Webinar on Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment with Richard Barker

The Irish Landscape Institute webinar series begins 2024 with an exploration of Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment led by Richard Barker.

Richard Barker will briefly cover the purpose, principles and general methodology for undertaking LVIA. He will then focus on current practice and evolutions in LVIA, particularly the use of latest technology and the recent clarifications note prepared in respect of the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA - 2013), which are the basis of LVIA in Ireland and the UK. Finally, there will be a discussion of the crossover between landscape design and LVIA in terms of mitigation strategies and opportunities for biodiversity enhancement.

Richard is originally from New Zealand, but has lived and worked in Ireland for the past 24 years. Having qualified with a broad degree in Enviromental Studies and a Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry, he began working life as Resource Planner for the Marlborough District Council dealing with land disturbance and water abstraction applications. This transferred to town planning in London and Dublin (CAAS) in the early 2000's before seeing the light and completing a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture. Since 2004 Richard has worked for a range of Irish Landscape Architecture firms (Mitchells, Tiros, MosArt) gradually transitioning from landscape design work to LVIA work. Over the past 16 years he has completed LVIA for over 150 wind farms and a similar number of solar farms, along with a broad range of road, water and electrical infrastructure projects and commercial developments. Richard is currently the Divisional Director of Macro Works - part of APEM Group.