Grant funding comes from Skillnet Ireland through the Irish National Training fund, and, as a result, is ONLY available to residents of the Republic of Ireland who work as a sole trader, or for a private or semi-state commercial company registered in ROI. Please read Eligibility Criteria.

1. Foundations of LVIA and its Role in EIA

• Introduction to EIA and wider environmental planning frameworks
• Definition of landscape vs visual impacts
• Role, purpose, and legal/ policy context of LVIA
• Relationship between LVIA, SEAs, and landscape planning
• Use short project-type scenarios to help students select the appropriate assessment and reporting route
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO1

2. Guidelines, Standards, and Methodological Approaches

• Introduction to GLVIA (3rd edition) and international best practice
• Scoping processes, assessment frameworks, and professional responsibilities
• Digital tools: GIS, remote sensing, photogrammetry, digital terrain models
• Data sourcing, management, and metadata standards
• Use structured baseline and landscape-value exercise
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO2

3. Baseline Data Collection and Receptor Sensitivity

• Field survey techniques (landscape character, visual baseline, photography)
• Identifying landscape and visual receptors
• Assessing sensitivity and magnitude of change
• Integrating qualitative and quantitative data
• Introduce NatureScot (2017), Highland Council (2016), LI TGN 06/19 and NatureScot aviation-lighting guidance (2024
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO3

4. Assessing Impact Significance and Mitigation Planning

• Evaluating significance in accordance with GLVIA
• Landscape design principles for mitigation
• Nature-based solutions and green/blue infrastructure integration
• Cumulative assessment and alternative scenario evaluation
• Use worked examples linking receptor sensitivity and magnitude to defensible conclusions
• Saturday event into an industry-engagement and project-review forum.
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO4

5. Reporting, Visualisation, and Professional Communication

• Structure and components of LVIA reports
• Use of visual tools: viewpoints, wireframes, photomontages
• Communicating technical information to stakeholders and the public
• Preparing professional written, verbal, and graphical outputs
• Introduce staged milestones and provide annotated strong, adequate and weak examples.
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO5

6. Ethics, Innovation, and the Future of LVIA

• Ethical considerations: transparency, objectivity, and visual accuracy
• Climate change impacts, adaptive planning, and resilience
• AI, automation, and emerging digital environments (e.g., VR/AR for LVIA)
• Reflecting on evolving practice and professional responsibilities
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO6

7. Applied Group Work and Real-World Case Studies

• Team-based analysis of existing LVIAs or live development proposals
• Field-based and GIS-based collaborative exercises
• Integrating interdisciplinary perspectives (ecology, heritage, planning)
• Presenting group findings and developing landscape planning responses
• Saturday event with industry-engagement and project-review forum.
  Linked Learning Outcome: LO7

1. Define and distinguish between landscape and visual impact assessment and explain their roles within Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

2. Apply industry-standard guidelines (e.g. GLVIA) and spatial tools (e.g. GIS, Remote Sensing) to conduct LVIA.

3. Identify and evaluate landscape and visual receptors and assess their sensitivity using appropriate baseline data collection methods.

4. Assess the significance of landscape and visual impacts and develop context-sensitive mitigation strategies, including the integration of green infrastructure.

5. Demonstrate proficiency in reporting and presenting LVIA findings using professional formats, visual tools, and effective stakeholder communication strategies.

6. Critically reflect on ethical issues and emerging trends (e.g., climate change, AI, digital tools) shaping the future of LVIA practice.

7. Collaborate effectively in team settings to analyse real-world LVIA case studies and propose informed landscape planning responses.

This LVIA course is designed for:

• Landscape architects & planners
• EIA and environmental consultants
• Urban designers & architects
• GIS and visualization specialists
• Ecologists & heritage professionals
• Infrastructure and renewable energy developers
• Local authority planning officers
• Environmental NGOs and community planners

Ideal for anyone involved in assessing, designing, or managing the visual and landscape effects of development.

• Lectures and interactive tutorials introducing and discussing key concepts and frameworks
• GIS and remote sensing workshops for hands-on technical training
• Fieldwork sessions for bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application and enhancing learning experiences.
• Group project work focused on real-world LVIA cases
• Guest lectures from practitioners and experts
• Reflective exercises exploring ethics and future challenges
• Saturday event into an industry-engagement and project-review forum.

1. Individual LVIA Report (30%)
   • Baseline analysis, impact assessment, and mitigation design
   • Professional-quality mapping and graphics
   • Demonstrates LO1–LO5
2. Group Case Study Presentation (50%)
   • Collaborative analysis of a real or simulated LVIA scenario
   • Emphasis on communication, teamwork, and planning responses
   • Demonstrates LO7 & LO1–LO5
3. Reflective Essay or Digital Portfolio (20%)
   • Focus on ethics, emerging technologies, and future trends
   • Demonstrates LO6

Students completing this module will develop:

• Advanced spatial analysis and geodata management skills
• Field survey and visualisation competencies
• Professional report writing and stakeholder communication skills
• Collaborative problem-solving abilities
• Critical awareness of contemporary environmental challenges

Understanding of the role of LVIA in sustainable landscape planning.

At the University of Limerick, this module is offered as part of an MSc in Sustainability & Climate Futures. From the 2027/28 academic year, it is offered as a part of a Postgraduate Diploma in Climate Mitigation & Sustainability.