Landscape and Visual Assessment LAND AT OAKS LANE, POSTWICK NCH Construction Ltd March 2018 Prepared by: Mark Flatman Position: Director Qualifications: CMLI,Chartered Landscape Architecture File name: 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Status: FINAL Date issued: 23rd March 2018 Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick CONTENTS 3.1 Context 3 3.2 Published Landscape Character Assessments 3 3.3 Contribution to Local Landscape Character 11 3.4 Statutory and Non-Statutory Designations 12 3.5 Relevant Planning Applications 13 3.6 Landscape Resource 14 3.7 Visual Resource 15 4.1 General Principles 17 4.2 Proposal 18 4.3 Approach to Mitigation 18 5.1 Identifying the likely Landscape Effects 20 5.2 Susceptibility 20 5.3 Likely Landscape Effects 20 6.1 Identifying the Visual Effects 22 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick 6.2 Likely Visual Effects 23 6.3 Identification of Likely Visual Effects 23 APPENDICES: APPENDIX A FIGURES 1-7 APPENDIX B PUBLISHED LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENTS 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1.1 This Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVA) has been prepared by Liz Lake Associates on behalf of NCH Construction Ltd to address the landscape and visual issues relevant to land at Oaks Lane, Postwick (the Site). The Site is located immediately to the north of the village of Postwick. It is accessed via Oaks Lane to the west of the Site. Adjacent to the northern boundary is the A1042 and to the east is the new sewage works. The Site is situated in a landscape where there are a number of new developments at various stages. 1.1.2 The principal objective of the assessment is to identify the landscape and visual issues of the potential development site and to identify the likely landscape and visual effects of the proposed development and to assess the significance of those effects. 1.1.3 The report considers the existing baseline conditions and seeks to identify the relevant landscape and visual issues applicable to the Site. A Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVA) has been undertaken to assess the likely effects upon the landscape resource, specific views and visual amenity. 1.1.4 An initial site visit was undertaken in October 2017 to review and appraise the context and surroundings. The assessment was made by a Chartered Landscape Architect once the proposals had been sufficiently developed. The weather was overcast with cloud cover. Visibility was moderate. 1.1.5 All photographs were taken with a digital camera, a Canon EOS 400D with a 30mm fixed lens. The 30mm lens is the digital equivalent to a standard 50mm focal length lens with a single lens reflex camera. 1.1.6 Liz Lake Associates is a multi-disciplinary environmental and design consultancy with over 30 years’ experience of master planning, landscape, ecology, urban design, heritage and environmental impact assessment. The company is a registered practice of the Landscape Institute. 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick METHODOLOGY 2.1.1 An LVA of the Site and the development proposals has been prepared, encompassing the ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment’ (GLVIA) 3rd edition (published by the Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment 2013), and ‘Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for England and Scotland’ (published by the Countryside Agency and Scottish National Heritage 2002). In summary, the approach combines information and desktop reviews with on-site surveys and appraisal. 2.1.2 The Site based assessment involves the recording of both objective description and subjective impressions of the landscape, as well as details of the existing landscape condition. It includes an assessment of the extent and nature of views to and from the Site and the type of receptors that experience these views. 2.1.3 The following relevant studies and documents have been considered as part of the desk based review and subsequent assessment: • Natural England – National Character Areas (2014) • Broadland District Council Landscape Character Assessment (2013) 2.1.4 The landscape and visual assessment of the proposed development has been based upon the proposals illustrated on a drawing prepared by JMP Architects Ltd and Liz Lake Associates, as follows: • Proposed Site Plan SK01 – JMP Architects • Proposed Landscape Strategy – Liz Lake Associates 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick 3 EXISTING SITUATION 3.1 Context 3.1.1 The Site is located immediately to the north of Postwick, which is a small village lying to the east of Norwich. Oaks Lane connects the village of Postwick to the A47 Norwich Southern Bypass (NSB) and the A1042 (leading into Norwich via Thorpe St Andrew). 3.1.2 The Site is situated within a wider area that has undergone a series of significant landscape changes over the last few years with major infrastructure development around the Postwick junction on the A47 (the Norwich Southern Bypass), along with the creation of a Park and Ride facility and new developments such as Broadland Business Park, as the edge of Norwich has expanded eastwards. Further allocation of land indicates that more changes will take place. There are currently major changes taking place with the construction of the new Northern Distributor Road (NDR). 3.1.3 South of the A47 the landscape becomes more rural with agricultural fields quickly giving way to smaller villages such as Postwick, with grazing marsh in the winding ribbon of the Yare River corridor (The Broads National Park) approximately 0.5km from the Site. 3.1.4 The Site forms part of a transitional band of land between the wooded estatelands and the marshy valley fringes sloping south towards the valley floor. Beyond the railway line the landform slopes more gently around the village of Postwick and The Broads. 3.2 Published Landscape Character Assessments 3.2.1 A brief summary of the published landscape character assessments in the context of the Site is detailed below. 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick National Character Area: 3.2.2 The site straddles two National Character Area (NCA) profiles; NCA78: Central North Norfolk and NCA80: The Broads as defined by Natural England. NCA 78 follows the Norfolk coastline from Mundesley to Sheringham before heading west in land just above Fakenham, the character area follows a sinuous line and covers the northern half of Norwich before the boundary passes through Aylsham and North Walsham. NCA 80 covers the whole of the Broads National Park. Due to the Site being located within the two character areas, it is useful to review both to gain a full understanding of the landscape area. NCA 78: Central North Norfolk 3.2.3 The key Characteristics of NCA 78 relevant to the Site include: • “A gently undulating, sometimes flat, landscape dissected by river valleys, with the glacial landform of the Cromer Ridge and dramatic coastal cliffs providing distinctive features to the north. • Tranquil agricultural landscape with extensive areas of arable land, dominated by cereals with break-cropping of sugar beet and oilseed rape, and some pastures along valley floors. • Ancient countryside, much of it enclosed by the 16th century, with a sporadically rationalised patchwork field system, sinuous lanes and mixed hedges with hedgerow oaks. • Large number of 18th-century estates with their associated parkland, and a great density and stylistic variety of churches, which are often prominent features of the skyline. • Coherent vernacular architecture – marked by distinctive red brick and flint buildings with pantiled roofs, much dating from the 17th and 18th centuries with some earlier timber frame – is an inherent component of the area’s character. • A mix of villages and many farmhouses within a complex minor road network, with a traditional pattern of market towns connected by main roads, the coastal holiday 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick 5 resorts of Cromer and Sheringham, and the city of Norwich providing a centre for cultural and economic activity. • Dense network of public rights of way including the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path National Trail, with main recreational activity centred on coastal areas.”1 NCA 80: The Broads 3.2.4 The key characteristics of the area relevant to this site include: • “The landscape is low-lying with some areas below sea level and has characteristic open, extensive views over slow meandering rivers, drained marshland and coastal plain in the lower valley flood plain. Views inland are framed by the tree- lined valley ridge lines. • The middle, upper and narrow incised side valley tributaries are small-scale, low and enclosed, often supporting woodland. • Rivers dominate the landscape with the middle and lower river reaches flowing between flood banks, above the level of the surrounding land which is drained by dykes, ditches and pumps. • Woodland cover is generally sparse, especially in the marshland area. Small areas of mainly deciduous woodland occur around the broads. Carr woodland and willow pollards are typical of the wetter areas, while broadleaved woodland is present as copses and plantations on higher land. • Glacial deposits of outwash gravels and till are in many places overlain by peaty, loamy and clayey flood plain alluvial soils. Where drainage has been carried out, the fertile soils support arable production while in the wetter areas grazing marsh is common. 1 National Character Area 78. Natural England. 2014. P6 2047 LVA 18 03 23.docx Landscape and Visual Assessment: Land at Oaks Lane, Postwick • Field patterns are principally defined by drainage over most of the Broads.