Hart Landscape Capacity Study Appendix 2 Hart District Council (2016) Appendix 2 Hart District Council Landscape Capacity Study Local Area Record Sheets 157 Area Record Sheet - Hart District Council Landscape Capacity Study 2016 Area: BRAMSHILL Local character area: BH-01 – land at Bramshill, Heath Warren & Warren Heath Date of site survey: 27th January 2015 Weather / visibility: partly cloudy / clear Local Plan (saved) policies: GEN 3 – Landscape Character Areas; GEN 10 – Renewables; CON 1 – European Designations; CON 2 - National Designations; CON 3 – Local Designations; CON 4 – Replacement & Habitats; CON 5 - Species Protected by Law; CON 6 – Heathlands; CON 7 – Riverine Environments; CON 8 - Trees, Woodlands & Hedgerows: Amenity Value; CON 10 – Basingstoke Canal; CON 11 – Archaeological Sites & Scheduled Monuments; CON 12 – Historic Parks & Gardens; CON 13 & 14 – Conservation Areas (general policies and demolition of buildings); CON 17 & 18 – Listed Buildings and Buildings of Local Interest; CON 19 - Strategic Gaps; CON 20 – Strategic Gaps: Blackwater Valley; CON 21 – Local Gaps; RUR 2; RUR 3; RUR 4; RUR 5; RUR 8; RUR 10; RUR 11; RUR 12; RUR 13; RUR 24; RUR 30; RUR 31; RUR 32; RUR 33; RUR 34; RUR 38 Hart District Council Landscape Character Area: Bramshill (7) HCC Integrated Landscape Character Assessment Area: 1B North east Plantations & Heath Local Area Characteristics: Narrow plateau running north west to south east with shallow valley sides in the south west to River Hart & north east to River Blackwater Bramshill Park House (former Police training college) listed Grade I plus complex of 9 other listed buildings and structures, 5 of which are Grade 1, with the other 5 being Grade II Bramshill Park is a listed Grade II* park and garden as well as an area with Significant Archaeological Features This area has a high percentage cover of coniferous plantation on former heathland (Warren Heath & Heath Warren Wood) Bramshill Plantation, adjacent to the north of this area, Warren Heath, Heath Warren Wood and Hazeley Heath to the SW of this area are designated as the TBH SPA, and are also designated as a SSSI, with wooded copses designated as SINCs throughout this area This area has a good coverage of PRoW through the SW and NE but are generally absent through the centre Mosaic of small scale grazing fields, often for equestrian use, along the east and west sides of the River Hart valley Landscape designation/s: TBH SPA (approx 40-50% of this area); Bramshill SSSI (approx 40% of this area); 8 x SINC; HBIC Sites of Bio Importance; 8 x BAP Priority Sites; Grade II* Listed Park & Garden; setting of Grade I listed building + many other Grade II and II* listed structures; Flood Zones 2 & 3 – River Hart in SW; Risk of Surface Water Flooding – multiple ribbons throughout, often small (LV =H) 158 VISUAL SENSITIVITY General visibility Population Mitigation potential Views into the site from: Types of receptors (viewers): Opportunity for mitigation and landscape Boundary roads and lanes PRoW users compatibility mitigation: horse riders Limited due to high extent of woodland cover and local road network flood zones in river valley floor Views out of the site to: Magnitude of viewers (level of use and popularity): Impacts of mitigation: Limited due to valley landform to SW and high High usage of central bridleway due to high local Increase in tree cover likely to reduce the farming proportion of woodland cover population of private horse ownership. characteristics which have historic field pattern. Medium to high usage of FP given the amount of Increase in tree cover may also conflict with aims surface wear/erosion of the TBH SPA and Bramshill SSSI Does the site form part of the skyline: Visual perception (activity and expectations of the Yes – tree-scapes local receptors): Horse riding; walking + dogs; mountain biking; nature enthusiasts Expectations are high due to long standing former use of Bramshill Park as a Police Training College Panoramic views: Yes Landmark features: Historic formal avenues and park land; extensive areas of plantation woodland; extensive areas of surface mineral extraction; extensive areas of landscape restoration following mineral extraction Sensitivity score: Sensitivity score: Sensitivity score: H H H Visual sensitivity score: HIGH Additional comments: 159 LANDSCAPE SENSITIVITY Natural factors Cultural factors Perceptual features Topography and landform: Boundary features other than vegetation: Tranquillity – noise intrusion: Narrow plateau/ridge running NW to SE; shallow Local roads and lanes Near centre noise intrusion is almost nil; in dry valley to NE; shallow river valley to SW proximity Geological features: Historic landscapes: Tranquillity – visual intrusion: SW portion has River valley; gravel plateau Bramshill Park listed grade II* Park & Garden low visual intrusion whereas certain areas in north and east visual intrusion is high Soil quality: Parkland features: Tranquillity – light pollution / dark skies: Fertile but narrow river valley floor; the Formal avenues; parkland trees; lakes/ponds Glow from Basingstoke and Reading but remainder of the area has very low to low fertility (closer to main house) otherwise no street lighting in this area Land cover and land use: Conservation Area: Setting of CA/s: Former police training college at Bramshill Park; Eversley Church Farm abuts in the NE Plantation on heath and farming mix of arable and Heath Warren Wood & Warren Heath actively Bramshill abuts in the NW grazing managed for timber crop; much smaller proportion of this area along the River Whitewater valley has farming/grazing use Tree belts, tree groups and individual trees: Landscape features of CA: Scenic quality: Individual and groups of parkland trees associated Mix of farming use Medium as plantation/commercial woodland less with historic parkland; some tree belts within field scenic than a more natural, deciduous woodland; pattern to SW + Southern Electricity Depot in north of area brings industrial characteristics Whitewater valley area however has high scenic qualities Hedgerows and hedgerow trees: Built form: Accessibility via PRoW: Confined to the environs of the river valley Complex of historic structures at Bramshill Park Good although limited to locations near the along with 20th century campus buildings for boundary of this area former police training Woodlands and copses: Setting of Listed Buildings: Open access areas: 160 Many small copse along River Hart valley; Yes – with ‘setting’ widely distributed A large proportion of Heath Warren Wood and Heath Warren Wood and Warren Heath Warren Heath is open access plantation and woodland occupy the majority of this area Wetland and meadow: Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Recreational areas: Along river valley floor Mound at Cudbury Clump No Common Land: Settlement pattern: Adjacent west at Hazeley Lea; Former country house and other structures built Hazeley; by Baron Edward la Zouche early 17th century; and Hazeley Heath converted in 1960s to police training college – otherwise occasional small cottage near perimeter of this area Heathland: Contribution of private gardens to landscape Aesthetic sensitivity – openness / enclosure: Yes – coniferous plantation on former heath as character: Main forestry routes/bridleway very broad with well as heathland no long linear views/but enclosed on the sides; otherwise enclosed Other vegetation cover of significance: Cultural associations: Aesthetic sensitivity – landscape pattern: No High significance historic country house, park and Historic, irregular field pattern along and to the garden/former police training centre; nature sides of the River Hart valley; large expanse of conservation; horse riding; open access areas plantation forestry areas on former heathland Wildlife designations (SPA / SSSI / SINC / SNAW): Features of cultural importance: Remoteness: TBH SPA; Bramshill SSSI; 8 x SINC; HBIC Sites of Various listed buildings; central bridleway/ride Significant feeling of remoteness within areas of Bio Importance across whole area; BAP Priority the plantation. SW area considerably more active, Sites across whole area feeling far less remote Landscape Quality/Condition: SW half relatively intact (areas under farming) although occasional adjacent heathland restoration work give a sense of a landscape in transition; Other information: Sensitivity score (natural factors): Sensitivity score (cultural factors): Sensitivity score (perceptual features): M/H H H 161 Landscape sensitivity score: HIGH Additional comments: The eastern portion of this area, as well as a pocket in the north, demonstrates a ‘landscape at work’. This is due to the uncompromising nature of open- cast minerals extraction which literally wipes the surface landscape away. Once the minerals have been exhausted the land will be restored although the specifics of that would need to be explored via the HCC minerals planning consent. In the north a former minerals extraction area has been used for non- inert waste (so toxic and emitting methane) and has been ‘restored’ for some time. However, the sides of the landfill are engineered slopes so lack a natural appearance and the whole area is fenced off as it these types of facilities are hazardous. To the east of the landfill site is a gas pressure monitoring depot which is industrial in character. Despite these negative features almost the entire area falls under one nature conservation designation or another, with the significant majority being within the TBH SPA and the 400m