Our legacy isn't just dictated by the passage of time.
We have been part of Wales's development and conservation for 120 years.
We believe that our projects will not be measured in decades of work, but generations of benefit.
Come and explore some projects below that we believe will leave a legacy for future generations.
Our Legacy
LANDMAP Wales
Its quite a story put together like that. It gives such a sense of achievement and benefit to Wales. Powerful. thank you for showcasing LANDMAP.
- Jill Bullen
Natural Resources Wales
Pioneering Change
How LANDMAP Changed the Way Wales Understands Landscape.
The concept of landscape may only seem to go so far – you might envisage hills, coastlines, historic terrain and areas of national beauty.
However, behind the rich, historical landscape we call home, there is an absolute plethora of data including geology, habitats, history, visual, culture and the experiences that make every place unique.
Almost 30 years ago, Wales recognised the need for a consistent, standardised approach to landscape assessment and decision-making.
With this, Natural Resources Wales (then Countryside Commission for Wales [CCW]) commissioned a pilot study in 1997.
How it Started
TACP was part of the pilot study team working with CCW.
It involved the collection of a vast amount of landscape data within the Western Llŷn Peninsula, and plotting it digitally.
This Pilot study would position TACP as a key partner in the planning and development of the LANDMAP approach to characterise and map the Welsh Landscape.
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Creating Wales' Largest Landscape Dataset.
TACP has conducted LANDMAP studies throughout the following Welsh counties:
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Newport
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Gwynedd
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Anglesey
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Snowdonia
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Pembrokeshire/PCNP
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Powys - Montgomeryshire
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Wrexham
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Carmarthenshire
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Denbighshire
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Radnoreshire
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Torfaen
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Bridgend
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Caerphilly
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Swansea
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Brecknockshire
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What we’ve delivered:
Completing Initial Assessments for the Western Llŷn Peninsula.
Delivering some of the earliest LANDMAP assessments, including Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2002.
Supporting training alongside partner organisations.
Producing Change Detection Packs to monitor landscape change.
Developing the NRW Guidance Note on LANDMAP and Special Landscape Areas.
Providing ongoing quality assurance of data
Underpinning the designation of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape (former Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
Developing Supplementary Planning Guidance and planning documents for local authorities.
This data is crucial for informed decisions and considerations which underpin Local Development Plans, strategies and environmental impact assessments.
LANDMAP – more than a database.
Behind every assessment is extensive fieldwork.
As an environmental consultancy, TACP's team has spent countless hours surveying the Welsh hills, valleys, coastlines and towns, recording the landscape habitats and visual and sensory aspects that define each place.
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This boots-on-the-ground approach has been the cornerstone of LANDMAP's growth and has ensured its presence as a valuable resource for Wales' landscape.
By providing a shared understanding of landscape character, LANDMAP helps ensure change respects the qualities that make places distinctive, and that decisions can be made with precision.
Where we are now
LANDMAP has come a long way since its early years, and TACP has been with it the entire time.
All of our landscape assessments and appraisals at TACP are powered by LANDMAP data which informs planning decisions and determines Local Authority designated sites, such as SINCs, Special Landscape Areas, and so on.
This rich data is then used to influence planning applications, developments, and Local Development Plans.
What LANDMAP Means to Us
LANDMAP is a lasting legacy of Welsh Government vision.
Playing an instrumental role in its development and success over the last 30 years remains one of TACP's proudest achievements.
As we celebrate our 120 years, LANDMAP stands as a clear example of how collaboration and a common goal can not only create something that lasts, but continues to push boundaries and benefit the Welsh landscape and its inhabitants for generations to come.
Our Legacy
A465 Heads of the Valley
Our biggest project yet.
Some projects are measured by the day they open.
Others are measured by the legacy they leave behind.
For more than three decades, TACP has helped shape the A465 Heads of the Valleys programme - one of Wales' largest and most significant infrastructure projects.
From our involvement on the earliest sections in the early 1990s through to the completion of Sections 5 and 6 in 2026, we've provided landscape architecture, environmental planning and ecological expertise that has helped create benefits extending far beyond the carriageway.
This is the story of continuity, collaboration and lasting impact.
Section 1
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trees and shrubs planted
Creating new woodland, strengthening ecological networks and helping integrate the road into the surrounding landscape.
Flood management ponds
Designed to improve water management while creating valuable habitat for wildlife.
Construction waste diverted from landfill
Delivering more sustainable construction practices throughout the programme.
Demolition material recycled
Maximising the reuse of resources and reducing waste.
Earth reused on site
Minimising imports and exports while reducing environmental impacts.
New active travel routes
Providing safer walking and cycling connections for local communities.
Spent with local businesses
Supporting economic growth throughout the Heads of the Valleys region.
Students engaged in STEM education
Helping inspire the next generation of engineers, environmental professionals and designers.
Designing with Nature
Environmental stewardship was never an afterthought—it was fundamental to the programme.
Protected species including Marsh Fritillary butterflies, dormice, bats and great crested newts were considered from the earliest stages of design. Habitat creation, ecological connectivity and species protection were integrated throughout the project, alongside innovative approaches to soil management, peat protection and landscape restoration.