Scottish Borders Local Landscape Designation Review REVISED REPORT Prepared for Scottish Borders Council by Land Use Consultants June 2012 www.landuse.co.uk LUC SERVICES Environmental Planning Landscape Design Landscape Management Masterplanning Landscape Planning Ecology Environmental Assessment Rural Futures Digital Design Urban Regeneration Urban Design 43 Chalton Street 37 Otago Street London NW1 1JD Glasgow G12 8JJ Tel: 020 7383 5784 Tel: 0141 334 9595 Fax: 020 7383 4798 Fax: 0141 334 7789 [email protected] [email protected] 14 Great George Street 28 Stafford Street Bristol BS1 5RH Edinburgh EH3 7BD Tel: 0117 929 1997 Tel: 0131 202 1616 Fax: 0117 929 1998 [email protected] [email protected] DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Version Issued by: Approved by: Final Draft Paul Macrae Nick James Senior Landscape Planner Principal-in-Charge January 2011 January 2011 Final Report Paul Macrae Nick James Senior Landscape Planner Principal-in-Charge March 2011 March 2011 Revised Report Paul Macrae Nick James Senior Landscape Planner Principal-in-Charge June 2012 June 2012 CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 Post-consultation revision ..................................................................................................... 1 2 INTRODUCTION 3 Project Aims and Objectives .................................................................................. 4 Study Area ........................................................................................................... 4 Structure of the Report ......................................................................................... 5 3 METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH 6 Phase 1 ................................................................................................................ 6 Phase II .............................................................................................................. 15 4 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 19 Scottish Planning Policy and Advice ....................................................................... 19 Strategic Planning ................................................................................................ 21 Local planning ..................................................................................................... 22 5 LANDSCAPE EVIDENCE BASE 29 The Borders Landscape Character Assessment ...................................................... 29 6 AUDIT OF LANDSCAPE DESIGNATIONS IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS 33 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 33 National Scenic Areas .......................................................................................... 33 Areas of Great Landscape Value ........................................................................... 34 Protected landscapes in neighbouring areas ........................................................... 34 7 LANDSCAPE EVALUATION 46 Results by Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................... 47 Total scores ....................................................................................................... 56 Weighting .......................................................................................................... 59 Area of Search .................................................................................................... 62 8 QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 64 Summary of the Analysis ...................................................................................... 65 9 CANDIDATE SPECIAL LANDSCAPE AREAS 71 CSLA 1: Tweedsmuir Uplands .............................................................................. 72 CSLA 2: Tweed Valley ......................................................................................... 73 CSLA 3: Tweed, Ettrick and Yarrow Confluences ................................................... 74 CSLA 4: Tweed Lowlands .................................................................................... 75 CSLA 5: Teviot Valleys ........................................................................................ 76 CSLA 6: Lammermuir Hills ................................................................................... 78 CSLA 7: Berwickshire Coast ................................................................................ 79 CSLA 8: Cheviot Foothills .................................................................................... 80 CSLA 9: Pentland Hills ......................................................................................... 81 Comparison with Existing Landscape Designations ................................................. 81 Scottish Borders LLDR Revised Report Land Use Consultants i June 2012 10 PLANNING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 84 Model policies .................................................................................................... 84 Policy framework recommendations ..................................................................... 84 TABLES Table 3.1: Evaluation criteria .................................................................................................... 10 Table 3.2: Evaluation questions and decision rules ............................................................. 11 Table 4.1: Longer-distance Routes .......................................................................................... 28 Table 5.1: Landscape character units ...................................................................................... 30 Table 6.1: Landscape designations within the Scottish Borders ....................................... 33 Table 6.2: Landscape designations adjacent to the Scottish Borders .............................. 35 Table 7.1: LCUs included in detailed field survey ................................................................ 46 Table 7.2: Total scores .............................................................................................................. 57 Table 7.3: Total weighted scores ............................................................................................ 60 Table 7.4: Highest-scoring one third of LCUs ...................................................................... 63 Table 9.1: Areas of the cSLAs .................................................................................................. 82 FIGURES Figure 2.1: Study Area Figure 3.1: Outline of Phases and Tasks Figure 4.1: Phase I Habitat Mapping Figure 4.2: Natural Heritage Designations Figure 4.3: Existing woodland in the Scottish Borders Figure 4.4: Countryside around towns policy map Figure 4.5: Visibility from main settlements Figure 4.6: Wind Energy SPG: Spatial Strategy Figure 4.7: Outdoor Access Figure 4.8: Cultural Heritage Designations Figure 5.1: The Borders Landscape Character Assessment Figure 5.2: Landscape Character Units Figure 6.1: Existing Landscape Designations Figure 7.1: Field Survey Figure 7.2: Representativeness Figure 7.3: Rarity Figure 7.4: Condition Figure 7.5: Intactness Figure 7.6: Wildness Figure 7.7: Scenic Value Scottish Borders LLDR Revised Report Land Use Consultants ii June 2012 Figure 7.8: Enjoyment Figure 7.9: Cultural Qualities Figure 7.10: Habitat Value Figure 7.11: Settlement Setting Figure 7.12: Views Figure 7.13: Tourist Economy Figure 7.14: Total scores before weighting applied Figure 7.15: Total scores after weighting applied Figure 7.16: Area of Search for cSLAs Figure 9.1: Candidate Special Landscape Areas Figure 9.2: CSLA1 Tweedsmuir Uplands Figure 9.3: CSLA2 Tweed Valley Figure 9.4: CSLA3 Tweed, Ettrick and Yarrow Confluences Figure 9.5: CSLA4 Tweed Lowlands Figure 9.6: CSLA5 Teviot Valleys Figure 9.7: CSLA6 Lammermuir Hills Figure 9.8: CSLA7 Berwickshire Coast Figure 9.9: CSLA8 Cheviot Foothills Figure 9.10: Candidate Special Landscape Areas and AGLVs APPENDICES Appendix 1: Methodology for Habitat Value Criterion Appendix 2: Field Survey Form Appendix 3: Landscape Evaluation Appendix 4: Qualitative Analysis Appendix 5: Consultation Summary Scottish Borders LLDR Revised Report Land Use Consultants iii June 2012 1 Executive Summary 1.1 The Local Landscape Designation Review (LLDR) was designed to update the suite of locally protected landscapes within the Scottish Borders Council area. The existing suite of Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) lack robust justification for their location, extent and boundaries, and are not considered fit for purpose. 1.2 A methodology for the LLDR was developed, based on the approach set out in Guidance on Local Landscape Designations, published jointly by Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland in 2005. The methodology was designed to identify candidate Special Landscape Areas (cSLA), which will be subject to further consultation by the Council. 1.3 Existing national, regional and local landscape-related policy and guidance relevant to the Scottish Borders Council area was reviewed as an initial stage, in order to gain an understanding of the Borders landscape and the issues surrounding landscape protection. 1.4 The LLDR examined the existing landscape of the Borders, drawing on the published landscape character assessment of the area. A series of criteria were employed to make a quantitative evaluation, which led to a ranking of character areas by landscape quality. The evaluation was carried out initially as a desk-based exercise, and subsequently expanded through field work. The result of this first stage was the definition of an area of search. 1.5 A qualitative analysis was then carried out, looking at