Penning-Rowsell E. C. and Hardy D. I. (1973) Landscape evaluation and planning policy: A comparative survey in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Reg. Studies 7, 153–160. Landscape quality is recognized as a resource of increasing value but techniques for its assessment are as yet unsophisticated and untested. Comparisons between existing techniques applied in an area of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty show that operator variance is high but probably not excessive bearing in mind the nature of the techniques. Landscape evaluation methods are shown to be potentially useful in A.O.N.B. designations, and also to complement grant-aided landscape improvement schemes. Existing techniques require improvements allowing for different landscape preferences of landscape users, as well as those allowing the incorporation of many landscape components in final assessments.