Visual impact assessments may be required as a condition of planning permission or a request for further information. Visual Impact assessments occur if a proposed development is situated close to recorded archaeological sites or buildings of built heritage value.

The work involves, assessing sightlines between the relevant locations of archaeological or heritage value and with specific regard to the location, scale and material finishes of the proposed development. This is then assessed according to the degree of impacts and a mitigation strategy is provided to eliminate or minimise any negative impacts of the development. Each strategy is unique to the site, the nearby heritage and the nature of the development.

As part of visual impact assessments, Gregory Archaeology creates a photomontage of the relevant elevations, in which the mid-ground is stripped out of the photograph, a real-time skin is placed on the elevation of the proposed development, inserted into the photograph to correction location and scale and then the mid-ground is reset in it. This provides an accurate visual perspective of the development as completed in relation to the heritage. It assists in assessing the impacts and providing appropriate mitigation strategies.