The SDNPA Landscape Character Assessment was originally prepared for the South Downs Joint Committee, in partnership with the Countryside Agency, English Heritage, Hampshire County Council, West Sussex County Council and East Hampshire District Council by Land Use Consultants
The interaction of physical, historic, natural and social and economic processes,
have in combination created the unique and distinctive character of the South Downs. It is a very complex and landscape with significant local variation and contrast. The great diversity is recognised in the identification of a very large number of landscape types (18). Each of these landscape types has a distinct and relatively homogenous character with similar physical and cultural attributes, including geology, landform, land cover and historic evolution. The landscape types are further subdivided into component landscape character areas. The character areas are discrete geographic areas that possess the common characteristics described for the landscape type. Each character area has a distinct and recognisable local identity.