Proposed Residential Development, Land Off Lightwood Road, Yoxall

GLADMAN DEVELOPMENTS LTD

PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, LAND OFF LIGHTWOOD ROAD, YOXALL

Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment

January 2015 5448.LVIA.003.VF

The copyright of this document remains with Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd. The contents of this document therefore must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part for any purpose without the written consent of Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd.

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd Hardwick Business Park Noral Way Banbury Oxfordshire OX16 2AF

t 01295 276066 f 01295 265072

e [email protected] w www.aspect-landscape.com

CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

2 INTRODUCTION 7

3 LANDSCAPE RELATED POLICY BACKGROUND 8

4 BASELINE ASSESSMENT 29

5 IMPACT ASSESSMENT & VISUAL ANALYSIS 52

6 CHARACTER ASSESSMENT 71

7 CONCLUSIONS 77

ASPECT PLANS

PLAN ASP1 SITE AND SETTING PLAN ASP2 OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS PLAN ASP3 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 ASPECT LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT METHODOLOGY APPENDIX 2 VISUAL ASSESSMENT

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1. Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd has been appointed by Gladman Developments Ltd to undertake a landscape and visual impact assessment of the proposed residential development off Lightwood Road, Yoxall, a small village located on the A515 some 7miles north of Lichfield.

1.2. A detailed appraisal of the surrounding study area has been undertaken using Ordnance Survey data, historical map data, and local policy and published character assessments. This has informed the on-site field analysis to identify key viewpoints, analyse the landscape character and visual environment of the local area, and determine the extent and significance of any potential landscape and visual effects.

1.3. The site is located on the western edge of Yoxall, to the north of the River Trent and comprises 7.36ha of agricultural land divided into 3 fields by well established hedgerows and mature hedgerow trees.

1.4. Public footpaths (including sections of Long Distance Routes) lie adjacent to the site’s northern, eastern and western boundaries.

1.5. The site boundaries are defined by established hedgerows and trees which both contain and filter views towards the site. Ferrers Field playing field adjoins the northern site boundary.

1.6. To the east, residential development associated with the wider urban area of Yoxall adjoins the site boundary forming a prominent feature within views from the west.

1.7. The western site context is characterised by open countryside, and a pattern of regular pastoral fields bound by an established network of hedgerows and pockets of woodland.

1.8. The application site falls within the planning jurisdiction of East Staffordshire Borough Council and specifically their Local Plan 2006, using saved policies from 2009.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

1.9. Landscape character assessments of relevance to the application site are the National Character Area 68: Needwood & South Derbyshire Claylands and the Settled Farmlands LCT from the Planning for Landscape Change: SPG to the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Structure Plan, Volume 3: Landscape Descriptions (2000).

1.10. There are no statutory designations which affect the application site. The site falls within the National Forest Boundary.

1.11. The proposed development comprises 192 dwellings at a density of 30 units per Ha with 30% being affordable homes. The scheme is split up into 3 land parcels on the application site relating to the site’s agricultural regular field pattern. Primary vehicular access will be from Bondfield Lane with a secondary access point from off the Lightwood Road estate. These access points serve a main feeder loop from which quieter residential closes and cul de sacs lead off. There will be a low density development of dwellings made up of a mixture of detached, semi-detached, and terraced properties alongside associated garages, a new road layout, an enhanced public footpath network and a comprehensive green infrastructure including attenuation pond, public open space and children’s play.

1.12. Key green infrastructure proposals which form important mitigation measures are summarised as follows:

 The retention of existing landscape features, such as boundary and internal field hedgerows and mature hedgerow trees to retain local distinctiveness and the rural setting of the site.

 The reinforcement of the site’s hedgerow field boundaries including the addition of hedgerow trees to enhance visual amelioration and screening.

 Formation of new landscape buffer corridors to accommodate the existing and retained public and permissive footpaths.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

 The provision of major public open spaces including a neighbourhood park and an informal attenuation pond wildlife area. These will also serve to promote a rural character and provide gateway elements for the village from the western approach of Bondfield Lane.

1.13. The application site is well visually contained due to prevailing topography, intervening builtform and established vegetative structures around its site boundaries and within its immediate setting. These substantially limit the visibility of the site to views from the immediate locality, these views being from the adjacent Public Rights of Way.

1.14. The high ground in the west allows for more wider ranging views into the site, however, for the most part these views are seen within the context of the existing settlement edge of Yoxall, and also seen as a minor component within the wider landscape context. Views of the existing residential built up edge form a prominent feature within the surrounding visual environment and as such the proposals will be seen as in keeping with that which exists at present.

1.15. The proposals have sought to promote a sensitive and considered development approach, maintaining a level and layout of development which both respects and enhances the setting of the receiving environment and the localised context.

1.16. It is important to note that views from the west will see the prominent ridgeline of Town Hill still commanding the skyline and retaining the dominant character within the scene, acting as backdrop to the subservient new settlement edge of Yoxall.

1.17. Key views out of the site are to the south and to the east, which are important visual amenities to be retained especially along public footpaths and major public open spaces. Where feasible, it is recommended that channelled, glimpsed or indeed wider views towards the elevated wooded terrain in the east and the lowland Trent Valley to the south should be retained from these key locations.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

1.18. Overall it is considered that the development will generally have a significance of effect of moderate to moderate / minor upon the visual environment and that effects will be limited to the immediate setting of the site.

1.19. The character of the eastern section of the site is heavily influenced by its proximity to the existing urban edge and in particular the residential properties of the Lightwood Road estate. In addition the northern section of the site adjoins the Ferrers Field playing fields which also imparts a peri-urban influence.

1.20. The presence of these existing urban edges detracts from the tranquillity and character of the site in these areas, promoting an urban fringe sub-character area, which relates more readily to the existing built up area of the village.

1.21. Sensitivity increases towards the higher western realms where a more tranquil and remote feeling is present. Similarly towards the southern boundary there is a quintessential rural ambience which permeates from the narrow winding Bondfield Lane and its hedgerowed enclosure.

1.22. Within the central and greater area of the site, sensitivity decreases as the sense of openness takes on a distinctively agricultural landscape scene. The scale of the landscape is considered to be medium and is of simple character and low in diversity. It is considered to be an unremarkable rural landscape and typical of the agricultural hinterland surrounding the village.

1.23. Overall this site specific assessment considers the application site to have a medium to high capacity to change with a low sensitivity in terms of landscape character. The magnitude of change is considered to be high providing a moderate / minor significance of effect upon landscape character.

1.24. The development proposals will redefine Yoxall’s western settlement edge and the sensitive reinforcement of the western field boundary will create a softened transition between the proposal and the wider

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

countryside setting. Indeed it is considered that this new rural urban interface will be enhanced and provide a more diffused relationship with greater sense of place to that which exists at present.

1.25. The green infrastructure proposals seek to retain the village’s rural setting and ambience. The elements which contribute most towards the landscape character of the site will be retained and enhanced, these being the strong network of hedgerow field enclosures and associated mature hedgerow trees. These existing linear elements will not only form wildlife corridors but also provide a sense of identity to the scheme in addition to conveying a local distinctiveness reflecting the enclosure of the original agricultural field patterns.

1.26. A significant component of the green infrastructure proposals will be the provision of two key major public open spaces along the southern boundary. Public Open Space to the south west will provide the main provision of open space whilst an informal public open space incorporating an attenuation pond will be located to the south east. These high quality landscapes will promote an over-riding rural ambience and provide subtle gateway elements to the threshold of the Yoxall village as experienced from the western approach of Bondfield Lane.

1.27. Given the need for housing within the district, the application site represents an appropriate and logical extension to the settlement that will not compromise the integrity of the open countryside setting of Yoxall nor its heritage assets.

1.28. The proposals have incorporated a landscape led approach, with careful consideration given to the location of the proposed open space areas, the retention and enhancement of the existing boundary vegetation and new structure planting within the site. These features ensure that the proposals can be accommodated within this setting without detriment to the quality and character of the receiving environment.

1.29. It is considered that the application site and receiving environment have the capacity to accommodate the proposals. The proposals will not

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

result in significant harm to the landscape character or visual environment and, as such, it is considered that the proposed development can be successfully integrated in this location, is supportable from a landscape and visual perspective, and therefore meets the landscape requirements of both national and local planning policy.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1. Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd has been appointed by Gladman Developments Ltd to undertake a landscape and visual impact assessment of the proposed residential development off Lightwood Road, Yoxall, a small village located on the A515 some 7miles north of Lichfield. The location and context of the application site is illustrated on ASP1 Site and Setting.

2.2. A detailed appraisal of the surrounding study area has been undertaken using Ordnance Survey data, historical map data, local policy and published character assessments. This has informed the on-site field analysis to identify key viewpoints, analyse the landscape character and visual environment of the local area, and determine the extent and significance of any potential landscape and visual effects.

2.3. The assessment of effects has been derived from guidance provided within GLVIA3 (Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment 3 Edition) published by the Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment in April 2013. The methodology is contained within Appendix 1 of this document.

2.4. This assessment should be read alongside the other supporting material which accompanies this application.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3. LANDSCAPE RELATED POLICY

National Policy National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012)

3.1. The NPPF aims to provide one concise document which sets out the Governments planning policies for England by replacing previous Planning Policy Guidance (PPGs) and Planning Policy Statements (PPSs). It aims to provide a planning framework within which the local community and local authorities can produce distinctive local plans which respond to local needs and priorities.

3.2. The NPPF promotes a presumption in favour of sustainable development, defined as 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs', and providing it is in accordance with the relevant up-to-date Local Plan and policies set out in the NPPF, including those identifying restrictions with regard to designated areas.

3.3. Paragraph 14 describes the key theme throughout the Framework is that of Achieving Sustainable Development' and confirms that the "presumption in favour of sustainable development" should be seen as a "golden thread running through both plan-making and decision- taking.'

"For decision - taking this means: (i) "Approving development proposals that accord with the development plan without delay; and (ii) Where the development plan is absent, silent or relevant policies are out-of-date, granting planning permission unless: • Any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole; or • Specific policies in this Framework indicate development should be restricted."

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.4. In respect of the latter, footnote 9 within the Framework identifies the types of areas where development should be restricted and lists sites protected by the Birds and Habitats Directive and/or designated as SSSI's: land designated as Green Belt, Local Green Space, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Heritage Coast or within a National Park: designated heritage assets and locations at risk of flooding or coastal erosion.

3.5. Twelve Core Planning Principles are set out at Paragraph 17, of which the following are relevant to landscape and visual matters, stating that planning should:

• "not simply be about scrutiny, but instead be a creative exercise in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which people live their lives; • always seek to secure high quality design and a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings; • take account of the different roles and character of different areas, promoting the vitality of our main urban areas, protecting the Green Belts around them, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and supporting thriving rural communities within it; • contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution. Allocations of land for development should prefer land of lesser environmental value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework; • promote mixed use developments, and encourage multiple benefits from the use of land in urban and rural areas, recognising that some open land can perform many functions (such as for wildlife, recreation, flood risk mitigation, carbon storage or food production); • conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations; and • actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable."

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.6. The NPPF then identifies thirteen aspects which should be considered in developing local plans and reviewing planning applications. Those of relevance to the landscape and visual considerations of the Application Site and proposed development include Section 7: Requiring good design. Paragraph 58 states that planning policies and decisions should aim to ensure that developments, inter alia:

"..Establish a strong sense of place,

• respond to local character and history, and reflect the identity of local surroundings

• are visually attractive as a result of good architecture and appropriate landscaping.’’

3.7. Paragraph 61 states that:

"planning policies and decisions should address the connections between people and places and the integration of new development into the natural, built and historic environment."

3.8. Section 11: Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment notes in paragraph 109 that the planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by inter alia "protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, geological conservation interests and soils’’.

3.9. Paragraph 110 sets out that the aim, in preparing plans for development, should be to minimise adverse effects on the local and natural environment, and that plans should allocate land with the least environmental or amenity value.

3.10. Paragraph 114 notes that furthermore, local planning authorities should:

"set out a strategic approach in their Local Plans, planning positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure."

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.11. Paragraph 125 states that:

"By encouraging good design, planning policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and nature conservation."

National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) (March 2014)

3.12. Under the heading of Natural Environment, sub-heading Landscape, paragraph 1. NPPG supports the use of landscape character assessment as a tool for understanding the character and local distinctiveness of the landscape and identifying the features that give it a sense of place, as a means to informing, planning and managing change. NPPG makes reference to Natural England guidance on landscape character assessment.

3.13. Under the heading of Natural Environment, sub-heading Biodiversity, ecosystems and green infrastructure, paragraph 15. NPPG supports positive planning for networks of multifunctional green space, both urban and rural, which deliver a range of benefits for local communities and makes reference to Natural England guidance on Green Infrastructure.

3.14. Under the heading of Light Pollution, paragraph 1, NPPG refers to the risk of artificial lighting undermining enjoyment of the countryside or the night sky and, in paragraph 2, considers potential effects on protected areas of dark skies or intrinsically dark landscapes. NPPG then provides guidance for mitigation-by-design of artificial lighting, including location, timing and extent of lighting.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Local Planning Policy

East Staffordshire Local Plan (2006), saved policies July 2009

3.15. East Staffordshire Borough Council are in the process of replacing the adopted Local Plan 2006 with a new Local Plan for the Borough. Until this emerging Local Plan is formally adopted the following “saved” policies remain in force:

3.16. Policy CSP6: National Forest – promotes the purpose of the National Forest and considers development taking place within it.

3.17. Through more detailed policies elsewhere in the Plan, the Borough Council will promote:

 Conversion of land to woodland and other Forest related purposes through planning obligations;

 Enhancement of built development through related landscaping;

 The Forest as an exemplar of sustainable development;

 The development of tourism, leisure, rural diversification and the woodland economy;

 New developments that relate well to their National Forest setting.’’

3.18. Policy NE1: Development outside Development Boundaries – defines criteria against which new development would be assessed, when determining planning permission.

3.19. ‘’Outside the development boundaries shown on the Inset Plans planning permission will not be granted for development unless it cannot reasonably be located within them and is either:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

(a) essential to the efficient working of the rural economy; or (b) development otherwise appropriate in the countryside; or (c) development close to an existing settlement and providing facilities for the general public or local community which are reasonably accessible on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.

3.20. Proposals falling within one of these categories will be judged against the following criteria:

(a) The proposed development must not adversely affect the amenities enjoyed by existing land users, including, in the case of proposals for development close to an existing settlement, the occupiers of residential and other property within that settlement.

(b) The detailed siting of the proposed development and its associated environmental impact are compatible with the character of the surrounding area, and safeguard nature conservation interests.

(d) Landscaping associated with the proposal takes into account both the immediate impact and distant views of the development.

(e) The access roads can accommodate traffic likely to be generated by the proposed development in terms of number, size and type of vehicles whilst meeting the needs of cyclists and pedestrians too.

(f) The proposed development provides for adequate access for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, servicing and parking arrangements, and provision within the site for plant, equipment and the storage of goods and materials. ‘’

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.21. Policy NE14: Planting Schemes – sets out criteria for planting schemes for individual development proposals within the boundary of the National Forest.

3.22. ‘’In assessing the adequacy of the planting scheme for individual development proposals within the boundary of the National Forest, the Borough Council will have regard to the aims of the National Forest Strategy and the following criteria:

(a) the existing landscape character of the site and the surrounding locality in accordance with policy NE4 and as described in Supplementary Planning Guidance;

(b) the extent to which National Forest planting guidelines contained in Appendix 8 have been followed in the submission of the planning application;

(d) the extent to which the scheme reflects its National Forest context and provides an appropriate landscaped setting for the development, including any off-site planting;

(e) the scale, type and characteristics of the development.’’

3.23. Policy NE15: Implementation of Planting Schemes – sets out guidelines for the implementation of planting and landscaping schemes for new developments within the National Forest.

3.24. ‘’Implementation of planting and landscaping schemes for approved new development in the National Forest will be secured by means of conditions, or the negotiation of a planning obligation, or a combination of those measures appropriate to the individual circumstances of the application. The measures may include, as appropriate:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

(a) the means and time scale for implementation;

(b) the nature of any obligation in respect of off-site planting;

(c) details for the payment of a commuted sum in lieu of planting; (d) secure arrangements for the management and maintenance of such landscaped areas, including any open space, by an appropriate person or body.

3.25. Measures to secure the proper management of woodlands within the National Forest will be in accordance with the:

(a) aims of the National Forest;

(b) interests of visual amenity;

(d) principles of good woodland management;

(e) maintaining and enhancing the nature conservation resource;

(f) retention and enhancement of the landscape character.’’

3.26. Policy L2: Landscaping and Greenspace: Assessment – guidelines on access and quality of greenspace for developments of 10 or more dwellings.

3.27. ‘’Where development of 10 or more dwellings occurs in areas that are deficient either in terms of basic access to greenspace or to greenspace of an appropriate quality, the developer will be required to contribute towards addressing these deficiencies – in proportion to the demand created by the development.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.28. The relevant basis for assessment of a development against local standards for accessibility and quality of Greenspaces is set out in detail in the Borough Council s Greenspace Supplementary Planning Guidance. On development sites not including housing, equipped play provision will not be required but the developer should seek to make provision for amenity space – designed to complement the nature of the development – and within the National Forest woodland planting in accordance with Policy NE15.

3.29. Policy H6: Housing Design and Dwelling Extensions – sets out requirements in relation to the design and appearance of the new development and dwelling extension.

‘’On all new housing sites, applicants will be required to indicate how they have taken account of the need for good design in their development proposals by means of a Design Statement.

3.30. To encourage the most efficient use of residential land, developers should design schemes where the net residential density is between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare. The Borough Council will only allow exemptions to this policy on small sites and sites where constraints of site characteristics, their setting and neighbouring properties render a density at such levels unsuitable.

3.31. The Borough Council will encourage the design of housing developments to provide safe and secure environments, which offer opportunities for self policing and surveillance, and provide safe and secure public routes which seek to minimise both actual and perceived opportunities for criminal activity on private property.

3.32. Planning permission for new residential development and house extensions will not be approved:

(a) unless the design and layout makes provision for outdoor domestic activities to be undertaken in reasonable privacy and commensurate with the utility needs of the type of dwelling and likely household size:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

(b) unless the design and layout provides for adequate freedom from unwarranted intrusion resulting from overlooking between principal windows of dwellings and from the public realm;

(d) unless, for extensions to dwellings, there are harmonisation of building materials, integration of design with the existing building and no adverse effects on neighbouring properties or the street scene through overlooking or reduction of daylight or sunlight.

3.33. The Borough Council will require all housing sites to be designed to take account of the needs of people with disabilities in accord with the site’s characteristics and will negotiate agreements to ensure that at least 10% of houses on sites of 20 houses or more will be constructed to Lifetime Home standards as set out in Supplementary Planning Guidance.’’

3.34. Policy BE1: Design – design of a new scheme should ensure that the proposed development would integrate with or enhance its surroundings.

3.35. ‘’The Borough Council will approve applications for development which respond positively to the context of the area surrounding the site of the application and in themselves exhibit a high quality of design which corresponds to or enhances surrounding development. Such considerations will apply equally to new development and development which involves the re-use of existing buildings. In considering whether design of development proposals is satisfactory, the Borough Council will have regard to the following factors:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

(a) The layout of the development in terms of its circulation routes and arrangement of buildings and how they relate to such factors in the surrounding area.

(b) How elements of any open spaces, both hard and soft, in the proposed development relate to each other, the proposed buildings, the characteristics of the site and the surrounding landscape’s character and appearance.

(d) The massing of the development in terms of the shape, volume and arrangement of the building or buildings in relation to the context of the development.

(e) How the height of the proposed development relates to the height of surrounding development and any vistas, views or skylines.

(f) What materials will be used within the development and how they interrelate with each other, their immediate context and any traditional materials used in the area.

(g) The detailing and construction techniques to be used in the development and how they interrelate with each other, and relate to the immediate and overall context.

(h) Adverse impacts on the immediate and general environment in terms of emissions and other impacts and any use of techniques or mechanisms to reduce those impacts.

(i) The extent to which the design of the development takes into account the safety of users and reduces the potential for crime to occur in accord with s. 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.’’

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

East Staffordshire Borough Council Pre-Submission Local Plan (October 2013)

3.36. The emerging Local Plan 2012-31 was due to be adopted in December 2014. However after independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate, the plan is now in abeyance pending further work the council needs to undertake on housing supply. As such it does not currently form part of the Local Development Framework, therefore limited weight can be attached to the policies of this plan. The following relevant policies are however noted:

 Policy SO1: Well-designed communities

 Policy SO9: Heritage (Historic Environment – Sustainable Management and Use)

 Policy SO12: Countryside

 Strategic Policy 23: Green Infrastructure

 Strategic Policy 24: High Quality Design

 Strategic Policy 25: Historic Environment

 Strategic Policy 26: National Forest

 Strategic Policy 30: Locally Significant Landscape

 Detailed Policy 1: Design of New Development

Yoxall Neighbourhood Development Plan (Emerging)

3.37. The Yoxall Neighbourhood Area was designated by East Staffordshire Borough Council in October 2013. The Neighbourhood Area takes the same area defined by the Yoxall Parish boundary. The Borough Council’s decision confirms that Yoxall Parish Council is legally empowered to produce a Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish of Yoxall.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.38. The Yoxall Neighbourhood Plan must be developed in general conformity with the emerging Local Plan for all policies which are relevant to the Neighbourhood Area.

3.39. The plan is currently undergoing public consultation. It has not been subject to Examination and is not yet submitted or adopted. As such the weight to be attached to the Neighbourhood Plan at this time is very limited, but the relevant policies are referenced here as background information:

POLICY H1: LOCATION AND NATURE OF NEW HOUSING

3.40. Within the plan period new housing development comprising up to 40 new dwellings will be permitted on the site known as Leafields Farm...

3.41. Policy H1 allocates the Leafields Farm site and defines the quality standards that will be expected in the design of the development.

POLICY H2: YOXALL SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY

3.42. Development proposals outside the Settlement Boundary will only be permitted if it can be demonstrated that:

a) the development is for affordable housing on a rural exception site, where a need for affordable housing can be proven; and b) the development makes an overall positive contribution to environmental sustainability; and c) the development enhances the character or appearance of the area; and d) where relevant, the development brings redundant or vacant historic buildings back into beneficial re-use.

3.43. The Yoxall Settlement Boundary is defined, and shown as the existing Local Plan boundary but incorporating the Leafields Farm allocation.

POLICY H3: WINDFALL SITES

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

3.44. New housing development comprising a maximum of 3 new dwellings will be permitted on small infill or redevelopment sites either inside or outside the Settlement Boundary defined in Plan A. The total number of dwellings provided on windfall sites outside the Yoxall Settlement Boundary will be no more than 10 new dwellings over the plan period (to 2031).

POLICY D1: DESIGN OF NEW DEVELOPMENT

3.45. New development in Yoxall must deliver good quality design. In order to achieve this all new development must:

1. Respond to the existing urban grain in terms of enclosure and definition of streets and spaces;

2. Be well integrated with its surroundings by reinforcing existing connections and creating new ones;

3. Provide convenient access to community services and facilities;

4. Have good access to public transport or otherwise help reduce car dependency;

5. Provide a mix of housing types and tenures that suit local housing needs;

6. Create a place with a locally inspired or distinctive character;

7. Take advantage of the local topography, landscape and water features, trees and plants, wildlife habitats, existing buildings, site orientation and microclimate;

8. Provide buildings, landscaping and planting to create well defined streets and spaces;

9. Take advantage of views into and out of the site in order to make the development easy to access and to navigate through;

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

10. Provide streets which encourage low vehicle speeds and which can function as safe, social spaces;

11. Integrate car parking within landscaping so that it does not dominate the street;

12. Clearly distinguish between public and private spaces, provide appropriate access, and enable the site to be well managed and safe to use;

13. Provide convenient, well-screened storage space for bins and recycling, and for bicycles and motor vehicles;

14. Be of an appropriate scale and density in relation to its setting;

15. Include materials which match those used in the historic buildings or surfaces forming the context for the development.

3.46. The Design and Access Statement accompanying the relevant planning application must explain how the design of the proposed development responds to the Village Design Statement and to the Character Analysis for Yoxall and the advice these contain.

POLICY RE2: GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

3.47. Opportunities will be taken to develop, improve and extend the footpath and open space network in Yoxall in order to provide better pedestrian access to the countryside and to wildlife or nature conservation sites, either through the granting of planning permissions for development or through other proposals which enhance or increase the footpath network. Opportunities will be taken to introduce appropriate new uses in public open spaces, in order to encourage more use of these areas in ways that benefit the local community.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Yoxall Village Design Statement (1993)

3.48. The Yoxall Village Design Statement, although an extremely old document is still technically a junior planning document of local resource, and will also be referenced in the emerging plans. It was produced by the Borough of East Staffordshire Council in association with the villagers and Parish Council of Yoxall. Its aim is to identify the special character of Yoxall and provides guidance to ensure new developments will harmonise with the rest of the village.

3.49. The following key principles are outlined:

Building Materials

3.50. This section provides recommendations on the choice of materials for building walls and roofing tiles, including the specification for mortar joints.

Suitable New Planting

3.51. The guide describes how shrubs and trees play an important role in the character of the village and enclosing spaces. It recommends the retention and protection of existing trees, hedges and naturalised plants within any development. It also stipulates that new developments should offer planting that provides effective screening and massing as quickly as possible. It goes on to recommend species, but these are considered inappropriate in the present age and do not accord with the National Forest Strategy.

Characteristic Buildings and Details

3.52. The guide seeks to promote buildings of character:

‘’Diversity and individuality are important aspects of traditional housing in the village. Later housing developments often used standard house types side by side or in uniform rows - it would be best if new housing could avoid this mistake and create a variety of buildings such as that in

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

the more attractive parts of the village. New houses should also avoid being simple rectangular shapes.’’

3.53. It states that the vernacular buildings within the village have plain details with little decoration and that new development should respect this. It goes on to make recommendations regarding specific building details.

Street Style and Routes

3.54. The guide discusses the urban design qualities and character of Yoxall village centre and provides recommendations for infill development:

‘’Redevelopment in older streets needs to maintain the continuity of the street edge and avoid creating gaps, buildings should be brought close to the back of the footpath and have little or no front garden. It would be good to recreate a similar style for the main routes within any new development. This will involve using terraced buildings facing the street, with hidden garaging and high garden walls where private spaces join the edge of the street. Some houses could have low walls or metal railings around small front garden spaces....

...Away from the main road, traditional streets and lanes rarely have wide footpaths, sometimes none at all. New developments should try to keep this informal character and avoid bringing a suburban feel to the street scene.’’

3.55. It further discusses how Yoxall streets have a variety of buildings, all different but with a common overall style. It states that new buildings should maintain this variety without damaging the overall harmony of the street scene.

Footpaths around Yoxall

3.56. The guide states that the local public footpath network should be protected and enhanced:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

‘’Villages are about lanes and footpaths, as well as roads. Yoxall is lucky to have a good network or public footpaths. New developments should keep these open and try to add to them whenever possible...’’

3.57. The VDS summarises with the following statement:

‘’In the middle of the village, especially in the Conservation Area, there are many attractive old buildings that are village landmarks. These offer useful clues that help designers to create sympathetic new buildings. But new designs must also respect the way the buildings fit together, the spaces they create, and the way that the village fits into the landscape.’’

Supplementary Planning Documents

3.58. East Staffordshire Borough Council has prepared a number of Supplementary Planning Documents as evidence base in support of the Local Development Framework.

East Staffordshire Borough Council Green Infrastructure Study (2008)

3.59. The overall purpose of this study is to provide a long term vision for green infrastructure within East Staffordshire to ensure that the current strategic growth of the Borough is fully integrated with and informed by its green infrastructure and to ensure that no net loss of green infrastructure value or provision occurs. The vision will also address the improvement of green infrastructure within the rural areas of the Borough and the maintenance and improvement of connectivity between the Borough’s urban and rural areas.

3.60. The study contains a set of 10 standards which have been prepared to guide developers in the protection, improvement and delivery of green infrastructure. Relevant extracts are as follows:

A. Green spaces shall not be created or retained in isolation. They should be connected through linear green infrastructure into site-level

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

networks and where possible should connect to and enhance the existing green infrastructure network of East Staffordshire.

B. New green spaces should be designed to serve more than one function to maximise public benefit....New parks created as part of the strategic growth of the Borough should contain features such as trees, ponds or tall grass areas which add both visual and ecological interest, as well as their own identity. Water features such as ponds and swales in parks can also form part of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems to increase the efficiency of land use, while forming attractive visual features and potentially attracting a range of wildlife. ... D. New green infrastructure should be in keeping with the existing landscape character of development sites, in terms of its habitat type and species selection...Where development is located near to the river valleys, opportunities should be realised for the creation of new wetland habitats such as wet woodland and reedbeds…

E. All development should identify key biodiversity habitats, features of geological interest and all other environmental assets at the masterplanning stage and where possible enhance these features through positive management, buffering, extension and linkage.

F. All development design should include street trees and urban woodland. Existing high quality woodland should be retained where possible within development designs to achieve an overall net gain in woodland area. ... H. All developments should be served by Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems where feasible. The component features of these systems should be designed and managed to deliver additional green infrastructure benefits, such as wildlife habitat improvement and provision, landscape enhancement and informal recreation.

I. All developments should provide an adequate quantity of high quality and diverse recreational space to cater for the needs of new and

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

existing residents and employees. These should be accessible by foot and bicycle and linked into the wider green infrastructure network.

J. Linear green infrastructure should be used within developments to encourage a modal shift to more sustainable modes of transport and should connect to existing footpath and cycleway networks.

Housing Choice SPD (Adopted February 2014)

3.61. The 'Housing Choice Supplementary Planning Document’ outlines housing policy for the next 20 years with a requirement of 13,000 new housing units required throughout the borough, 80% of which are allocated for Burton on Trent and the remaining 20% for the rest of the borough.

3.62. The SPD provides guidance to ensure that new residential developments meet the housing needs and aspirations of the District. This includes the requirement for developers to include suitable, high quality affordable housing within their developments.

East Staffordshire Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2008)

3.63. The East Staffordshire Design Guide SPD promotes the importance of high quality design within the borough and explains the Council’s approach to urban design, in order to achieve high standards of development.

3.64. The objectives of the Guide are:

 Improve the quality of design in all new development across the Borough;

 Raise awareness of the importance and value of good urban design;

 Help developers to understand and meet the Council’s design expectations;

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

 Provide a basis for positive and efficient planning and decision making;

 Help developers avoid poor design and resulting planning delay or refusals; and

 Inform and influence regeneration initiatives across the Borough.

East Staffordshire Open Space SPD (September 2010)

3.65. The SPD sets out standards for green space, sport and recreation facilities to ensure that sufficient open space, in terms of quantity, quality, and accessibility are met.

3.66. Yoxall is classed under Rural 1 category, and for open space typologies the following standards (in hectares) per 1000 population and square metres per dwelling are recommended:

 Equipped Children’s Play 0.05Ha / 1.16m2  Parks and gardens 0.13Ha / 3.02.m2  Semi-natural greenspace 2.95Ha / 68.4m2  Amenity greenspace 1.28Ha / 29.7m2  Allotments 0.34Ha / 7.89m2  Outdoor sports 1.99Ha

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4. BASELINE ASSESSMENT

4.1. Yoxall is a large linear village located about 7 miles north of Lichfield on the west side of the River Swarbourn, a tributary of the River Trent. It lies near the edge of the higher ground of Needwood Forest on the main A515 road from Lichfield to Ashbourne, which runs north - south parallel to the River Swarbourn.

4.2. The site is located on the western edge of Yoxall, to the north of the River Trent and comprises 7.36ha of agricultural land divided into 3 fields by well established hedgerows and mature hedgerow trees.

4.3. A public footpaths lies adjacent to the site’s eastern boundary, linking with the wider Public Rights of Way network within the surrounding site context.

4.4. The site boundaries are defined by established hedgerows and trees which both contain and filter views towards the site. Ferrers Field playing field adjoins the northern site boundary.

4.5. To the east, residential development associated with the wider urban area of Yoxall adjoins the site boundary forming a prominent feature within views from the west.

4.6. The western site context is characterised by open countryside, and a pattern of regular pastoral fields bound by an established network of hedgerows and pockets of woodland.

4.7. Further details of the site and its setting are included on Plan ASP1 Site & Setting.

Settlement Pattern

4.8. The historical maps illustrate the expansion and growth of Yoxall over the past 130 years. The land is largely characterised by agricultural fields, defined by established hedgerows throughout this time period, with field patterns remaining largely the same. Yoxall itself originally

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

developed along a linear north - south axis along the banks of the River Swarbourn and the old turnpike road that is now the A515.

4.9. During the mid 1900's Yoxall remained fragmented and low density, until the 1960's when major residential development expanded the settlement edge west of the existing conservation area and together with latter day infill development Yoxall has evolved into one coherent built form expanding to the south.

4.10. The principal road network was already in place by the late 19th Century, with St. Peter's Church also in existence. The Crown Inn, St Peter's Primary School and the Village Hall are evident a little later by the early 20th Century.

4.11. The present day shows the extent of the village to have remained largely unchanged since the expansion of the urban area in the 1970's, with little further development taking place since this time.

Topography

4.12. The application site lies on an east to south east facing gentle slope which forms the western valley hillside of the River Swarbourn. The topography of the site falls from the north west corner at 75m AOD to the north eastern corner at 69m AOD and from the south west corner at 75m AOD to the south east corner at 65m AOD. The northern section of the site falls uniformly to the east with the gradient veering to the south east along the central and southern sections.

4.13. Although grading at a fall as stated the site can be considered as relatively flat with little localised undulations.

4.14. In the wider context, the terrain falls to the east along which the village’s recent modern day residential developments extend to the valley depression where the historic core of the village sits alongside the River Swarbourn’s banks. To the east of the river the terrain rises steeply to form the prominent eastern valley hillside known as Town Hill. A mosaic

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

of pastoral and woodland cover, this elevated terrain is prominent from most parts of the Yoxall parish - it is integral to the rural setting of the village and culturally a significant natural feature.

4.15. The western valley slope continues to gently rise beyond the application site eventually levelling out around 90m AOD before continuing westwards with gently undulating landform towards Cannock Chase.

4.16. To the north the landscape forms a gently rolling plateau which continues onwards to the Derbyshire Parklands whilst to the south the expansive Trent Valley lowlands extend into the distance towards Lichfield.

Designations

4.17. There are no statutory designations which affect the site itself.

Heritage Assets

4.18. Yoxall Conservation Area is a linear zone which encompasses the historic core of the village centred chiefly along Bond End, Main St, Victoria St, Hadley St and Weaverslake.

4.19. The Conservation Area does not fall within the visual envelope of the application site, being contained by intervening builtform and prevailing topography.

4.20. There are no listed buildings within the site. However there are a number of heritage assets clustered along the linear Conservation Area, some are of landmark quality and are predominantly grade II cottages or houses.

4.21. Of particular noteworthiness is the grade II Church Of St Peter, the parish church with an impressive landmark tower and of C13th origin.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4.22. The nearest listed building to the application site is the grade II Bondfield Manor House, an early C19th brick refronting to a C17th timber frame dwelling, located some 150m to the east along Bond End.

4.23. There are no listed buildings within the visual envelope of the site being contained by intervening builtform, existing vegetation and prevailing topography.

4.24. Within the wider landscape context there are a number of listed buildings located approximately 500m to the west within the hamlet of Morrey, these being all grade II farmhouses. Again prevailing topography and intervening existing vegetative structures predominantly curtail views of the application site from Morrey.

Registered Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest

4.25. There are no Registered Parks and Gardens within the vicinity of the application site.

Ancient Scheduled Monuments

4.26. There are no Ancient Scheduled Monuments within or adjacent the application site.

Ancient Woodlands

4.27. There are no Ancient Woodlands within the vicinity of the application site.

Public Right of Way

4.28. The following public right of ways traverse the site:

 PROW Yoxall 56 which traverses north to south along the eastern boundary.

4.29. The following public footpaths are in close proximity:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

 PROW Yoxall 14 which runs west to east some 60m to the north of the site. This forms part of the promoted ‘Millennium Way’ Long Distance Route.

 PROW Yoxall 53 which runs north to south some 350m to the west of the site.

4.30. Fullbrook Farm Permissive Access also traverses the application site running east to west directly adjacent the southern boundary and provides an alternative route to the narrow rural Bondfield Lane.

Local Designations

Historic Environment Record

A search of the Staffordshire County Council’s HER reveals a number of items recorded within 500m of the site which are considered to be of local historical significance. These records however correlate with the English Heritage listed building assets outlined above.

National Designation

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

4.31. Cannock Chase AONB lies 10km to the west of the application site.

The National Forest

4.32. The application site lies within the boundary of the National Forest.

4.33. The National Forest encompasses 200 square miles of the heart of England. Spanning parts of Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, it is a quintessential slice of the Midlands - rich in historic, ecological and cultural interest and reflected in a varied landscape.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4.34. Linking the remnant ancient forests of Needwood and Charnwood, the new Forest also covers a substantial area of the former Leicestershire and South Derbyshire Coalfield, the attractive farmland landscapes of South Derbyshire, the industrialised Trent Valley corridor and a number of towns and other settlements.

4.35. The idea is to create, within this setting, a vast new forested landscape for the nation that frames a mosaic of farms, open land, towns and villages. From its original 6% woodland cover, the eventual wooded area will spread over about a third of the area, thereby establishing a substantial working forest and transforming the landscape, the environment and the economy of the Forest area.

4.36. The National Forest was conceived by the then Countryside Commission in 1987. It proposed that a forest, on a similar scale to the New Forest, should be created in the middle of the country to demonstrate the many benefits that trees and woodland can bestow.

4.37. The National Forest is not a statutory designation and the National Forest Strategy is also non-statutory.

4.38. Nevertheless, it is recognised as an important consideration in statutory planning terms and has been written into a number of policy and planning guidance strategies of the incumbent local planning authorities.

National Landscape Character

Countryside Agency - Countrywide Landscape Character Assessment

4.39. A landscape assessment of the local area has been carried out which seeks to identify broadly homogenous zones that can be categorised in terms of quality and character. This is necessary in order to assess the potential impact that change will have on a particular landscape. The Countryside Agency produced a countrywide landscape character assessment resulting in the published Character Map of England. The map includes large tracts of countryside which have similar

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

characteristics in terms of landform, geology, land use and other landscape elements.

4.40. Within the Countryside Agency Character Map of England document, the application site lies within the Needwood and South Derbyshire Claylands (NCA 68). The key characteristics of this area are identified as:

 The area, which is dissected by river systems…forms a glacial rolling glacial till plateau that slopes southeast from the southern edge of the Peak District to the valley of the River Trent;

 The south is dominated by heavy, seasonally waterlogged soils derived from glacial till. In the north, red and pink soils underlain by Mercia Mudstones and Sherwood Sandstone are more amenable to cultivation.

 A predominantly pastoral landscape of rolling countryside that is still largely rural and relatively tranquil, featuring distinctive field boundary patterns and characteristic hedgerows with hedgerow trees. Grassland for livestock is the dominant land use although dairy and cereal farming are also important. The majority of the farms are small- to medium-sized dairying and livestock holdings. Arable cultivation occurs on the better land north and south of the Dove and in the river flood plains.

 Predominantly hedgerow bounded, the field pattern varies from small to medium-sized fields to the north of the Dove; mostly large-scale and rectilinear on the broad river flood plains; strongly rectilinear in Needwood Forest; and smaller and more irregular to the west.

 An overall wooded character derived from scattered ancient and semi-natural woods, parkland and boundary trees. Some large woodland blocks are prominent in Needwood Forest; however

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

much consists of smaller, fragmented remnants. There is new woodland creation within the National Forest;

 A wide range of habitats associated predominantly with pasture, varying from damp lowland grassland and marshland to drier neutral grassland;

 A dispersed historical settlement pattern, particularly in the higher pastoral farmlands that fringe the Peak District to the north, with the older villages generally sited along the valleys or valley sides, and more recent crossroad settlements on the higher ground. Buildings are usually of red brick and clay tile roofs, and local sandstone.

 The Trent and Dove valleys are major transport corridors. The Trent Valley includes the Trent and Mersey Canal, the West Coast Main Line railway and the A51 road, while the Dove Valley features the Derby to Stoke railway line and the A50 road. The A52 links Derby and Ashbourne.

4.41. Description:

4.42. ‘’Predominantly pastoral and wooded landscape, bounded by the Trent Valley and Washlands in the southeast.

4.43. The general character is rolling countryside, broadly divided by the valley of the River Dove.

4.44. Parklands make a locally significant contribution to the landscape and contain veteran trees of considerable value.

4.45. To the north of Needwood…the gently rolling landscape is dissected by numerous small valleys. The landscape here is less wooded and characterised by small- and medium-sized mixed farms with small, hedged fields, copses and ponds featuring strongly.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4.46. The overall settlement pattern is dispersed and the majority of the area sparsely populated. Larger towns and villages are found around the perimeter in the river valleys.

4.47. The agricultural land is mainly pasture, and supports a range of grassland habitats. Woodland is scattered throughout the area.’’

4.48. Statements of Environmental Opportunities:

4.49. ‘’SEO 1: Conserve and enhance the essential character of this mainly pastoral mixed farm landscape with its distinctive field and settlement patterns, hedgerow trees, varied hedgerow types and heritage assets, enhancing and expanding the network of farmland habitats and improving access opportunities while sustaining food provision.

4.50. SEO 2: Manage the area’s diverse range of woodlands, veteran trees, wood pasture and parklands to enhance landscape character and safeguard their biodiversity value, while seeking opportunities to enhance access. Plan, with emphasis on The National Forest, for new opportunities to plant woods and new areas of wood pasture to expand existing sites; and create short rotation coppice to enhance timber and biomass provision, increase carbon storage, regulate water flow and quality, and reduce habitat fragmentation.

4.51. SEO 3: Protect the historic and cultural features of Needwood and the South Derbyshire Claylands, in particular the traditional settlement patterns of remaining villages, traditional farmsteads and the country estates that provide a strong sense of place.

4.52. SEO 4: Manage and enhance the network of rivers, flood plains and wetlands, increasing the landscape’s ability to naturally and sustainably manage flood and drought risk and provide other ecosystem services such as water supply and food provision, while recognising the needs of individual species and habitats.’’

4.53. Sense of place/inspiration:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4.54. The NCA features a rolling and relatively tranquil rural and pastoral landscape with a variety of enclosure patterns and varying degrees of woodland, depending on the underlying soils. Dissected and bounded by broad river valleys such as those of the Dove and the Trent, it has a complex pattern of settlement.

4.55. Tranquillity: The quiet reaches of undulating pastoral landscape within this NCA are important in providing accessible tranquil areas for both local residents and those of adjoining urban areas such as Derby and Burton-upon-Trent.

Adjacencies

4.56. It should be noted that the NCA 69: Trent Valley Washlands is located 375m directly south of the application site. NCA 69 has the following key characteristics:

 Marked by an extensive flat floodplain, with slow meandering rivers.

 Strong industrial and urban influences with sand and gravel workings, Drakelow power station, built development and major road and rail routes.

 Predominantly large, open-cropped fields, with some remnant pastures and wet meadows.

 Diverse mosaic of grassland, wetland, areas of wet and scrub woodland and gappy, overgrown hedges forms a natural, soft- edged landscape pattern.

4.57. Although these two NCAs are closely adjacent their respective landscape characteristics are considered to be sufficiently different to warrant discounting the NCA exhibiting the least common qualities with the application site, this being the Trent Valley Washlands.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Regional and Local Landscape Character

Planning for Landscape Change: SPG to the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Structure Plan, 1996-2011. Volume 3: Landscape Descriptions (2000)

4.58. Planning for Landscape Change published by Staffordshire County Council (2000) more precisely defines the boundaries of the National Character Areas which were broadly delineated on the Character of England map and the descriptions of landscape character have been taken to a finer grain, with the mapping and description of 22 landscape character types (LCTs).

Settled Farmlands LCT

4.59. The site lies within the Settled Farmlands LCT. The relevant extracts from Volume 3 Landscape Descriptions follow:

4.60. ‘’Closely related to the settled plateau farmlands, but lacking their boulder clay, these are landscapes of undulating lowlands and hills, with non-calcareous brown soils overlying Triassic mudstones. The dominant land use is dairying with some mixed farming. There is a varied pattern of small to medium sized hedged fields with a scatter of small woodlands, often of ancient origin. The settlement pattern is mixed, and not distinctive. There is a parkland variant of the general farmland type.’’

Visual character

4.61. ‘’This is a landscape of strongly rounded or sloping landform with steeper slopes associated with narrow stream valleys draining the plateau area. Prominent broadleaved and conifer woodlands on the upper slopes begin to dictate the scale of the landscape and a smaller scale is associated with the narrow stream valleys and winding lanes leading up to the plateau.

4.62. Hedgerow pattern contributes substantially to landscape character. Its scale is variable: in some areas the pattern is largely intact, with numerous hedgerow trees, and to a large extent this controls and limits

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

views across the landscape. This is particularly the case where increased hedgerow tree cover in the flatter areas allows some coalescence and, more importantly, where streamside vegetation of willow and alder has a considerable enclosing effect. In other areas hedgerows have become gappy or have been removed completely and extensive fencing introduced. This has led to an enlargement of scale, resulting in extensive views out to surrounding landscapes and showing up the pattern of fields, small woodlands and other landscape elements on the very visible landform.

4.63. The pastoral farming, together with a network of narrow, often sunken, lanes and clustered farmsteads lend the landscape a peaceful, rural feel. Scale becomes very much more reduced around the settlements where field pattern is smaller and more intact. Villages are, however, undergoing considerable expansion and the influence of busy road corridors and hobby farming are beginning to be noticeable. Pasture farming is intensifying and large areas of arable farming are now increasing the rate of decline of land cover elements. Small lanes are rapidly becoming rat - runs as villages expand and suburban creep into the countryside becomes noticeable.

4.64. The area is widely viewed from adjacent units. The presence of designed parkland has a marked local effect on the landscape with prominent parkland trees and increased woodland cover producing a very distinctive landscape.’’

Characteristic landscape features

4.65. ‘’Large numbers of hedgerow oak and ash; strong irregular field pattern; narrow lanes and hedge banks; traditional red brick buildings; undulating sloping landform; steep wooded stream valleys; broadleaved woodlands and conifer plantations; ancient village settlements; parkland.’’

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

National Forest Strategy 2001-2014

4.66. The National Forest Strategy looks to link remnant ancient forests and create a new forested landscape. The strategy does not prevent new development, but encourages new planting as part of development proposals.

4.67. To assist in achieving its aims and objectives the National Forest has undertaken its own landscape character assessment which identifies six landscape character areas, these coinciding with the NCA boundaries, and six landscape character types, which are defined to a greater or lesser extent by woodland, agricultural, urban and industrial influences.

Character Area: Needwood & South Derbyshire Claylands

4.68. The application site falls within the above National Character Area as already stated earlier. A brief summary of the key characteristics are:

 An historic, well wooded landscape covering part of the Ancient Needwood Forest.

 Many ancient woodlands, parklands and hedgerow trees.

 Mixed farmland with strong pastoral character and a pattern of hedged fields.

 Vernacular timber-framed houses and red brick farmsteads.

 Wide, straight roads and narrow, twisting lanes link a scattered settlement pattern of villages and hamlets.

Landscape Type: Historic settlement and enclosures

4.69. The application site falls within the Historic Settlement and Enclosures LCT, whose key characteristics are as follows:

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

 Relatively unspoilt landscapes, with an ancient, enclosed character and a dispersed settlement pattern.

 Characterised by many small, irregularly shaped pastoral fields bounded by thick hedgerows; roadside hedgebanks are a feature in Yoxall.

 Well-wooded, with numerous hedgerow trees, small woods and tree-lined watercourses.

 Dispersed settlement pattern, typified by cottages that have encroached on former common land.

 Significant heritage features, including medieval mining bell pits and Swannington tramway (Coleorton) and parkland (Yoxall).

Emerging Yoxall Neighbourhood Development Plan

4.70. The Yoxall NDP is currently undergoing public consultation and therefore is not adopted. However it is useful to consider how the village residents and the Parish Council view their surrounding landscape. As such relevant extracts are presented as follows:

Landscape

4.71. ‘’A characterisation of the East Staffordshire landscape describes Yoxall as falling within ‘The Middle Valleys and their Villages’. The area is defined by the small tributaries and associated valleys which lead to the Trent including the River Swarbourn. The valleys create well enclosed features, with meandering lanes bounded by hedgerows and hedge banks following the landform. The enclosure restricts views across the valley, and contains views of the village settlement on the lower ground.

4.72. Yoxall is a ‘gateway’ to the ancient forest of Needwood and there are remnants of the forest on higher ground either side of the Swarbourn valley. The valley floor and lower slopes are characterised by grassland

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

and some arable farming, made up of many small to medium irregular shaped fields bounded by thick hedgerows and hedgerow trees...

4.73. In summary Yoxall is a distinctly rural settlement with a strong linear character lying in a small valley and has low-key gateways on its northern and southern sides. The settlement boundary is well defined on the east by the River Swarbourn and on the west by a clear edge to the village. Existing development lies below the 70m AOD contour line. The most favourable opportunities for new development exist at the northern and southern edges of the village. ‘’

Yoxall Settlement Character Analysis

4.74. ‘’The Village of Yoxall lies on the A515 (known as King Street and Main Street as it runs through the Village), orientated on a north/south axis, where it runs in close proximity to the River Swarbourn, a tributary to the River Trent. ... 4.75. The Village has a distinct and readily identifiable linear character along this valley, which has established itself over a long period of time. The linearity is driven by a number of things including: the local topography; the route of the A515; and the River Swarbourn corridor. The historic core of the Village is designated as a conservation area, and includes a number of local landmark buildings within it, some of which are listed.

4.76. The eastern edge of the settlement is characterised by the wooded River Swarbourn corridor... Its flood plain is generally balanced either side of its course, and so influential has the River been historically in defining the Village character, that it is only the individual dwellings on Town Hill that lie to the east of the river corridor.

4.77. The western edge of the settlement is defined in a contrasting manner. It comprises mainly residential development, but also the extended St. Peter’s Church yard (burial ground), together with the playing field of Yoxall, St. Peter’s Primary School. This edge generally lies on, or just below the 70 metre contour. The edge is ‘balanced’ in part with some retained hedgerow vegetation together with some more domestic

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

(garden) scale planting, and also includes the Ferrer’s Field play area. Whilst this edge is not defined on the ground by as strong a landscape feature as the eastern edge is, the consolidated linearity of the built form together with a generally consistent topographical level has created a clear definition that, whilst different in character to the eastern edge, is just as strong and just as important in its contribution to the overall character pattern of the settlement.

4.78. In terms of ‘gateways’ or ‘entrance thresholds’ to the village... In contrast, the approaches along Savey Lane and Bondfield are more open with views extending across the wider landscape... Notwithstanding all these individual localised contrasts, all these approaches into the village are particularly rural in character.’’

Visual Amenity

4.79. ‘’The immediate valley and wider rural setting of the Village are well served by attractive country lanes and a well linked public right of way network (including the long distance path ‘The Way for the Millennium’). Consequently, there are numerous views from areas around the settlement both into it, and across the valley within which it sits.

4.80. ...there are a number of common themes that are evident. The most noticeable is the low lying, valley setting of the Village. Where built form is visible to a greater or lesser extent in the views, it always appears very discrete and subservient in scale to the surrounding landscape, with the valley sides rising well above the village. In views from the east, this is due in part by both topography and the wooded River corridor; and from the west it is the rising valley topography, that then flattens out, together with the ‘layers’ of hedgerow vegetation in front of the carefully considered definition of the settlement edge that ensures the Village remains visually discrete.’’

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Description of Proposals

4.81. Outline proposals will be developed by the design team consultants to ensure a high quality and sustainable development which respects, maintains and enhances both the existing village fabric, the local community and the adjoining wider landscape. The scheme seeks to be visually attractive, respecting the context, form and type of existing built form and building styles evident within the local area.

4.82. Further details of the design proposals are included on Plan ASP3 Development Framework.

4.83. The proposed development comprises 170 dwellings at a density of 30 units per Ha with 30% being affordable homes. The scheme is split up into 3 land parcels on the application site relating to the site’s agricultural regular field pattern. Primary vehicular access will be from Bondfield Lane with a secondary access point from off the Lightwood Road estate. These access points serve a main feeder loop from which quieter residential closes and cul de sacs lead off. There will be a low density development of dwellings made up of a mixture of detached, semi-detached, and terraced properties alongside associated garages, a new road layout, an enhanced public footpath network and a comprehensive green infrastructure including attenuation pond, public open space and children’s play.

Design Principals

 A design process has been undertaken to ensure a carefully considered and sensitive development approach is achieved. From the outset the proposals have sought to respond to and where possible enhance the existing features which characterise the site and its immediate setting with reference to relevant design guidance both national and local. As such a sensitively designed and located development will be in keeping with the existing character of the landscape setting.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

4.84. A number of design principles have influenced the development proposals for the site which include:

4.85. The retention and enhancement of the existing vegetation structure associated with the site boundaries and internal field enclosures. This will include reinforcing the site boundaries with additional hedgerow trees to provide key visual screening and amelioration.

4.86. To deliver a high quality, sustainable development which reflects the scale, layout and pattern of the adjacent village fabric and which is appropriate to its setting.

4.87. The scheme aims to be visually attractive, respecting the context, form and type of existing built form and building styles evident within the locality.

4.88. The creation of a robust and appropriate new development edge which provides a sensitive transition between the proposed development and the wider countryside setting to the west.

4.89. The development will seek to respect the visual amenities of the wider landscape setting by affording views out to the south and east wherever feasible from key strategic locations along public footpaths and public open spaces.

4.90. The provision of landscape buffer corridors along the southern and eastern boundaries to accommodate both the retained permissive and public footpaths respectively. A generous development set back will incorporate a high quality landscape corridor allowing for a responsive and engaging environment. The treatment of the rear garden perimeters will be of prime significance here inorder to avoid a ‘back of house’ hotchpotch of garden fencelines.

4.91. It is recommended that either a formal hedgeline or native fruit / berry bearing shrubs should be adopted as the rear garden boundaries along these fringes. The landcover between garden boundaries and the site’s

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

boundary hedgerows may take the form of long meadow grass and / or wild flower meadow.

4.92. These footpath corridors will also serve as invaluable wildlife corridors, since they will connect between key public open spaces and the new garden areas leading off from each route. From these key open spaces direct access to the wider landscape will be available. The attenuation pond area will be connected to the proposed neighbourhood park in the south western corner of the site by the retained permissive footpath. The attenuation pond will also be connected to Ferrer’s Field by public footpath Yoxall 56.

4.93. The development proposals will reference the varying architectural styles and materials that characterise the local area, ensuring that the proposals respect and enhance the local character.

4.94. Public Open Space to the south west will provide the main provision of open space whilst an informal public open space incorporating an attenuation pond will be located to the south east. This key public open space will provide children’s play facilities and afford good neighbourhood stewardship.

4.95. The proposed open space will be bounded by structural planting and offer a simple and bold central open space punctuated by specimen parkland trees. The design of the planting will take into account the requirement to afford key views out across to the wider landscape to the east and south.

4.96. Whilst the neighbourhood park will be viewed across the hedgerows from Bondfield Lane it will nevertheless present an opportunity to afford a subtle gateway element for the village of Yoxall as seen from this westerly approach.

4.97. Another key consideration to be addressed by the development proposals is the role of sustainable urban drainage system (SUD’s) not just for drainage engineering but also for the sense of place and visual amenity that this brings to the site’s green infrastructure. The

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

attenuation pond will be appropriately sited in the low lying south eastern corner of the site within an area allocated for informal public open space.

4.98. The attenuation pond will be integrated sensitively within the receiving landform and will be accompanied by appropriate structural planting inorder to encourage wildlife. Lying within close proximity is the grand and mature hedgerow tree on the south eastern boundary which will provide an instant impact and sense of place. This informal public open space will exude a rural ambience and a gateway sense of identity for the main access drive into the development. In addition given the junction opening this high quality landscape will also be seen from Bondfield Lane on the western approach into the threshold of Yoxall village.

4.99. The provision of ecologically valuable corridors to existing and proposed field boundaries through creation of species rich margins and woodland edges will be a key GI component of the development proposals. Indeed the retention of the existing internal field enclosures presents and ideal opportunity to enhance biodiversity within the site and an appropriate development set back should be incorporated to provide an adequate root protection zone. In addition to providing valuable wildlife corridors the retention of these strong linear vegetation structures provides a sense of local distinctiveness to the scheme reflecting the enclosure of the original agricultural field pattern.

4.100. New landscaping will form part of a set of comprehensive proposals to retain and further add to the existing green infrastructure including groups of parkland trees, structural planting and wild flower meadows.

4.101. Street tree planting within the residential areas and larger parkland tree planting within areas of proposed open space will break up the appearance of urban development and increase the level of tree cover generally within the site.

4.102. Planting of small trees to garden plots (where feasible and at appropriate distances from built form) to assist in providing a consistent

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

tree canopy coverage across the site to instil a rural character and provide visual mitigation.

4.103. It is recommended that the green infrastructure proposals incorporate hedgelines to residential property boundaries, especially to front gardens in key prominent locations. This will not only help nurture a rural atmosphere to the development but will also reflect the hedgerows which are characteristic of the surrounding rural lanes.

4.104. All tree and structural planting will be informed by and comply with the National Forest Strategy.

Pedestrian Links

4.105. The development proposals should incorporate a strong network of pedestrian and cycle links which will be vital for the successful sustainability of the community. These links should seek to form direct and legible access to:  Adjacent residential / neighbourhood areas.  Network of public open space and green infrastructure amenities.  Public transport facilities.  The village centre and other nearby key community service facilities.  Village schools and church.  Important open spaces and recreational areas within the village.  Surrounding wider countryside.

Local Facilities

4.106. Yoxall is classed as a Category Two Village in the Local Plan settlement hierarchy. The village is considered to be sustainable in respect of its provision of local services. It offers a number of shops and community facilities as well as a first and middle school. No further local service or community facility development is planned at the site, however the proposals will seek to enhance existing links between the site and these

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

facilities, as well as proposing additional footpath links to the village and wider footpath network.

4.107. The development site has good access to public transport with bus stops in a close proximity of the site offering connections to Burton upon Trent and Lichfield. There will be enhanced pavements and footpath links to assist in providing safe access for pedestrians along Lightwood Rd, Ferrers Rd and Hollys Rd into the village or to public transport. St Peter’s C of E school lies less than 350m to the north of the site off King Street with easy access via the existing footpath network. A Post Office, florist, Medical Centre and the Golden Cup Hotel / Public House and the Crown Inn are all within close walking distance.

4.108. Key green infrastructure proposals which form important mitigation measures are summarised as follows:

 The retention of existing landscape features, such as boundary and internal field hedgerows and mature hedgerow trees inorder to promote local distinctiveness and the rural setting of the site.

 The reinforcement of the site’s hedgerow field boundaries including the addition of hedgerow trees to enhance visual amelioration and screening.

 Formation of new landscape buffer corridors to accommodate the existing and retained public and permissive footpaths.

 The provision of public open spaces including an informal attenuation pond wildlife area. These will also serve to promote a rural character and provide gateway elements for the village from the western approach of Bondfield Lane.

4.109. The development proposals can be summarised as follows:

 Approximately 170 new homes, including affordable properties:  Two proposed new accesses off Bondfield Lane and Lightwood Road;

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

 Provision of extensive Public Open Space;  Retention of existing public right of ways within green corridors.  New landscaping to enhance the site and its boundaries.  Improved footpath links to Yoxall.

4.110. Overall a sensitive and considered design approach will allow the development to sit comfortably within its setting without detriment to the localised landscape character, visual environment or the amenity of the neighbouring properties and the wider landscape setting.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5. IMPACT ASSESSMENT & VISUAL ANALYSIS

5.1. The visual impact of the proposals has been assessed and a number of photographs have been taken from key viewpoints from publicly accessible areas to illustrate the site and its setting. The visual analysis and viewpoint locations are included within Appendix 2. The key viewpoint photographs are intended to form representative views from publicly accessible viewpoints, and while not exhaustive are considered to provide an accurate overview of the site and its setting.

Visual Assessment

Viewpoint 1

5.2. Viewpoint 1 is a long distance view taken from PROW Yoxall 53 from the high ground of 83m AOD close to the hamlet of Morrey looking south east towards the application site. The view illustrates the relationship between the village of Yoxall and its surrounding topography, in particular how it lies within the valley depression of the River Swarbourn. The foreground is dominated by the gently sloping arable farm fields associated with the western valley hillside, enclosed by a strong regular pattern of established hedgerows punctuated with sporadic mature hedgerow trees.

5.3. The residential built up edge of Yoxall can be seen creeping up the hillside and protruding on the ridgeline above the hedgerows. Beyond the village and acting as its background is the prominent steeply rising eastern valley hillside known as Town hill, with its mosaic of pasture laced with woodland cover and hedgerows. In the far distance to the right of the field of vision are expansive views of the well wooded lowlands of the Trent Valley. The double hedgerowed rural lane of Bondfield Lane can be seen to the right middle ground as it winds towards Yoxall village. Also evident traversing the site are overhead transmission lines forming a localised visual detractor.

5.4. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 1, the principle receptors are identified as users of the public

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

footpath, and as such are considered to be of a high sensitivity receptor. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present. It is considered however, that this change can be accommodated. There will be views of the rear elevations of new dwellings extending across the field of vision, ostensibly replacing the view of the existing residential properties of the Lightwood Road estate. These views will be partial in that the intervening field boundary hedgerows will afford only views of the upper storey elevations and associated roofscape. The expanse of builtform will also be softened and broken up by the existing mature hedgerow trees.

5.5. Green infrastructure proposals will include a substantial level of tree cover in the form of street and garden tree planting also including the retained hedgerow trees. In addition a large public open space or neighbourhood park is proposed to south western corner of the site which will also include structural planting and the planting of larger parkland tree species. These measures will in time allow the development’s roofscape to merge within what is already a well wooded backdrop scene, helping to break up the built form and create a rural character to the new development.

5.6. It is important to note that the prominent hillside terrain of Town Hill will retain the skyline and still form the dominant character within the scene.

5.7. As the new development will be clearly evident, it will however sit in front of the existing residential properties along Lightwood Road. Due to the foreshortening effect from this viewpoint, the new dwellings will replace views of the existing properties rather than adding to the builtform in the landscape, albeit being slightly more prominent being nearer. As such these new dwellings will be perceived as being part of the existing residential edge of Yoxall and therefore will not constitute an unexpected scene.

5.8. Mitigation proposals will incorporate the reinforcement of the existing western hedgerow boundaries increasing the cover of hedgerow trees. This will in time provide a partial visual amelioration of the development

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

from this viewpoint. During winter after leaf fall there will be filtered views through to new dwellings along this western boundary, but it is considered that the density of the winter structure will still provide a reasonable level of amelioration.

5.9. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a high sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate in year 1 levelling off to moderate / minor once tree planting has established.

Viewpoint 2

5.10. Viewpoint 2 is a mid distance view taken from PROW Yoxall 14 looking east towards the application site. The view illustrates the degree of containment the site is afforded by the northern boundary vegetation. The foreground shows the public footpath cutting across the corner of semi-improved pasture enclosed by the well established hedgerow and sporadic mature hedgerow trees - the second hedgerow tree grouping demarcating the north west corner of the site. Beyond the hedgerow can be seen the protruding canopies of further hedgerow trees relating to the site’s western and internal field enclosures. The terrain falls away down the River Swarbourn’s western valley slope and occupying its ridgeline are the upper elevations of the existing residential properties pertaining to Savey Lane. Just discernible to the left of these properties is the tower of St Peter’s Parish Church nestling within its mature church yard trees. The prominent eastern valley hillside of Town Hill provides the background and skyline with its mosaic of pasture and woodland cover.

5.11. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 2, the principle receptors are identified as users of the public footpath, and as such are considered to be of a high sensitivity receptor. The development proposals will be clearly apparent within the land to the right of the hedgerow when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present. It is considered however, that this change can be accommodated.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5.12. There will be partial views of the rear elevations of the western most residential street, with the intervening hedgerow affording views of only the upper storeys and associated roofscape of new dwellings. Furthermore the mature hedgerow trees will provide a limited degree of visual screening and will also serve to soften the roofscape and break up the expanse of built form. The new roofscape will compete with the prominent ridgeline of Town Hill, but ostensibly it is considered that the skyline will be retained by the natural backdrop which will serve to integrate the scheme within its receiving environment.

5.13. Green infrastructure proposals include a substantial level of new tree cover throughout the scheme in the form of both street and garden tree planting in addition to the retained existing hedgerow trees. These measures will in time serve to further soften the expanse of builtform and allow the roofscape to merge into the well wooded background scene of Town Hill.

5.14. Mitigation proposals will incorporate the reinforcement of the existing northern and western hedgerow boundaries increasing the cover of hedgerow trees. This will in time provide a partial visual amelioration of the development from this viewpoint. During winter after leaf fall there will be filtered views through to new dwellings along this western boundary, but it is considered that the density of the winter structure will still provide a reasonable level of amelioration.

5.15. Whilst the new dwellings will be clearly evident, they will be seen within the context of the adjacent residential built up area of Savey Lane and therefore will not form an unexpected scene, being perceived as belonging to the settlement of Yoxall.

5.16. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a high sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate in year 1 levelling off to moderate / minor once planting has established.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Viewpoint 3

5.17. Viewpoint 3 is a short distance view taken from PROW Yoxall 14 within Ferrers Field playing fields looking south east at the application site. The view illustrates the relationship of the site with the western settlement fringe of Yoxall. The mature hedgerow tree demarcates the site’s north western corner with the well maintained hedgerow forming its northern perimeter boundary. The site’s arable farmland sits beyond the hedgerow and to the front of the residential properties of the Lightwood Road estate. Out of sight and beyond the roofscape, the village of Yoxall continues to extend down the western valley slope towards the river corridor. Town Hill, the steeper eastern valley slope can be seen in the left background whilst the well wooded lowlands of the Trent Valley extends to the left in the far distance. Overhead transmission lines can be seen traversing the site and the wider landscape against the skyline.

5.18. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 3, the principle receptors are identified as users of the public footpath, and as such are considered to be of a high sensitivity receptor. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present.

5.19. The immediate scene will be of oblique and full views of new dwelling elevations relating to the westernmost residential street which terminates at the northern realms of the site in a cul de sac arrangement. This scene will be repeated further to the eastern realms of the site (left in the field of view) albeit less prominently being at a further distance away and truncated by the western street dwellings.

5.20. The proximity of these north western dwellings will form the skyline and has the potential to contain any further views. It is recommended that careful consideration be given to the development layout inorder to retain some channelled and filtered views through the site and across towards the wider landscape to the south and south east.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5.21. The intervening hedgerow will contain lower level views into the site with the mature hedgerow tree providing a limited degree of visual screening of upper storey elevetions.

5.22. Green infrastructure proposals will include a substantial level of tree cover throughout the site in the form of street trees and strategically planted garden trees in addition to the retained existing hedgerow trees. These measures will in time serve to break up the built form and soften the roofscape.

5.23. Mitigation proposals will incorporate the reinforcement of the existing northern hedgerow boundaries increasing the cover of hedgerow trees. This will in time provide a partial visual amelioration of the development from this viewpoint, with care being taken to allow channelled views as stated above. During winter after leaf fall there will be filtered views through to new dwellings along this northern boundary, but it is considered that the density of the winter structure will still provide a reasonable level of amelioration.

5.24. Whilst the new dwellings will be clearly evident, the view of the new development will replace the existing scene of residential properties belonging to Lightwood Road, and albeit being more pronounced they will not form an unexpected scene, being perceived as belonging to the settlement of Yoxall.

5.25. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a high sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate in year 1 levelling off to moderate / minor once tree planting has established.

Viewpoint 4

5.26. Viewpoint 4 is a short distance view taken from public footpath PROW Yoxall 56 looking south at the application site from Ferrers Field playing fields. The view illustrates the extent of vegetation lining the site’s northern boundary and the degree of containment afforded by the prevailing topography. The northern perimeter hedgerow can be seen

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

rising up the western valley slope and beyond which are canopies of mature hedgerow trees relating to the internal field enclosures and the western site boundary. The gable end of a residential property relating to Hollys Road can be seen in the middle left nestling within mature trees and which denotes Yoxall’s western settlement fringe. The wider landscape of Lichfield and Trent Valley is just discernible on the horizon beyond the tree canopies with overhead transmission lines again traversing the skyline.

5.27. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 4, the principle receptors are identified as users of the public footpath, and as such are considered to be of high sensitivity receptor. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present. The immediate scene will be of the two main residential streets extending across the site north to south, with the western most street sitting higher on the terrain. There will again be full and oblique views of mostly rear elevations of new dwellings along the northern realms of the site as the two streets terminate in cul de sac arrangements. Views further into the site will predominantly be truncated by these proposed units. Whilst the intervening hedgerow will contain lower level views the upper storeys of these new dwellings will be much in evidence with their associated roofscape forming the skyline, this being particularly prominent to the north west of the site.

5.28. Mitigation measures will involve reinforcing the northern and western hedgerow field boundaries including additional hedgerow tree planting. In addition small trees will be strategically planted within the rear gardens of these properties. In time these measures will provide a partial screening to the development and will also serve to soften the impact of its roofscape, which will be especially important along the higher western boundary.

5.29. Whilst in winter after leaf fall there will be filtered views of these dwellings along the northern site boundary, it is considered that the density of the winter canopy structure will provide a reasonable level of visual amelioration. If feasible a ‘plant ahead’ strategy for hedgerow

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

trees will allow the opportunity for a more established screening prior to the start of the construction phase.

5.30. Whilst the new dwellings will be clearly evident, the development will be seen in the context of residential properties belonging to Lightwood Road, and albeit being more pronounced they will not form an unexpected scene, being perceived as belonging to the settlement of Yoxall.

5.31. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a high sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate in year 1 levelling off to moderate / minor once mitigation proposals are established.

Viewpoint 5

5.32. Viewpoint 5 is a short distance view taken from a cul de sac within the adjoining Lightwood Road residential estate looking west at the application site. The view illustrates the degree of visual containment afforded by the site’s eastern boundary vegetation which comprises a tall and well established hedgerow which is generally in good condition and continuous along the entire site perimeter boundary. The modern day residential properties can be seen in the foreground, their red multi brick and timber cladding detail being typical for the locality.

5.33. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 5, the principle receptors are identified as road users, pedestrians and residential receptors as defined by those views taken from rooms occupied in the waking hours and from the garden curtilage. As such it is considered that these receptors have a combined sensitivity rating of medium. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present.

5.34. There will be full views of rear elevations of new dwellings extending across the field of vision relating to the eastern most residential street.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Whilst the intervening hedgerow will curtail lower level views into the site the upper storeys will be in evidence and their asoociated roofscape will form the skyline. Views further in to the site will be curtailed by these new dwellings. However, it is envisaged there will be some degree of development set back to accommodate the existing public footpath corridor, which will alleviate the proximity and therefore visual prominence of these new dwellings as seen from this viewpoint

5.35. Green infrastructure proposals will incorporate strategically planted small trees within the rear gardens of these easternmost new dwellings. In addition GI proposals also include a substantial cover of street trees and the existing internal field enclosures will be retained and reinforced. These may potentially be viewed between the gable ends of the new dwellings. Overall these measures will in time serve to break up the expanse of builtform and soften the impact of the development roofscape.

5.36. Mitigation measures will involve reinforcing the eastern hedgerow field boundary including additional hedgerow tree planting. In time these measures will provide a partial screening to the development and will also serve to soften the impact of its roofscape. During winter after leaf fall filtered and partial views of new dwellings will be possible along the site’s eastern fringes. However it is likely the density of the winter canopy of the strengthened site boundary planting will provide a reasonable level of visual amelioration.

5.37. Whilst the development will be clearly evident from this viewpoint it will be perceived as an addition to the existing urban edge and will not form an unexpected scene.

5.38. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a medium sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate / minor in year 1 levelling off to minor once tree planting proposals are established.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Viewpoint 6

5.39. Viewpoint 6 is a short distance view taken from Bondfield Lane on the outskirts of the village looking north west at the application site. The view illustrates the relationship of the site with the Yoxall settlement fringe. The viewpoint is also a representative view from the end residential property seen in the right foreground of the scene. The scene shows the quintessential narrow hedgerowed rural lane of Bondfield Lane winding its way westwards adjacent the site. The commanding presence of the majestic mature hedgerow tree takes centre stage standing almost as a sentinel to the village threshold. Also in the middleground can be seen the metal farm gate which provides access to the public and permissive footpaths that traverse the site. The pastoral / arable farmland of the application site is visible beyond the well developed hedgerow boundary and can be seen rising up the gentle western valley hillside. On the ridgeline are the mature tree canopies associated with the site’s western boundary vegetation.

5.40. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 6, the principle receptors are identified as road users, pedestrians and residential receptors as determined by the views afforded from the rooms occupied during the waking hours and from the property curtilage. As such it is considered that these combined receptors observe a medium sensitivity. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present. It is considered however, that this change can be accommodated.

5.41. The immediate view will be of a development set back to this south eastern corner of the site. The land here will be occupied by a public open space portraying an informal wildlife area incorporating a balancing / attenuation pond with associated structural planting. In addition there will be a pedestrian access point retained for the public and permissive footpaths. After the bend in the lane and out of sight from this viewpoint will be the main vehicular access for the development which leads on to a primary feeder road running to the west of the attenuation pond area. There will be partial views of front

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

elevations to new dwellings lining the opposite side of the carriageway of this feeder road. In addition there will also be oblique views of rear elevations to new dwellings seen rising sensitively westwards up the topography of the site – these elevations will likely not extend much further past the first telegraph pole as seen in the image since the far south western section of the site will incorporate a substantial area of public open space incorporating specimen tree planting. The roofscape of these dwellings will form the skyline along the western ridgeline with the mature hedgerow tree providing only limited visual amelioration.

5.42. Green infrastructure proposals will incorporate a substantial level of tree cover throughout the development in the form of strategically planted street and garden trees as well as public open space parkland trees. These measures in addition to the retained hedgerow trees will soften the impact of the roofscape and break up the expanse of built form.

5.43. Mitigation measures will include reinforcing the site’s western and southern hedgerow field boundary including the addition of hedgerow tree cover which will in time provide a partial visual screening to this southern section of the development as seen from this viewpoint. The mitigation proposals to the western site boundary will be particularly important in ameliorating the roofscape against the western ridgeline.

5.44. During winter after leaf fall filtered and partial views of these new dwelling elevations with their associated roofscape will be afforded along this section of the site. However it is likely the density of the winter canopy of the strengthened site boundary planting will provide a reasonable level of visual amelioration.

5.45. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a medium sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate / minor in year 1 levelling off to minor once planting proposals are established.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Viewpoint 7

5.46. Viewpoint 7 is a short distance internal site view taken from the Fullbrook Farm Permissive Footpath along the site’s southern boundary looking west. The view illustrates the western settlement edge of Yoxall and the extent of the site’s eastern boundary vegetation. The foreground is dominated by arable crop land cover whilst the well established hedgerow abuts the rear garden perimeters of the Lightwood Road residential properties in the middleground. There are glimpsed views of the Town Hill ridgeline seen between the rooflines of these residential properties, with the latter forming the dominant skyline. Tree cover relating to the gardens of the estate can also be seen competing for the skyline. The line of the permissive footpath is just evident along the crop margins to the lower right of the field of view.

5.47. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 7, the principle receptors are identified as users of the permissive footpath and as such are considered to be a medium sensitivity receptor – this principally due to the fact that pedestrians are deemed to use the permissive footpath ostensibly to avoid the narrow rural lane rather than for the express purpose of enjoying the landscape. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present.

5.48. There will be full views of the rear elevations to new dwellings predominantly relating to the southernmost residential street running from east to west. Due to the proximity their associated roofscape will form the skyline and views further into the site will be substantially curtailed apart from glimpsed views afforded between the gable ends.

5.49. Green infrastructure proposals will incorporate a substantial level of tree cover throughout the development. Street trees will be glimpsed through the gaps between dwellings whilst strategically planted small trees will be planted to the rear gardens of these new properties. These measures will help break up the expanse of builtform and in time will soften the impact of the new roofscape.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5.50. To the immediate foreground there will be a development set back to accommodate the retained permissive footpath. This will entail a generous landscaped corridor between the existing southern boundary hedgerow and the new rear garden perimeters. A landscape buffer is recommended along these rear garden boundaries inorder to instil a rural character and an engaging responsive environment for the user. This could take the form of a formal hedgeline or native fruit / berry bearing shrubs with the groundcover flanking the footpath comprising long meadow grass and / or wild flower meadow. These measures along with the proposed rear garden tree planting will ameliorate the visual impact of the development at ground level imparting a rural personality to the experience along the permissive footpath and avoiding the suburban stigma associated with harsh back yard fencelines.

5.51. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of high magnitude in year 1 falling to medium magnitude in year 10, acting upon a medium sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be moderate in year 1 levelling off to moderate / minor once green infrastructure proposals are established.

Viewpoint 8

5.52. Viewpoint 8 is a mid distance view taken from 150m away in the west along Bondfield Lane looking eastwards at the application site. The view illustrates the prominence of the eastern ridgeline of Town Hill with its mosaic of woodland copses, hedgerows and pastoral fields. This terrain falls steeply down to the river valley and to the historic core of Yoxall, with the modern day residential housing development seen creeping up the more gentler western valley slope and interfacing with the arable farm land of the application site. The sense of openness of the site is evident as it continues sloping westwards. The quintessential rural character of the winding narrow lane of Bondfield Lane is seen within the foreground bounded by its well established hedgerows.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5.53. In terms of the effect of the proposals when viewed within the context of viewpoint 8, the principle receptors are identified as road users and as such are considered to be of a low sensitivity receptor. The development proposals will be clearly apparent when viewed from this location, resulting in a noticeable degree of change to that which exists at present. It is considered however, that this change can be accommodated.

5.54. This south western sector of the site will be subject to a development set back within which a major public open space will be located. This park will comprise of a central open space bounded by structural buffer planting and punctuated by specimen parkland trees around its periphery. These proposals will provide some degree of visual screening of the new development from this viewpoint but the full screening benefit will not come into effect until the maturation of the planting.

5.55. As such there will be oblique views of the new dwellings both rear and gable end elevations relating to the residential street which runs westwards parallel with the southern boundary. In addition there will be full views of the rear elevations of new dwellings relating to the westernmost residential street which extends northwards. Whilst the intervening hedgerow and public open space tree planting will ameliorate the views of these dwellings their upper storeys and associated roofscape will be prominent. However it is likely the skyline will be retained by the eastern ridgeline which will provide the backdrop to the development and helping to integrate it within the surrounding landscape.

5.56. In addition to the new neighbourhood park planting, green infrastructure proposals will incorporate a substantial level of tree cover throughout the development. Street trees will be glimpsed through the gaps between dwellings whilst strategically planted small trees will be planted to the rear gardens of new properties on the site perimeter. These measures will break up the expanse of builtform and in time will soften the impact of the new roofscape, helping it to merge within what is an already well wooded backdrop.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

5.57. As the new development will be clearly evident, it will however sit in front of the existing residential properties along Lightwood Road. Due to the foreshortening effect from this viewpoint, the new dwellings will replace views of the existing properties rather than adding to the builtform in the landscape, albeit being slightly more prominent being nearer. As such these new dwellings will be perceived as being part of the existing residential edge of Yoxall and therefore will not constitute an unexpected scene.

5.58. Mitigation proposals will incorporate the reinforcement of the existing western and southern hedgerow boundaries increasing the cover of hedgerow trees. This will in time provide a partial visual amelioration of the development from this viewpoint. During winter after leaf fall there will be filtered views through to new dwellings along this southern boundary, but it is considered that the density and layering of the intervening winter skeletal green infrastructure will still provide an adequate level of amelioration.

5.59. It is therefore considered that the proposals will result in a change of medium magnitude in year 1 falling to low magnitude in year 10, acting upon a low sensitivity receptor. The significance of effect is considered to be minor in year 1 levelling off to minor / negligible once tree planting has established.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Table summary of visual effects

Viewpoint Sensitivity Nature of Magnitude Significance Significance Effect of Change (Year 1) (Year 10)

Viewpoint 1 – from PROW Yoxall 53 at 83 AOD Moderate / looking east High Direct, adverse Medium-Low Moderate minor

Viewpoint 2 – from PROW Yoxall 14 looking east Moderate / High Direct, adverse Medium-Low Moderate minor

Viewpoint 3 – from PROW Yoxall 14 Ferrers Field Moderate / looking south east High Direct, adverse Medium-Low Moderate minor

Viewpoint 4 – from PROW Yoxall 56 Ferrers Field Moderate / looking south High Direct, adverse Medium-Low Moderate minor

Viewpoint 5 – from cul de sac within Lightwood Moderate / Road looking west Medium Direct, adverse Medium-Low minor Minor

Viewpoint 6 – from Bondfield Lane looking north Moderate / west Medium Direct, adverse Medium-Low minor Minor

Viewpoint 7- from Fullbrook Farm Permissive Footpath looking west Moderate / Medium Direct, adverse High - Medium Moderate minor

Viewpoint 8 - from Bondfield Lane looking east Low Direct, adverse Medium-Low Minor Minor / Negligible

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

Summary of Visual Effects

5.60. The visual assessment has identified the following conclusions;

 The application site is well visually contained due to prevailing topography, intervening builtform and established vegetative structures around its site boundaries and within its immediate setting. These substantially limit the visibility of the site to views from the immediate locality, these views being from the adjacent & surrounding Public Rights of Way.

 The site sits within a gently undulating landscape that is characterised by a large regular field pattern, bound by established vegetation and intermittent blocks of woodland. This intervening vegetation structure helps to limit views from localised and middle distance viewpoints.

 The application site itself has established vegetation structures associated with its site boundaries which afford a degree of containment to the site. The high ground in the west allows for more wider ranging views into the site, however, for the most part these views are seen within the context of the existing settlement edge of Yoxall, and also seen as a minor component within the wider landscape context. Views of the existing residential built up edge form a prominent feature within the surrounding visual environment and as such the proposals will be seen as in keeping with that which exists at present.

 In more sensitive views from the wider footpath network to the north, and in particular the 'Way for the Millennium' Long Distance Route the site will be perceived as belonging to the overall context of Yoxall as a settlement.

 With regard to views from the east and south, the intervening builtform of Yoxall settlement, prevailing topography and offsite vegetation ensure that there is a natural visual envelope for the site that mostly conceals it from all but the westerly and northerly aspects. The

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

development proposals will provide a robust green edge to these site boundaries forming key mitigation measures.

 From the west and north the development of the site will be apparent representing a noticeable change to that which exists at present. It is considered, however, that the site and its setting have the capacity to accommodate this change.

 The provision and location of proposed public open space will assist with integrating the proposals into the fabric of the localised context, maintaining an appropriate transition between the proposals and the wider countryside setting to the west whilst creating a robust green edge to the site;

 The retention and enhancement of the existing hedgerows and treescape to the site’s boundaries will maintain the character of the site setting, and ensure that the degree of separation and containment currently afforded to the site is maintained and enhanced where necessary;

 A ‘plant ahead’ strategy is an option to be considered where views into the site are afforded from sensitive receptors such as the public footpaths to the west and north of the site. In this way hedgerow boundary reinforcement will have had time to establish by the time the construction phase starts in the region of the site affected.

 Viewpoint 8 illustrates that views from the west, albeit from higher ground, produce a foreshortening effect which essentially result in the proposed development replacing the existing built up edge rather than adding more builtform to it.

 It is important to note that views from the west will see the prominent ridgeline of Town Hill still commanding the skyline and retaining the dominant character within the scene, acting as backdrop to the subservient new settlement edge of Yoxall.

 Key views out of the site are from the south and to the east, which are important visual amenities to be retained especially along public

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

footpaths and major public open spaces. Where feasible, it is recommended that channelled, glimpsed or indeed wider views towards the elevated wooded terrain in the east and the lowland Trent Valley to the south should be retained from these key locations.

 Overall it is considered that the development will generally have a significance of effect of moderate to moderate / minor upon the visual environment and that effects will be limited to the immediate setting of the site.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

6. CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

6.1. Whilst the National Character Assessment and the Borough Landscape Character Assessment are useful in providing an overview of the landscape character of the wider setting of the application site, and while Aspect broadly agrees with this assessment, it is considered that they represent a broad-brush assessment which does not necessarily reflect the intricacies of the landscape character of the assessment site and its immediate setting.

6.2. As such Aspect has undertaken a more localised landscape character assessment of the application site, the settlement edge of Yoxall and the surrounding landscape.

6.3. The site is open in character and comprises three agricultural / pastoral fields divided by established hedgerows. A public right of way lines the eastern site boundary with the existing urban edge, and a permissive footpath link lines the southern site boundary. The existing urban edge forms a prominent feature within the immediate site context, influencing the character of the site.

6.4. To the west the wider agricultural setting of the site is characterised by a pattern of large fields, enclosed by established hedgerow boundaries, and areas of established woodland and plantation. A network of public right of ways, narrow lanes and farm tracks traverse the wider landscape, which when combined with the regular field pattern and associated boundary vegetation, create a compartmentalised and intimate character.

6.5. It is considered that there are a number of factors that both influence and affect the character and sensitivity of the site and its setting to a change of the type proposed. Firstly, the character of the eastern section of the site is heavily influenced by its proximity to the existing urban edge and in particular the residential properties of the Lightwood Road estate. Given the combination of the prevailing topography and the compartmentalisation of the field hedgerows the eastern section of

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

the site feels unconnected to the wider landscape and indeed connects more with the adjacent settlement edge.

6.6. In addition the northern section of the site adjoins the Ferrers Field playing fields which also imparts a peri-urban influence.

6.7. The presence of these existing urban edges detracts from the tranquillity and character of the site in these areas, promoting an urban fringe sub-character area, which relates more readily to the existing built up area of the village. It can be considered that there is a low sensitivity to change within these eastern and northern realms of the site.

6.8. The character changes towards the western area of the site where the canopies of mature hedgerow trees provides a presence and instils a sheltered sense of place. The feeling here is more tranquil and remote which is enhanced by the expansive views over the lowlands of the Trent Valley to the south and the prominent Town Hill ridgeline to the east. Indeed given that the western realms of the site occupies the higher ground of the valley slope it is considered that landscape sensitivity here is high.

6.9. This sensitivity is echoed towards the southern realms of the site where a sense of quintessential rurality permeates within the vicinity of the narrow winding lane of Bondfield Lane with a sense of enclosure provided by its well established hedgerows.

6.10. Within the central and greater area of the site, sensitivity decreases as the sense of openness takes on a distinctively agricultural landscape scene. The flat and expansive arable landcover is broken up only by the regular pattern of hedgerow field enclosure together with the odd sporadic hedgerow tree. The scale of the landscape is considered to be medium and is of simple character and low in diversity. It is considered to be an unremarkable rural landscape and typical of the agricultural hinterland surrounding the village.

6.11. Overall the landscape sensitivity of the site is considered to be low with a medium to high capacity for change of the type proposed.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

6.12. The emerging Yoxall NDP emphasises that new development ‘must explain how the design of the proposed development responds to the Village Design Statement and to the Character Analysis for Yoxall’ (contained in the Yoxall NDP Appendix and summarised in the Baseline Study).

6.13. In essence the NDP espouses three main principles;

‘…the protection and enhancement of the linear settlement pattern; its overriding rural character; and the low key entrances that are important.’

6.14. The NDP appears to adopt a rather conservatism approach in its pre- occupation with adhering to the north-south linear settlement pattern and which would seem to bear little relevance to the present day pressures and functionality.

6.15. The early origins of the Yoxall village grew up along the banks of the river Swarbourn principally for its more accessible bridging point and with this came the turnpike road which ran adjacent to the river corridor.

6.16. Since the significance of these early linear routes has become less valuable to our modern culture it would seem arbitrary to continue with a linear settlement pattern not least as it inherently disconnects new communities from the central village core as it grows.

6.17. Furthermore the village has seen a modern trend for growth towards a more nucleated structure with the expansion of modern residential development along the western valley slopes in the latter half of the last century. The Yoxall VDS confirms this:

‘’The top of Town Hill is some thirty metres above the village and this is a good place from which to see how the village nestles into the fold of the land. Only a few buildings on Town Hill have used the steep land and most of the village is concentrated on the west bank which has a more gentle slope. Yoxall grew along the old turnpike route, now the A515, and around the crossing point on the Swarbourn. The village

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

changed only gradually until the 1960's when a large new housing development was built to the south of the village core, between Savey Lane and Bondfield Lane, following the old practice of using the flattest land within about two hundred metres of the main road.’’

6.18. The 1960’s development referred to above is the Lightwood Road estate. The NDP goes on to state that this western fringe is a strong settlement boundary (albeit a rather harsh edge) and suggests that the 70m AOD contour line, which roughly aligns with it, should become a ‘line in the sand’ where no future development should breach. Again this seems to be an arbitrary approach since there would be little point in designating this contour line unless it had some form of visual impact significance. In this regard, the existing residential development of Lightwood Road is clearly visible from the western wider context. As such the ‘horse has already bolted’ to coin a phrase. Indeed the visual impact analysis of this study shows that views from the west produce a foreshortening effect which essentially results in the proposed development replacing the existing built up edge within the scene rather than adding more builtform to it.

6.19. The development of the three fields constitute a substantial land parcel which essentially moves the settlement edge westwards across a broad front and retains this strong edge that the NDP refers to, as indeed there are no enclaves nor dysfunctional land pockets formed as a result.

6.20. With regards to retaining the village’s rural character, the green infrastructure proposals as already shown will allow the development to exude a rural ambience. Indeed the elements which contribute most towards the landscape character of the site will be retained and enhanced, these being the strong network of hedgerow field enclosures and associated mature hedgerow trees. These existing linear elements will not only form wildlife corridors but also provide a sense of identity to the scheme and indeed promote a local distinctiveness reflecting the enclosure of the original agricultural field patterns.

6.21. As described in the design proposals there is also an opportunity to provide robust yet engaging landscape buffer corridors along the

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

southern and eastern boundary fringes. These corridors will accommodate the retention of both the public and permissive footpaths which run through the site.

6.22. The provision of a large public open space to the south western land parcel will further exude a rural character, and also consolidates development within the eastern site area closest to the existing urban edge. A simple large open space bounded by structural planting and punctuated by native parkland trees. Important views out across the wider landscape will be a key element within this open space. The siting of the park in this area allows the development to integrate within its receiving landscape by offering a diffused transitional interface between the new settlement edge of Yoxall and the wider rural countryside setting

6.23. The development proposals will indeed redefine Yoxall’s western settlement edge and the sensitive reinforcement of the western field boundary will create a softened transition between the proposal and the wider countryside setting. Indeed it is considered that this new rural urban interface will be enhanced and provide a more diffused relationship with greater sense of place to that which exists at present.

6.24. Whilst the neighbourhood park will be seen from over the hedgerow of Bondfield Lane it will nevertheless provide a subtle gateway element for the village of Yoxall from this western approach.

6.25. In addition an informal area of public open space will be located at the south eastern corner of the site within the proximity of the grand mature hedgerow tree. This area will be occupied by a well integrated attenuation pond along with appropriate planting and will form a high quality rural scene at the entrance to the site. This not only provides a gateway and sense of identity for the development but also again improves the experiential journey along Bondfield Lane at the threshold of the village.

6.26. In summary the proposals have sought to promote a sensitive and considered development approach, maintaining a level and layout of

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

development which both respects and enhances the setting of the receiving environment and the localised context.

6.27. The site lies outside the village’s development boundary as designated by the Local Plan saved policies. However these policies pre-date the National Planning Policy Framework (2012) and indeed the Borough’s new emerging Local Plan housing policy has been criticised under examination by the Inspectorate for not demonstrating an adequate 5 year supply. Given this it is considered that the NPPF’s ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ will take precedence as indeed it is of the opinion that the future benefit for the local community which these development proposals offer materially outweigh the Council’s out dated policies. The young people of Yoxall will have the opportunity to remain in their local rural community with quality sustainable and affordable homes located within a sensitively designed setting.

6.28. Furthermore, given the need for new housing within the district, the application site represents an appropriate and logical extension to the settlement that will not compromise the integrity of the surrounding open countryside nor the setting of the village and its heritage assets.

6.29. The proposals have incorporated a landscape led approach, with careful consideration given to the location of the proposed open space areas, the retention and enhancement of the existing boundary vegetation and new structure planting within the site. These features ensure that the proposals can be accommodated within this setting without detriment to the quality and character of the receiving environment.

6.30. Overall this site specific assessment considers the application site to have a medium to high capacity to change with a low sensitivity in terms of landscape character. The magnitude of change is considered to be high providing a moderate / minor significance of effect upon landscape character.

Land off Lightwood Road, Yoxall January 2015 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment 5448.LVIA.003.VF

7. CONCLUSION

7.1. The proposed development seeks to promote a sensitive and considered development, which relates to the existing village fringe and character of Yoxall. Consideration has been given to the scale and layout of the proposals, to the proposed landscape structure, and provision of open space seeking to promote a strong green infrastructure. Development proposals seek to retain and enhance the site’s key existing green infrastructure assets inorder to promote the site’s character and distinctiveness. This considered development layout ensures that the proposals can be integrated into the site and its immediate setting, whilst promoting an appropriate transition between the wider countryside setting and the rural village of Yoxall.

7.2. It is considered that the application site and receiving environment have the capacity to accommodate the proposals. The proposals will not result in significant harm to the landscape character or visual environment and, as such, it is considered that the proposed development can be successfully integrated in this location, is supportable from a landscape and visual perspective, and therefore meets the landscape requirements of both national and local planning policy.

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank

ASPECT PLANS

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank

APPENDIX 1

ASPECT LANDSCAPE & VISUAIL IMPACT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

1.1. The Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment have jointly published Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Third Edition (2013) that gives guidance on carrying out a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), either as a standalone appraisal or part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This methodology takes on board the above guidance.

1.2. When assessing character within an urban context, this methodology can be applied to Townscape Assessments and how the development will affect the elements that make up the townscape and its distinctive character.

1.3. The main stages of the LVIA process are outlined below. This process will identify and assess the potential effects of a development on the landscape resource and the visual environment.

1. Baseline study Landscape • Define the scope of the assessment.

• Outline the planning policy context, including any landscape designations.

• Establish the landscape baseline through a site visit and an assessment of published Landscape Character Assessments to identify the value and susceptibility of the landscape resource (receptor), at community, local, national or international levels where appropriate.

Visual • Define the scope of the assessment.

• Identify the extent of visual receptors within the study area, with the use of Zones of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) where appropriate, and establish the number and sensitivity of the representative viewpoint and/or groups of people (receptors) within the study area whose views may be altered as a result of the proposals.

2. Project description The baseline study highlights clear opportunities and constraints for the integration of the proposals into the receiving environment. The aspects of the scheme at each phase that will potentially give rise to effects on the landscape and visual amenity will need identifying. At this time, the proposals can be modified to ensure that further mitigation measures are incorporated into the design as a response to the local landscape and visual environment.

3. Description of Effects The level of effect on both landscape and visual receptors should be identified in respect of the different components of the proposed development. In order to assess the significance of the effect on the receiving environment, it is necessary to consider the magnitude, i.e. the degree of change, together with the sensitivity of the receptor.

This will identify whether the effects are: Adverse or Beneficial - beneficial effects would typically occur where a development could positively contribute to the landscape character or view. Neutral effects would include changes that neither add nor detract from the quality and character of an area or view. Adverse effects would typically occur where there is loss of landscape elements, or the proposal detracts from the landscape quality and character of an area or view.

Direct or Indirect – A direct effect will be one where a development will affect a view or the character of an area, either beneficially or adversely. An indirect effect will occur as a result of associated development i.e. a development may result in an increase of traffic on a particular route.

Short, Medium or Long Term – this relates to the expected duration and magnitude of a development. Within this assessment the potential effects are assessed during the Construction Phase, then at Years 1 and 10, following completion of the development.

Reversible or Irreversible – can the resulting effect of a development be mitigated or not, and whether the result of the mitigation is beneficial or adverse.

2 4. Significance of Effects (EIA only) A final judgment on whether the effect is likely to be significant, as required by the Regulations. The summary should draw out the key issues and outline the scope for reducing any negative/ adverse effects. Mitigation measures need to be identified that may reduce the final judgement on the significance of any residual negative effects in the long term.

Assessing effects Landscape Sensitivity

1.4. The sensitivity of a particular landscape in relation to new development is categorised as high, medium, low or negligible. This takes into account the susceptibility of the receptor to the type of development proposed and the value attached to different landscapes by society. The following table explains each threshold and the factors that make up the degree of sensitivity.

Table 1: Landscape Sensitivity Thresholds

Sensitivity Definition

High Landscape resource where there is a high susceptibility to change. Landscapes would be considered of high value, have a high degree of intimacy, strong landscape structure, relatively intact and contain features worthy of protection. Townscapes may include a high proportion of historic assets. Typical examples may be of National or County importance e.g. within the setting of National Parks, AONB’s, Conservation Areas etc.

Medium Landscape resource where there is a medium susceptibility to change. Landscapes would be considered of medium value, good landscape structure, with some detracting features or evidence of recent change. Townscapes may include a proportion of historic assets or of cultural value locally. Typical examples may be designated for their value at District level.

Low Landscape resource where there is a low susceptibility to change. Landscapes would be considered of low value, and contain evidence of previous landscape change.

Negligible Landscape resource where there is little or no susceptibility to change. Typical landscapes are likely to be degraded, of weak landscape structure, intensive land uses, and require landscape restoration.

3 Visual Sensitivity

1.5. The sensitivity of the visual receptor will be assessed against the magnitude of visual change, and is categorised as high, medium, low or negligible. Each receptor should be assessed in terms of both their susceptibility to change in views and visual amenity and also the value attached to particular views.

Table 2: Visual Sensitivity Thresholds

Sensitivity Definition

High Viewers on public rights of way whose prime focus is on the landscape around and are often very aware of its value. Occupiers of residential properties with primary views affected by the development. Examples include viewers within National landscape designations, users of National Trails, Long Distance Routes or Sustrans cycle routes, or within the setting of a listed building.

Medium Viewers engaged in outdoor recreation with some appreciation of the landscape, occupiers of residential properties with oblique views affected by the development, and users of rural lanes and roads. Examples include viewers within moderate quality landscapes, local recreation grounds, and outdoor pursuits.

Low Viewers engaged in outdoor sport or recreation whose prime focus is on their activity, or those passing through the area on main transport routes whose attention is focused away from an appreciation of the landscape.

Negligible Viewers whose attention is focused on their work or activity, and not susceptible to changes in the surrounding landscape.

Effect Magnitude

1.6. The magnitude of change relates to the degree in which proposed development alters the fabric of the landscape character or view. This change is categorised as high, medium, low, or negligible.

Table 3: Magnitude of Change

Magnitude Effect Definition

High Change resulting in a high degree of deterioration or improvement, or introduction of prominent new elements that are considered to make a major alteration to a

4 landscape or view.

Medium Change resulting in a moderate degree of deterioration or improvement, or constitutes a perceptible change within a landscape or view.

Low Change resulting in a low degree of deterioration or improvement to a landscape or view, or constitutes only a minor component within a landscape or view.

Negligible Change resulting in a barely perceptible degree of deterioration or improvement to a landscape or view.

No Change It is also possible for a landscape or view to experience no change due to being totally compatible with the local character or not visible due to intervening structures or vegetation.

Significance Threshold

1.7. The magnitude of change is then considered against the sensitivity of the landscape resource as a receptor or the existing character of the panorama / view. In formulating the significance of effect, reasoned professional judgement is required which is explained within the assessment. This is carried out both in terms of the predicted effects on landscape character or on visual amenities. The significance thresholds are predicted as Major, Moderate, Minor, Negligible and None, and can be either beneficial or adverse. Unless otherwise stated, all effects are predicted in the winter months. The extent of mitigation measures should be clearly stated, and in the case of planting proposals, the contribution to reducing adverse effects should be demonstrated at different stages (construction stage, operational stage year 0, and year 10).

Table 4: Significance of Effect

Significance Threshold Definition

Major A high magnitude of change that materially affects a landscape or view, that has little or no ability to accommodate change. Positive effects will typically occur in a damaged landscape or view.

Moderate A medium magnitude of change that materially affects a landscape or view that may have the ability to accommodate change. Positive effects will typically occur in a lower quality landscape or view.

Minor A low magnitude of change that materially affects a landscape or view that has the ability to accommodate

5 change. Positive effects will typically occur in a lower quality landscape or view.

Negligible A negligible magnitude of change that has little effect on a landscape or view that has the ability to accommodate change.

None It is also possible for a magnitude of change to occur that results in a neutral effect significance due to the change being compatible with local character or not visible.

1.8. The significance of the effect is measured on the ability of a landscape or view to accommodate the change. In assessing the significance of effects, the following matrix will be used to determine the significance thresholds, through determining the sensitivity of the receptor and the magnitude of change.

Table 5: Measuring Significance of Effect

Sensitivity of Receptors

High Medium Low Negligible High Major Major/ Moderate/ Moderate Moderate Minor

Medium Major/ Moderate/ Moderate Minor Moderate Minor

Low Moderate/ Moderate Minor Negligible Minor Magnitude of Change Negligible Moderate/ Negligible/ Minor Negligible Minor None

1.9. It should be noted that where there is no perceptible change in terms of the effect magnitude regardless of the sensitivity of the receptor, the significance of the effect on a landscape or view will be none.

1.10. A written statement summarising the significance of effects is provided, assisted by the tables and matrices. The final judgement relies on professional judgement that is reasonable, based on clear and transparent methods, suitable training and experience, and a detached and dispassionate view of the development in the final assessment.

6 Assessing cumulative effects

1.11. Cumulative effects are additional effects caused by a proposed development in conjunction with other similar developments. This can be cumulative landscape effects on the physical fabric or character of the landscape, or cumulative visual effects caused by two or more developments being visible from one viewpoint and/or sequence of views. The scope of cumulative effects should be agreed at the outset to establish what schemes are relevant to the assessment, and what planning stage is appropriate. It is generally considered that existing and consented developments and those for which planning applications have been submitted but not yet determined should be included.

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank

APPENDIX 2

VISUAL ASSESSMENT

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank