
Environmental Colour Assessment (4/18)
Visualisation of development – glossary (7/19)
Other options for weed control (11/19)
Water flooding landscape (03/20)
Please note that as regards technical standards matters, all articles in: the LI Journal; various newsletters; and on the LI website have the status of information whatever else is stated or implied, unless they say they have been prepared or endorsed by Technical Committee.
Also holding the status as technical information are the Digital Practice Notes (accessed by Registered Practices through the Members website), the [Policy] Position Statements, the Digital Plan of Works, the plant Data sheets and the BIM for Landscape book.
TECHNICAL GUIDANCE
Implications of BIM on PII (01/13)
BIM Software Considerations (02/13)
BIM Implementation Plans (03/13)
Residential Visual Amenity Assessment (02/19)
Visualisation of development (06/19) (currently under review) – this replaces 1/11 and 02/17
Reviewing LVIAs and LVAs (01/20)
Site Visits and Fieldwork during COVID-19 (02/20)
GLVIA3 and GLVIA3 Notes & Clarifications (LITGN-2024-01)
Insofar as they cover technical matters, documents associated with the JCLI Forms of Contract and guidance and associated documents regarding the Landscape Consultants Appointment also have the status of technical guidance.
The Product Data Templates published by the LI should be regarded as having the status of guidance for the purposes of developing Product Data Sheets.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
There are none at present.
