Kildare Landscape Character Areas

This dataset defines landscape character areas within Kildare. The data is used to inform planning policy, protect sensitive landscapes and to guide appropriate development.

The data was developed as part of the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) of Kildare in 2004. LCA is the process of identifying and describing variation in character of the landscape and identifying the features that give a locality it's ‘sense of place’ . The process identifies, documents and explains the unique combination of elements and features that make landscapes distinctive.

The Irish Planning and Development Act, 2000, introduced requirements for preservation of the character of the landscape.

‘Landscape’ means an area, as perceived by people, whose visual features and character are the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors. All landscapes combine natural components (such as geology, soils and watercourses) and human influences (such as settlement and land use) with cultural perceptions (such as history, social associations and aesthetic values).

Additional metadata can be accessed at the following link: http://heritagemaps.ie/documents/Kildare_LandscapeCharacterAssessment.pdf

Please see Chapter 14.4 of the Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 for more detail on the landscape in Kildare. http://www.kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/Planning/DevelopmentPlans/KildareCountyDevelopmentPlan2017-2023/