The East of England Landscape Character Typology draws on a range of data including local Landscape Character Assessments, Historic Landscape Characterisation, biodiversity, and rural settlement datasets. Ecological character was gained through analysis of data associated with designated sites, the extent of semi-natural habitats and biodiversity opportunity mapping. Settlement character was defined through the analysis of the mix of settlement types and the size of nucleation in each landscape character type.

This information was supplemented with local knowledge and understanding of the landscape generated through consultation events. The fundamental building block of the Framework at the landscape level is the Land Description Unit (LDU). LDUs are distinct and relatively homogenous units of land, each defined by a series of definitive attributes, so called because they define the extent of each spatial unit. There are four definitive attributes at the 1:250,000 scale. These encapsulate both the underlying natural (landform and ground type) and cultural (landcover and settlement pattern) dimensions of the landscape.