Landscape Sensitivity Assessment of additional settlements in Tunbridge Wells Paddock Wood, Horsmonden, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook Report for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Prepared by LUC July 2018 Planning & EIA LUC LONDON Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd Registered in England Design 43 Chalton Street Bristol Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning London NW1 1JD Glasgow Registered Office: Landscape Management Tel:020 7383 5784 Edinburgh 43 Chalton Street Ecology
[email protected] London NW1 1JD Mapping & Visualisation LUC uses 100% recycled paper 1 Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by Director 1 Dec/Jan Drafts to TWBC Richard Swann KA Kate Ahern 2018 Kate Ahern 2 31/17/18 Responding to client Richard Swann KA Kate Ahern comments and Kate Ahern incorporating method statement 2 Contents 1 Introduction 4 Assessment Purpose 4 Assessment Scope 4 2 Methodology 6 Assessment Approach and Definition of Sub-Areas 6 Assessment Criteria and Considerations 7 Sensitivity Judgements 15 3 Format of Outputs 17 Report Structure 17 Summary of Findings 17 4 Summary of Findings 18 5 Paddock Wood 31 6 Horsmonden 68 7 Hawkhurst 93 8 Cranbrook 119 3 1 Introduction Assessment Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this study is to provide an assessment of the extent to which the character and quality of the landscape around four settlements within Borough (Paddock Wood, Horsmonden, Hawkhurst and Cranbrook) is, in principle, susceptible to change as a result of introducing particular types of development. 1.2 The study does not address potential capacity in terms of the quantity of built development, as this would be dependent on a much wider range of considerations other than landscape and visual effects – such as highways impact, ecological effects, archaeological constraints and other environmental and sustainability factors.