Visual impact assessment: A neglected component of environmental impact statements in Ireland?

This paper documents the results of an analysis of Visual Impact Assessments (VIA) within a sample of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) in Ireland. The standard of VIA conducted within the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for three categories of development; piggeries, quarries and urban developments between 1997 and 1999 are evaluated. The extent to which VIA have complied with the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines and disparities between the results for each development category are examined. The survey concluded that (i) the standard of VIA is less comprehensive than might be expected, and (ii) the use of visualization techniques for VIA could be substantially improved.