Landscape Institute Feasibility Study on an LVIA Accreditation Scheme

The Landscape Institute (LI) is exploring the possibility of creating a dedicated LVIA Accreditation Scheme beginning with a Feasibility Study. An accreditation scheme could be a formal route to address growing concerns from members on inconsistencies in standards of LVIA. The feasibility study is one of a number of measures the LI is investigating, including education, training and development of further guidance.

As the professional body for the landscape sector, it is the Landscape Institute’s role to continually reflect and review on the changing environment for landscape practitioners. 

Why investigate an accreditation scheme?

The LI has a long-standing relationship with the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) (IEMA as was) for the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment GLVIA3 . ISEP have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Quality Mark scheme that has been running successfully for 15 years. The LI took inspiration from this as a starting point. 

An LVIA accreditation scheme may also address issues around LVIA terminology and definitions, such as the requirements under EIA to use a ‘competent expert’ and have access to ‘sufficient expertise’ to review EIA outputs. As noted in LI guidance TGN 01/20 current EIA regulations do not define the terms ‘competent expert’ and ‘sufficient expertise’. In the absence of formal certification of specific competence, the LI considers that it would normally be a Chartered Member of the LI, however this is not a mandatory EIA requirement. Assessments can therefore be carried out by others, presenting potential issues for the developer who must ensure an LVIA is prepared by a competent expert accompanied by a statement outlining the relevant expertise or qualifications. 

An accreditation scheme would allow individuals and/or organisations in the UK to commit to excellence in their LVIA activities, and have this commitment audited and independently peer reviewed. An accreditation scheme could provide a trusted, evidence-based mark for specific advanced skills in LVIA, for individuals and organisations operating in this area. 

LI members are from a wide range of fields of practice, and demonstrate their knowledge skills and experience through Technician, Chartered or Fellow membership. These are a mark of quality and excellence in the profession with a commitment to maintaining standards and personal development. An LVIA Accreditation Scheme would supplement and sit alongside the skills demonstrated under this membership, with the same scrutiny. 

An LVIA accreditation scheme would also allow Practices and Organisations, and those conducting LVIA’s to visibly show that their expertise and competency has been established. Since an accreditation scheme would focus solely on LVIAs, it would not replace the more comprehensive membership categories of LI members. There are precedents for similar specialised subject specific accreditations that members and others may already have alongside broader memberships and accreditations. 

Overview 

Should it go ahead, the scheme would operate on a voluntary basis, separate from Landscape Institute Membership. The feasibility study will also gather opinions on potential features for the set-up of an accreditation scheme, such as: 

  1. Building a code of practice covering, for example, technical quality, professional integrity, transparent presentation and adherence to regulations with recognised good practice.
  2. Members (either organisational or individual) submitting evidence of recent LVIA work for independent review and regular external audits. The audits could assess report quality, stakeholder engagement, CPD, and compliance with the code or practice. Ongoing requirements including submission of annual case studies, participation in knowledge-sharing activities, and evidence of Continual Professional Development (CPD). 
  3. Successful participants displaying an LVIA Accreditation Mark, appearing in a public register, gaining access to a library of best-practice resources, events, and peer learning opportunities. 

 

 

The feasibility study will also examine methods for working with members who do not achieve or maintain competency, have persistent issues or where there is evidence of misconduct. This could entail being given the opportunity for redress, being offered support or where necessary removed from the scheme. 

The scheme would serve as a visible sign of commitment to a standard of quality and consistency. 

The feasibility study is considering the development of an accreditation scheme for individuals and/or organisations, in consultation with members and will provide an informed view of the options available to the Landscape Institute. This study is the start of an investigation on the desirability of a scheme and how it might operate, currently at the exploratory stage. 

Feedback is an essential part of the process, and we encourage people to engage. 

The Feasibility Study  

Greenfriars has been appointed by the LI to provide a Report which will be used to consider how we might proceed. The study will include evidence-based recommendations, progressing through three stages of work:  

  • Stage 1 – Desk based review and research.

 

  • Stage 2 – Stakeholder engagement and targeted market research.

 

  • Stage 3 – Development of options and recommendations. 

 

 

Evaluation 

In addition to examining whether the LI should proceed with a scheme the Study will also:

  • Evaluate potential size of registrant market, barriers, operational considerations (e.g. legal, technical, cultural), opportunities (e.g. partnerships, synergies, routes to market), resources, timeframe for set up, estimate high level set-up and running costs, and income.
  • Develop options for a potential LVIA accreditation scheme requirements, procedures and operation and an assessment process.
  • Outline a programme for a scheme launch, the issues to be considered if the LI were to proceed, the differences between whether the LI offers an accreditation scheme for individuals or organisations, or both (outlining benefits, challenges and possible conflicts).
  • Explore whether the LI should offer this standalone or partner with other/s. 
  • Report

Following the Study a Report will be produced setting out one of three recommendations, including key evidence points to support the statement:  

  • Not to proceed with the scheme.  

 

  • Carry out further studies / engagement to inform a decision to proceed or not. (Where there are positive signals for a viable scheme, including specific recommendations regarding evidence and gaps.)

 

  • Proceed with LVIA Quality Mark scheme and outline how development of the scheme could progress. 

 

Engagement 

A vital driver for the programme is to ensure sufficient stakeholder engagement.   

In addition to the desk-based study, a combination of questionnaire, webinar, focus groups and correspondence will be undertaken. These may include but are not limited to: 

LI Members, LI Standing Committees and Task & Finish Groups, LVIA professionals within and outside the LI, Statutory Stakeholders (e.g. Natural England, NRW etc.), Town and Country Planners and LPA officers, Developers and Consultants who commission LVIAs. 

What the Study/an Accreditation Scheme/Report evaluation would and would not do: 

  • It would not replace Chartership which remains the benchmark for standards across the profession. 
  • It would endorse a specialist area of practice and assessment. 
  • It would not confirm whether an individual project is compliant. 
  • It would demonstrate that a member has observed and applied scheme requirements. 
  • It would provide data and information to support further training and development. 
  • It would lead to evaluation of current LI programmes whether the scheme is applied or not. 
  • It would consider partnering with other organisations or professional bodies. 
  • Should the scheme go ahead it would be administered by the LI and independent from LI Membership. 

                Timeline  

                • Jun – Jul 2025: Desk Study commenced 

                • 6 Oct – 3 Nov 2025: Focus Groups 

                • to Nov 2025: Further detailed consultation as required 

                • end Nov 2025: First draft feasibility Report to LI 

                • Dec 2025: Final Report to LI 

                • Dec 2025 to Q1 2026: LI evaluates the Report: LI Standing Committees, Study Task & Finish Group and Staff review the Report and consider next steps presenting their findings to the LI Advisory Council. Council will make their recommendations to the LI Board. 

                • By the end Q1 2026: LI communicates their decision with an explanation for the outcome together with next steps.

                Next Steps 

                1. The Desk Study is in progress, and the Webinar was aired with over 130 attendees.
                2. Questionnaire launched and continues until 3rd Nov.
                3. Over 80 people volunteered to join the Focus Groups currently taking place.
                4. Committees and Groups will continue to work together through the study stages until end Q1 2026. During this process they will also consider current guidance, training and education regardless of whether an accreditation scheme proceeds or not. Should an accreditation scheme not proceed it is important to recognise that the Feasibility Study was commissioned because of concerns that had been raised and there may be other methods the LI could adopt to address these. Should the scheme proceed representation would be sought from all UK nations to ensure individuality of approaches in devolved administrations is also taken into consideration. 
                5. In addition to the above considerations a staged approach could be the preferred route which the Study will assist with evaluating. For example, it may be that there is a pilot in one nation first, or other areas of assessment are included later in the scheme such as Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA). 
                6. Should an Accreditation Scheme be recommended the LI may begin with a pilot phase engaging with a few individual/practice volunteers to assess the scheme’s performance. 
                7. The Report could introduce other options not already considered as a result of feedback from the questionnaires and focus groups. 
                8. The LI may conduct consultations following the Report to clarify next steps or matters raised as a result of the Study. Consultations could be required in the process of setting up a scheme too – all of which would be considered during evaluation. 

                              How you can get involved 

                                Watch the Webinar if you would like to find out more. 

                                Contacts

                                You can contact Greenfriars for a Word version of the Questionnaire or if you have questions related to the Study – vanessa@greenfriars.org.uk

                                You can contact the Landscape Institute if you have any other questions – 

                                technical@landscapeinstitute.org 

                                We encourage you to put comments in the Questionnaire where we can collate them to help inform our Study.