3D HAMBLE VALLEY

Lower Hamble estuary – a busy water with huge number of moorings. Wooded sides hide the surrounding development from the estuary.

Upper Hamble estuary at Manor farmLower Hamble estuary yacht Saltmarsh behind seawall at Bunny – dense woodland covered valley sidemoorings. meadows. and more rural character than south.

Holly Hill woodland park on steepHigh street – Hambe-le-Rice River crossing Warsash to Hamble-le- wooded valley side. Rice.

Hampshire County 1 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

Hampshire County 2 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

1.0 Location and Boundaries 1.1 This character area stretches from the lowland mosaic of the Forest of Bere through a coastal plain setting, to the junction with Water at Warsash. Its edges are defined by the top of the predominantly wooded valley sides.

1.2 Component County Landscape Types River Valley Floor, Coastal Plain Enclosed (majority of valley side) Intertidal Estuary and Harbour, Coastal Reclaim and Grazing Marsh, Settlement, Lowland Mosaic Medium Scale, Lowland Mosaic Small Scale, Lowland Mosaic Open.

1.3 Composition of Borough/District LCAs: Winchester CC BC Durley Upper Hamble Valley Woodlands (forms western Lower Hamble Valley boundary) Warsash Village (western part) BC Green (eastern part) Hamble Valley Old (eastern slopes) Hamble Common (part)

The extent of this LCA is compatible with the Eastleigh and Fareham District assessments. The County assessment boundary passes through built up settlement hence only part of the urban related character areas are included that are on the valley sides. The valley is fairly small in scale by the time it passes into the Winchester City Council land and there is only a small section in this area. It is not picked out as a valley character area in the City assessment because of its scale, but it makes sense to identify the head of the valley in this County assessment.

1.4 Associations with NCAs and Natural Areas:: NCA 128: Lowlands NA 75: and Hampshire Lowlands

2.0 Key Characteristics • Well defined strong valley landform with dense semi natural woodland which clothes the valley sides and tops. • A lively, colourful and distinctive yachting character provided by the huge numbers of yachts and boat moorings, yards, and marinas and intensively used waters for recreation.

Hampshire County 3 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

• Large detached residences set within mature woodland along the valley tops and water’s edge with substantial gardens and secluded character. • The river valley varies from a bustling vibrant yachting scene in the southern reaches to secluded narrow creeks in its upper reaches with woodland overhanging the shore. • High quality waterside conservation areas – and popular visitor areas. • An abundance of waterside public access sites. • Extremely rich and cognitive associations with a long naval boat building and safe anchorage history now supplanted by a vibrant recreational yachting environment. • International and national wildlife designations associated with the estuary, intertidal habitats and semi natural woodland in upper reaches.

3.0 Physical Characteristics and Landuse 3.1 The Hamble valley passes through sands and clay formations of the Bracklesham Group at its head, and then through a wide band of London Clay. Moving further south, into the setting of the coastal plain, the geology is mainly of sandsilts and clays overlain by river terrace gravel deposits of the Pleistocene associated with river. These river terrace gravels extend in patches up the valley (further north than in the surrounding Forest of Bere landscape) and along with the valley floor give rise to brick earth and loamy/clay soils which have a high agricultural soil quality. The valley sides are less distinct than further south and of a varied topography with small hills and ridges creating a small scale landscape. The valley is deepest around Bursledon, around 35m and becomes gradually lower towards the coast. At Warsash the geology and soils are distinctly more sandy and lighter.

3.2 The heavily wooded river valley sides are characteristic along the valleys length and heighten the valley side tops creating a strong sense of enclosure. Below the M27 the valley sides are well settled but in an enduring wooded setting. Further north as well as woodland, permanent pasture is very dominant on the undulating valley sides. The southern area – associated with the eastern side and the sandier lighter soil around Warsash has established as an important area for strawberry cultivation –although the area is much reduced from 20th C development. At harvest time, some of the ship building workforce were employed in the strawberry fields. The river use is also distinctly different along its course. To the south of the motorway, it is dominated by associated recreational boating and yachting with hundreds of moorings and numerous boat yards, marinas and slips. To the north exploitation of the river and shore is minimal with woodland often sweeping down to the shore edge. The river is popular with anglers and bait digging especially on the east side. Commercial shell fishing takes place at the entrance to the estuary – including oyster beds.

3.3 The Hamble is a relatively short river with a small catchment area that stretches virtually to the edge of the Meon valley and Horton Heath and Fair Oak. There are several tributaries to the north which are chalk spring fed. To the east tributaries run from Shedfield and from Swanwick in the south and confluence at Curbridge. The water becomes tidal at Botley Mill and there is an insignificant sediment input into the Solent from the Hamble as it has relatively stable discharges. Hook spit is a good example of a recurved spit induced from the northwest direction of long shore

Hampshire County 4 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

drift. It has grown north eastwards constricting the entrance to the Hamble and enclosing Hook lakes.

4.0 Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics 4.1 A landscape visually contained by the wooded valley sides giving a natural setting to the valley floor. There are extensive views up and down the estuary but few places from the top of the valley where there are views across it. Because of the visual enclosure, the character area feels distinctly separate from its surrounding landscapes especially in the southern half. Further north the landscape is more contained because of the narrow tributary valleys.

4.2 This character area is rich in access provision and has a wealth of attractions and sites with public access. Sites include; Manor Farm Country Park, Holly Hill (fine example of late Victorian villa wooded landscape), Bunny Meadows, local nature reserve (waterside access with saltmarsh and saline lagoons), Hamble common giving superb views across the Solent. The area is rich in promoted trails and walks such as the Hamble trail, Cobbett trail – centred around Botley, and Strawberry trail which is a circular route. There are limited multi user routes – but Manor farm offers permissive horse riding routes. There is a ferry crossing from Warsash to Hamble. Access to the water is excellent with some public slips, above Bursledon access is limited by the 3 bridge crossings and limited to small craft.

4.3 The valley offers different experiences along its length in term of tranquillity. South of the M27 the waterside scene is bustling, colourful and can sometimes feel crowded. The upper reaches offer a tranquil wooded setting which in contrast; is intimate, a sense of being natural, and quiet. Although close to the conurbation of Southampton the valley forms a strong separating landscape from the rural land of the southern coastal plain and Forest of Bere to the north. The wooded valley sides, and predominantly natural waterside edge, impart a strong sense of naturalness.

5.0 Biodiversity Character 5.1 The , from its mouth to Botley in the north, is designated as part of the Solent Maritime SAC which encompasses a major estuarine system on the south coast of . The Hamble comprises one of four coastal plain estuaries designated as part of the SAC and is also in part designated as the Solent and Southhampton Waters RAMSAR supporting internationally important numbers of wintering waterfowl, important breeding gull and tern populations and an important assemblage of rare invertebrates and plants. The Solent and its inlets are unique in Britain and Europe for their hydrographic regime of four tides each day, exhibiting an unusual strong double tidal flow and long periods of slack water at high and low tides as well as the complexity of the marine and estuarine habitats present within the area. Sediment habitats within the estuaries include extensive estuarine flats, often with intertidal areas supporting eelgrass and green algae, sand and shingle spits, and natural shoreline transitions. The Lincegrove and Hackett’s Marsh SSSI (structurally one of the best examples of mature saltmarsh on the south coast comprising saltmarsh grass, sea lavender, thrift, sea aster and sea club-rush), and Lee-on-the-Solent to Itchen Estuary SSSI (supporting an outstanding assemblage of nationally scarce coastal plants comprising extensive intertidal muds with a littoral fringe of vegetated shingle, saltmarsh, reedbed, marshy grasslands and deciduous

Hampshire County 5 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

woodland) cover parts of these sediment habitats. Overall, the mudflats range from low and variable salinity in the upper reaches of the estuaries to sheltered almost fully marine muds in Chichester and Langstone Harbours.

5.2 Another SSSI in this character area is the Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods SSSI comprising the uppermost section of the estuary of the River Hamble and its flanking zones of saltmarsh, reedswamp and ancient semi-natural woodland. Twelve types of ancient broadleaved woodland occur in the SSSI and collectively comprise one of the most ecologically diverse woodland areas in central southern England. The diversity of woodland types has given rise to an exceptionally species-rich ground flora including one of the richest sites for ancient woodland vascular plants in Hampshire.. A few small areas of unimproved neutral grassland occur along the river, supporting species indicative of long established permanent pastures while the gradation from ancient semi-natural woodland to estuarine saltmarsh is a nationally rare feature. On the Hamble the upper saltmarsh is dominated by sea couch-grass.

5.3 Beyond specific designations there is habitat variation. In the north of the area, there are significant patches of improved grassland with some arable land and unimproved grasslands, some of which are neutral, associated. The river channel is well wooded here, with broadleaved woodland, small patches of which are ancient and semi- natural woodland. There are occasional orchards and residential land here too. Further south, the area becomes more urban in character around Botley before once again opening out into an agricultural landscape of improved grassland and arable land, which is more common here than further north. The river channel changes in character south of Botley, with an open, unwooded character and a wider channel. The river channel from here to the south, has an intertidal character, its banks comprise intertidal mud and sands, with some patches of continuous saltmarsh, reflecting proximity to . There is a long strip of engineered coastal defence here.

5.4 Away from the river channel there is a mixture of agricultural land, supporting improved grasslands, arable land and nurseries and patches of urban development, comprising mainly residential land which provides habitat variation through gardens. There are patches of woodland throughout the area, mainly broadleaved woodland but also parklands, sometimes over improved grassland. Within the woodland there are small ponds, patches of tall herbs and acid grasslands.

5.5 The Hamble Catchment BOA covers much of this landscape character area, particularly in the south. A number of the SSSIs and SINCs are covered, supporting a variety of open and woodland habitats.

5.6 There are over 40 SINCs in this landscape character area designated for a variety of habitats including ancient and semi-woodlands, unimproved grasslands and coastal habitats with some wetland habitats and habitats which support notable species. There are three local nature reserves in this character area: Hackett’s Marsh, Hook with Warash and Mercury Markers.

6.0 Historic Character 6.1 Archaeology

Hampshire County 6 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

6.1.1 Current evidence suggests that, in the Mesolithic, the coastal plain (including the Hamble valley), was exploited and that the valley edge was a preferred location, although it is probable that there are currently unrecorded Mesolithic sites beneath the alluvial deposits in the floodplain. Similarly in the Neolithic period there are no sites or settlements in the valley, but the presence of artefacts suggests that the valley continued to be utilised.

6.1.2 There is evidence of Bronze Age sites and settlements in the valley, and it appears that parts of the valley may have been settled and farmed. The burial mounds tend to the high ground to the west on the high heath that lies between the two river valleys. This pattern probably continues into the Iron Age, with a hillfort on the high ground to the west between the two valleys.

6.1.3 There is an important Roman site at Fairthorne which is both at the highest navigable point of the river and also where the Roman road crosses the valley. It would appear that this may be a transhipment point. There are kilns at the site and kilns in the wooded landscape to the east and this may explain the activity on the river front.

6.1.4 In the medieval period it would appear that settlement was dispersed, and at the southern end of the valley the presence of the Hamble priory indicates that the area was sufficiently poorly utilised to make it a suitable gift to a monastic establishment. Along the water’s edge there were extensive salt workings which stretched from Hamble point to Steeple Court at Botley and particularly above Bursledon in the Medieval and post Medieval periods. Many sites have since been redeveloped as marinas/boatyards south of the M27 or have regressed to saltmarsh and mudflats such as Hackett marshes.

6.1.5 In terms of industrial naval maritime history, the estuary was a centre for warship and merchant shipping construction and refurbishment since the time of Kink Alfred, with numerous associations with famous vessels included warships in the 100 years war such as Grace Dieu and Holigost, the Great Harry (King Henry V111’s flagship), the Elephant (Nelson’s flagship at the battle of Copenhagen), and construction of men o’war during the 18th and 19th centuries. Some of the famous boatyards with a long established history were located at Bursledon and Warsash and the surrounding woodland was an important source of timber, although iron and steam ship building in the latter 19th century saw the decline of building in wood. In 1799 the construction of Burseldon bridge limited the viability of yards to the south of the crossing but they continued to build small local craft; including small submarines or X boats and gun boats during WW2, and later supported the new yachting industry. The scene today is dominated by recreational yachting with modern marinas and pontoons and a myriad of yachts.

6.2 Historic Landscape 6.2.1 Much of the landscape around Warsash, Hamble, Bursledon and Lower Sarisbury had a pattern of irregular fields probably enclosed by 1800 as a result of assarting influenced by the importance of the area for shipbuilding. Many of the field boundaries are either hedged or bounded by woodland between the M27 and Botley/Curbridge and there has been little alteration since 1850. In contrast the field pattern to the south is different, altered by late 19th century houses with views

Hampshire County 7 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

over the Hamble and more extensive 20th century development which has subsumed much of the original fieldscape.

6.2.2 A striking contrast between the estuary side landscape of 1850 and today is the reduced area of coastal grazing marsh which has become subject to more frequent tidal inundation and the formation of saltmarsh and mudflats such as at Bunny meadows. Here the long sinuous embankment was lowered in 1946 and a series of culverts or bunnies developed to allow regular tidal inundation. In addition a subsequent reduction in mudflat and saltmarsh as occurred more recently as a result of the development of five marinas on the lower part of the Hamble together with boatyard development.

6.2.4 The Hook, which overlooks the Solent, is one of the most significant parks in this area and although the main house has gone, the walls to the walled gardens and much of the parkland survive. Other significant parks on the eastern side of the Hamble include Brooklands and Holly Hill, a nineteenth century woodland garden with a series of ponds and artificial rockwork known as pulhamite. Further up the Hamble is Fairthorne Manor which was owned and planted with trees by William Cobbett when he lived at Botley.

6.3 Built Environment 6.31. The nucleated valley settlements south of Bursledon bridge (originally constructed in 1799) have strong boat building origins. Hamble and Hook were originally port settlements flanking the entrance to the estuary. The entrance around Hook has silted up over the years arresting its development and separating it from the estuary. Bursledon and Warsash became the main location for boat yards on the Hamble. Bursledon is an irregular row settlement and has a large conservation area stretching down to the water which also includes large detached villas overlooking the estuary. The settlements south of the M27 have been subject to large scale 20th century development up the valley sides while there has been comparatively little development along and on the estuary side of these settlements. Botley retains a historically cohesive core with architecture of Tudor, Stuart, and some Georgian architectural origin. The settlements tended to develop in a linear fashion up the valley sides along principle east west transport routes such as the A27 and A3051 and mostly on the western side of the river with close links to Southampton. The relatively steep valley sides, deep sided tributaries and lack of a river terrace meant that north south routes are near the top of the valley.

6.3.2 The wooded estuary setting and renouned recreational sailing qualities of the local area attracted wealthy people and retired naval officers and the development of some large villas.

6.3.3 Brick making was an important local industry. The Bursledon brick factory is located at Swanwick, although much reduced in scale now and the prominent chimneys now demolished. Many of the local houses have a pattern of red and grey headers.

Hampshire County 8 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

EVALUATION

7.0 Forces for Change 1. New housing development mainly small scale and the cumulative impact of small infill sites to settlement morphology. 2. Pressure from urban fringe use related activities and continuing pressure associated with yachting visitors. 3. Climate change, in particular increase in frequency of storms and tidal inundation, sea level.

KEY QUALITIES AND EFFECTS OF FORCES 7.1 The valley and estuary are extremely important for biodiversity, recognised by the high proportion of designations in the area - international RAMSAR, SAC and SPA of the channel and intertidal areas and the upper reaches for the transition and variety of ancient semi natural woodland and differing base/acid status of the three principal headwaters. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 2.3 Threats: Changes to water flow rates of springs as a result of climate change and abstraction, altering waterside vegetation. Diffuse pollution from sediment and nutrient, nitrogen, pollutants and pesticides. Changing salinity levels and physical damage to coastal habitats particularly in lower reaches of the Meon valley from sea level rise and tidal inundation. Pressure for waterside marina and yacht industry related development on the shoreline. Greater instance of weather extremes affecting water levels and adverse implications for river valley floor habitats.

Opportunities: Agri-environment schemes could target land management to address diffuse pollution. The breaches/culverts which Increase tidal flow into Bunny meadows required to maintain the saltmarsh habitat need to be sensitively designed. Potential for Heathland creation, e.g. Hamble Common, but generally opportunities are limited as the physical conditions are inappropriate. It is important to maintain water levels and river valley floor habitat with sensitive abstraction and supply particularly through monitoring and management of surface water run off quality in particular Nutrient, Manure and Crop protection Management Plans. Potential to influence conservation and enhancement projects to link wetland related habitats and new potential and compensatory areas from coastal squeeze such as, coastal grazing marsh, saltmarsh, fen carr, wet woodland, reed beds, purple moor grass and wet rush pastures, influencing bioengineering design solutions to the water channel edge.

7.2 The visible tangible remains, associations with the rich maritime and boat building heritage and strong historic association with the surrounding woodland as a raw material. The early naval port and recent history as a centre for recreational sailing. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: All Threats: The importance of the historic landscape setting to the numerous conservation areas within the valley from residential development and changes to the waterside from Hampshire County 9 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

predicted sea level rise and increased likelihood of tidal inundation. Pressure for marina development and hardening of stretches of the shore to accommodate more waterside development and loss of remaining natural and wooded shoreline. Continuation of decline of house boats on the Hamble from pressure for yacht moorings.

Opportunities: Raise awareness of the close historic association and landscape in local level assessment work and explore the possibility of incorporating the landscape setting into the conservation areas. Support proposals for improvements to the conservation areas in Conservation Area Appraisals building on past improvement to townscape areas. Maintenance and replacement of existing flood structures to protect marinas and waterside development needs to be sympathetically designed.

7.3 Attractive waterside settlements of the Hamble, Warsash, Bursledon and Lower Swanwick villas, and Tudor/Stuart and Georgian architecture of Botley – which are magnets for visitors and the sailing community. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.2 Threats: Backland development reducing the leafy and low development density of Lower Swanwick and Bursledon. Pressure on the landscape for development between and Lower Swanwick and between Bursledon and Hamble and settlement coalescence. Fluctuations in the recreational sailing economy could jeopardise the economic vitality of the estuary waterside businesses.

Opportunities: Maximising the green infrastructure potential of the local gaps by co-ordinated stewardship between different land holders could help with retaining a visual break between settlement and provision of ocally accessible natural green space. The existing recent high quality public realm works in the waterside conservation areas is important to the attractiveness of these areas and perhaps could be extended.

7.4 The valley and estuary are extremely important for biodiversity, recognised by the high proportion of designations in the area - international RAMSAR, SAC and SPA of the channel and intertidal areas and the upper reaches for the transition and variety of ancient semi natural woodland and differing base/acid status of the three principal headwaters. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 2.3 Threats: Changes to water flow rates of springs as a result of climate change and abstraction, altering waterside vegetation. Diffuse pollution from sediment and nutrient, nitrogen, pollutants and pesticides. Changing salinity levels and physical damage to coastal habitats particularly in lower reaches of the Meon valley from sea level rise and tidal inundation. Pressure for waterside marina and yacht industry related development on the shoreline. Greater instance of weather extremes affecting water levels and adverse implications for river valley floor habitats.

Opportunities: Agri-environment schemes could target land management to address diffuse pollution.

Hampshire County 10 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley

The breaches/culverts which Increase tidal flow into Bunny meadows required to maintain the saltmarsh habitat need to be sensitively designed. Potential for Heathland creation, e.g. Hamble Common, but generally opportunities are limited as the physical conditions are inappropriate. It is important to maintain water levels and river valley floor habitat with sensitive abstraction and supply particularly through monitoring and management of surface water run off quality in particular Nutrient, Manure and Crop protection Management Plans. Potential to influence conservation and enhancement projects to link wetland related habitats and new potential and compensatory areas from coastal squeeze such as, coastal grazing marsh, saltmarsh, fen carr, wet woodland, reed beds, purple moor grass and wet rush pastures, influencing bioengineering design solutions to the water channel edge.

7.5 The wealth of high quality waterside access and contrast of experience between the bustling southern reaches and intimate wooded sides and creeks of the upper reaches. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1 Threats: Sea level rise and coastal erosion of linear waterside access such as at Bunny meadows. The wooded valley crests are particularly vulnerable to development and tall structures – which would alter the predominantly natural backdrop to the valley.

Opportunities: Coastal access realignments that can be incorporated in to coastal retreat and which also retain/increase areas of intertidal habitat. A sensitive approach to marketing the Hamble valley as a tourist destination so as to retain its natural charm and wildlife interest with visitor demands. Maximising the green infrastructure function of the local gaps in the area by co-ordinated stewardship between different land holders could help with CAP issues and provision of local accessible natural green space. Encourage local level assessment work to identify valued views particularly associated with valley crests, settings to village conservation areas, estuary views.

Hampshire County 11 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Hamble Valley