7 Landscape and Visual
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Veolia ES Staffordshire Limited Project W2R: Energy Recovery Facility 7 Landscape and Visual 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 This chapter assesses the potential impacts of the energy recovery facility (ERF) facility at Four Ashes on the landscape resource and visual amenity. It addresses the following issues: • Impacts on the landscape resource; • Impacts on the perception of the landscape; and • Impacts on visual amenity. 7.1.2 Landscape impacts are changes in the landscape resource and perception of the landscape, and differ from visual impacts, which relate to the appearance of these changes and the resulting impact on visual amenity. The landscape and visual assessment is organised into the following main sections: • Introduction; • Relevant legislation and policy – this takes into consideration the planning context of the site; • Methodology of the assessment – an assessment of how the assessment has been carried out, with reference to the widely published methodologies and guidelines; • Context of the development – introduction to the study area in general • Project description and mitigation – describing the aspects of the development with the potential to cause an impact on landscape and visual amenity in the study area, and mitigation which has been incorporated into the design. • Assessment of the impacts - including an assessment of impacts on landscape features, perception of the landscape and visual amenity. The potential cumulative impacts associated with other developments are also considered; and • Additional mitigation – addressing any adverse impacts which have been observed through the assessment process which might be further improved by additional mitigation. • Residual effects and conclusion - an overview of the landscape and visual impacts arising from the proposed development. 7.1.3 Consultation with the Natural Environmental Group (Andy Goode, Natural Environmental Group Leader for Staffordshire County Council) has been undertaken, with regards to locations of landscape photomontages. The Natural Environment Group noted that the consented scheme included “the revised Landscape Proposals plan dated July 2008, and the Revised Landscaping Proposals statement dated August 2008, submitted by Enviros. [These] provided an enhanced scheme that formed the basis for achieving an acceptable level of mitigation” . These have therefore been taken into consideration regarding proposed mitigation and additional mitigation in this Chapter and the Landscape Proposals. Environmental Statement August 2010 Volume 1: Main Text 7-1 Veolia ES Staffordshire Limited Project W2R: Energy Recovery Facility 7.2 Relevant Legislation and Policy Landscape Designations 7.2.1 The application site at Four Ashes does not occupy any areas of national landscape designation. However, some parts of the study area (5km radius from the centre of the application site, see paragraph 7.3.4) are subject to designation at the national and local level. National landscape designations are included on Figure 7.1, with conservation areas identified on Figure 7.2. 7.2.2 The site is allocated for employment use in the South Staffordshire Local Plan. A large proportion of the study area, including the mitigation land to the south of the site, is designated as Greenbelt in the Local Plan. However, it should be noted that the site on which the ERF will be constructed is excluded from this designation. Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) 7.2.3 A small part of Cannock Chase AONB (refer to Figure 7.1) lies more than 4km to the northeast of the application site. It is the second smallest AONB in the country; however, it attracts over 1 million people per year, as estimated in the Cannock Chase AONB Visitor Survey (2000). 7.2.4 The area was once the expansive sweep of a great medieval royal hunting forest. Today it is a surprisingly remote area of high sandstone heather and bracken heathland with birch woodland and extensive pine plantations. The heaths are the largest surviving area of heathland in the Midlands and are valuable habitats for various plants and animals. AONB Local Planning Policy 7.2.5 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan - Policy NC3 Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty states that: “The landscape quality of the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its setting will be conserved and enhanced, and its nature conservation and recreational value protected and extended…. The acceptability of development proposals outside the AONB boundary will be assessed with regard to the extent of any adverse impact on the landscape, nature conservation or recreation interest of the AONB.” 7.2.6 South Staffordshire Local Plan – Policy LS12 Cannock Chase AONB – Landscape Conservation and Development Proposals states that: “The District Council will continue to conserve and enhance the landscape and nature conservation interests of the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its setting within South Staffordshire.” Registered Parks and Gardens and Historic Landscape Areas 7.2.7 Chillington, a Registered Park and Garden is located with in the study area, 2.4km from the application site to the southwest. The house was designed and built in the 1760’s. The eighteenth century grounds, designed by Capability Brown, consist of an oak avenue, a serpentine lake and three follies Refer to Figure 7.1. Environmental Statement August 2010 Volume 1: Main Text 7-2 Veolia ES Staffordshire Limited Project W2R: Energy Recovery Facility 7.2.8 The study area also includes several Historic Landscape Areas, designated in the South Staffordshire Local Plan. All or part of the following Historic Landscape Areas are included in the study area (refer to Figure 7.3): • Somerford Park (approximately 1km to the west) (also considered in Chapter 15: Archaeology); • Hilton Park (approximately 3.4km to the south east); • Chillington (approximately 2.4 - 8km to the west); • Stretton Park (approximately 3.9km to the north west); and • Hatherton Hall (approximately 3.9km to the north east). Relevant Local Planning Policy 7.2.9 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan - Policy NC17A Historic Parks and Gardens: Protection states that: “Historic parks and gardens and their settings will be protected from development which would cause harm to their character or appearance. In order to assist in the protection of the character and appearance of recorded sites: (a) an historic landscape appraisal report may be required where development affecting an historic park or garden or its setting is proposed; (b) historic parks and gardens of particular historic design or aesthetic significance may be designated as Conservation Areas to help protect their character and appearance.” 7.2.10 South Staffordshire Local Plan – Policy LS11 Historic Landscapes - Protection of Character and Setting states that: “In considering development proposals within the Historic Landscape Areas defined on the Proposals Map, the District Council will have special regard to the desirability of conserving the historic landscape character and setting of the HLA and of protecting it from unsympathetic sub- division. Development proposals should aim to conserve the landscape character of historic landscapes.” Relevant Local Planning Policy 7.2.11 South Staffordshire Local Plan – Policy LS10 Landscape Improvement Areas - Development Proposals “In considering development proposals within the Landscape Improvement Areas the District Council will seek to ensure that existing landscape features and wildlife habitats are conserved and that new planting of locally native species is provided as part of the development.” Conservation Areas 7.2.12 Part of the village of Brewood (4km away to the west) is designated as a conservation area in the South Staffordshire Local Plan (Adopted 1996). In addition the northern edge of the conservation area that surrounds part of Bushberry Hill in Wolverhampton (refer to Figure 7.3) is designated in the Wolverhampton Unitary Development Plan (adopted 2006). Environmental Statement August 2010 Volume 1: Main Text 7-3 Veolia ES Staffordshire Limited Project W2R: Energy Recovery Facility 7.2.13 The study area also includes sections of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and the Shropshire Union Canal, both of which are designated as Canal Conservation Areas in the South Staffordshire Local Plan. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal lies in close proximity to the site, meandering through the central part of the study area for the assessment, at its closest point this canal lies approximately 130m to the north of the site of the proposed development. The Shropshire Union Canal lies in the western part of the study area, with the closest point lying approximately 3.4 km from the proposed development. 7.2.14 Conservation Areas within 1km of the site are also considered in Chapter 15: Archaeology. Relevant Local Planning Policy 7.2.15 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan - NC19: Conservation Areas states that: “Areas of architectural or historic interest will be designated as Conservation Areas. There will be a presumption in favour of retaining and enhancing buildings, groups of buildings, or other features, including open spaces and views through, into or out of the areas which contribute to their special character, appearance or interest. New development within or adjacent to Conservation Areas should respect, protect and enhance their character and appearance with respect to its height, scale, intensity and materials,