Taunton Deane Special Landscape Features Assessment
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LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK STEERING GROUP November 2014 Site Allocations and Development Management Plan (SADMP) Evidence Base Report: LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT OF THE BOROUGH’S SPECIAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES Introduction A report to the Council’s Strategic Planning, Transport and Economic Development Review Panel of 16th November 2006 identified the need to carry out an assessment of the Borough’s ‘Special Landscape Feature’ (SLF) designation in line with the production of a Borough wide Landscape Character Assessment. The accepted recommendation of the report was that the then Local Plan policy EN11 (Special Landscape Features) should be removed and the SLF features incorporated into the wider Landscape Character Assessment as descriptive text. However, since that time it has become apparent through discussions with colleagues, developers and Planning Inspectors decisions that there is still an important place for the policy within the Local Plan as an extra layer of landscape protection. The following assessment has been carried out to assess whether the existing SLFs were still relevant as distinct features and where they were, whether modification of their boundaries was necessary. Only where the designation is found to be necessary in protecting the feature and its wider setting from inappropriate development will it be maintained as a SLF. The following report outlines the approach taken; summarises individual SLF profiles and proposes deletions and boundary changes. The report was carried out by the Council’s Landscape Lead, a fully qualified landscape architect and Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. Approach To carry out the assessment of the existing Special Landscape Features the following were used as reference documents: ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment’, Third Edition 2013, with particular reference to ‘Assessing the significance of visual effects’ page 113. Reference was also made to the Borough Council’s Landscape Character Assessment 2011 and Landscape Character Assessment of Taunton’s Rural-Urban Fringe – Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study 2005 in producing this landscape assessment. Full details can be found on the Council’s web site. Landscape Character Assessment 2011’ ‘Landscape Character Assessment of Taunton’s Rural-Urban Fringe – Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study 2005’ Relevant Planning Policies The relevant Core Strategy policies are: CP8 – environment; DM1 – general requirements, DM2 – development in the countryside; and DM4 – design. Special Landscape Feature individual landscape assessments The following features have been assessed: Bishops Hull River Cliff Bradford On Tone River Cliff Burrow Mump, Burrowbridge Cleeve and Foxdown, Wellington Cotlake Hill, Trull Creechbarrow Hill, Taunton Knowle Hill, Norton Manor Camp Linden Hill, Wellington North Curry Ridge Norton Hillfort, Norton Fitzwarren Rag Hill, Staplegrove Stonegallows Ridge, Taunton Thorn Clump, Henlade West Buckland Ridge ‘Burrow Mump’ and ‘Thorn Clump’ although special landscape features are unlikely to have any significant development pressures and were therefore not assessed in detail and it is proposed that they are deleted as SLFs. ‘Linden Hill’ to the south of Wellington and Rockwell Green was considered to have limited special landscape value and some of the area previously designated is already partially protected by inclusion within the Wellington and Rockwell Green ‘Green Wedge’. It is therefore proposed for it to be deleted as a SLF. The remaining 11 SLFs are profiled below. Bishops Hull River Cliff Summary The wooded slopes of the southern bank of the river rise around 30m to provide an important northern boundary to the village which is largely hidden behind the treescape. Location This designation forms the northern section of the existing Stonegallows Ridge, identified in the Local Plan. The river cliff lies to the north of the village of Bishops Hull and runs in a west to east direction following the course of the River Tone. It includes several historic buildings including Netherclay House and the Old Mill. Landscape Character The area lies within the ‘Vale of Taunton Deane Farmed and Settled Low Vale’ on the edge of ‘The Tone River Floodplain’. Setting of the SLF The SLF lies within the wider vale of Taunton on the northern edge of the village of Bishops Hull. It is seen when approaching the area from the north along Netherclay Lane, from the east along Silk Mills Road and from the west from public footpaths along the course of the River Tone. Parsonage Court forms a fairly obtrusive feature when viewed from the north west, the impact of which could be alleviated through planting to the west of Bishops Court. This area has been proposed as a small amendment to the settlement boundary, which could, with appropriate planting and design, in principle accommodate a small scale development without harming the character of the SLF. Special Qualities The wooded slopes of the southern bank of the river rise * to provide an important northern boundary to the village which is largely hidden behind the treescape. Recommendations for Enhancement The wooded slopes of mature trees need careful management to maintain their character in the longer term. Proposed boundary changes Minor change proposed, to exclude land west of Bishops Court. Bradford on Tone River Cliff Summary The wooded slopes of the southern bank of the river rise steeply to provide an important northern boundary to the village which other than the church tower are largely hidden behind the treescape. Location The river cliff lies to the north of the village of Bradford on Tone and runs in a south- west to north-east direction following the course of the River Tone. Landscape Character The area lies within the ‘Vale of Taunton Deane Farmed and Settled Low Vale’ on the edge of ‘The Tone River Floodplain’. Setting of the SLF The SLF lies within the wider vale of Taunton on the northern edge of the village of Bradford on Tone. It is seen when approaching the area from the north and west or when following the public footpath along the northern bank of the River Tone. Special Qualities The wooded slopes of the southern bank of the river rise steeply to provide an important northern boundary to the village which other than the church tower are largely hidden behind the treescape. Recommendations for Enhancement The wooded slopes of mature trees need careful management to maintain their character in the longer term. Proposed boundary changes No changes are proposed. The Cleeve and Foxdown Summary The higher ground of the area provides a significant visual break between Wellington to the east and Rockwell Green to the west. The undulating topography and semi parkland character of the landscape adds additional interest. Location The area lies between the western edge of Wellington and near the eastern edge of Rockwell Green and is defined in the north by the old A38. Landscape Character The SLF lies within an area of ‘Blackdown Fringes Farmed and Settled High Vale’ on the western edge of Wellington. The area has a parkland character but with some strong rural features. It includes the 19th century Wellington cemetery. Setting of the SLF The setting of the area has an urban fringe character but the SLF itself has a strong rural/parkland character. There is no direct access to the area by public right of way but there are clear views into the area from the surrounding lanes and residential properties. Special Qualities The higher ground of the area provides a significant visual break between Wellington to the east and Rockwell Green to the west. The undulating topography and semi parkland character of the landscape adds additional interest. Recommendations for Enhancement Careful management of existing hedgerows and parkland trees would provide additional softening and a more intimate landscape. Proposed boundary changes Reduce the extension to the north to limit the SLF to the old A38 as the landscape to the north is different in character. A small extension to the south is proposed to align it with the existing field boundary. Cotlake Hill Summary Cotlake Hill is a distinct landscape feature as seen from Taunton to the south and east and the village of Trull to the west. The hilltop itself provides impressive 360 degree views and is a well visited site by local walkers. The SLF lies within the Vivary Green Wedge which provides clear separation between the two built up areas of Killams to the east and Trull village to the west. Location The hill rises to the east of Taunton to a height of over 70 metres. The land lies between the village of Trull to the west and Killams to the east. Landscape Character The area lies within the ‘Farmed and Settled Low Vale of Taunton Deane’ but the SLF itself is largely an outlier of the ‘Blackdown Fringes Farmed and Settled High Vale’ which emanates from the south of the motorway. It is made up of mainly arable with a small woodland clump at its highest point. There are several public footpaths that cross the area running north to south. Setting of the SLF The SLF lies within the wider vale of Taunton but is largely enclosed by the urban areas of Taunton and the village of Trull with the M5 motorway to the south. Special Qualities Cotlake Hill is a distinct landscape feature as seen from Taunton to the south and east and the village of Trull to the west. From those areas it provides substantial screening of the M5 motorway to the south. The hilltop itself provides impressive 360 degree views and is a well visited site by local walkers. The SLF lies within the Vivary Green Wedge which provides clear separation between the two built up areas of Killams to the east and Trull village to the west. Recommendations for Enhancement The woodland copse planting is relatively immature and in need of careful management. Proposed boundary changes It is proposed to reduce the area previously designated so that the new boundaries largely follow existing field boundaries and do not extend as far north as Cutliffe Farm which contains a number of modern farm buildings of limited visual interest.