Landscape and Visual Appraisal Final Penmorva, Helford Mr and Mrs Christopher Monks February 2021 Matthew Wigan Associates 3 Batsford, 1 The Park, Cheltenham, GL50 2SL www.matthewwiGan.com Document Reference: MWA 21.01.001 Revision 01 LVA Project Number: 21.01 Matthew Wigan Associates Disclaimer: This report has been prepared by Matthew WiGan Associates, with all reasonable skill, care and diliGence within the terms of the Contract with the client, incorporation of our General Terms and Condition of Business and takinG account of the resources devoted to us by aGreement with the client. We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. This report is confidential to the client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known. Any such party relies on the report at its own risk. Contents 1. Introduction ...2 2. MethodoloGy ...3 3. Landscape and Visual PlanninG Policy Context ...6 4. Landscape Appraisal ...11 5. Likely Landscape and Visual Effects ...23 6. MitiGation and Enhancement ...27 7. Summary and Conclusions ...28 Tables Table 1: Viewpoint Location Schedule 4 Table 2: Visual Effects Table Part 1 & 2. Appendix 2 Figures FiGure 1: HeritaGe Assets 9 FiGure 2: ReGistered Public RiGhts of Way 10 FiGure 3: Landscape Character Area 11 FiGure 4: Helford Ria – Extract of Landscape Character Area 12 FiGure 5: Helford villaGe Conservation Area Map 18 FiGure 6: Viewpoint Location Plan 23 FiGure 7: North Forecourt Site Layout Plan 30 FiGures : Selected Photo Viewpoints Appendix 1 Penmorva, Helford: Landscape and Visual Appraisal 1 Matthew Wigan Associates 1. Introduction 1.1: Matthew Wigan Associates has been instructed to undertake a Landscape and Visual Appraisal of the proposed development at Penmorva, Helford, hereafter referred to as the ‘Site’. 1.2: The Site is situated on Bar Road, which forms the northern boundary above the community of Helford PassaGe. The Site is located in the west end of this private road, the lane supportinG a ribbon development of housinG, sliGhtly separate from Helford PassaGe, by virtue of beinG some 40 to 60m above the fore shore dwellings. A mosaic of pine trees and deciduous trees and often well planted Gardens increases the visual separation. The nearby housinG of Bar Road, reflects the incremental development of the area, displayinG a great variety of housinG from the 1920’s to the modern day.. The site is located in the Cornwall AONB. In 2013, full planninG permission was Granted for a replacement dwellinG on this site. That approval has since expired and a new approval is souGht for the site. The Site will be accessed from the existinG Bar Road. To the north of Bar Road, the risinG topoGraphy and extensive tree planting screen views from the Budock Vean Golf Club and the settlement to the north. Directly to the north, the steeply fallinG Ground, combined with the dense boundary veGetation screen views from Boscantle and Polvadhi for all but the upper roof of Penmorva. To the east the dense vegetation screens views to the rest of Bar Road, includinG the adjacent property of Bay Trees. To the west, the veGetation is less dense, and there are partial views to the adjacent property of Mullion CottaGe. Immediately to the south, the local steep topoGraphy of the creekside, well planted with evergreen trees, provide substantial screeninG and locally visually contain the Site within the broader landscape context of an enclosed valley with wooded up-slopes. There are more distant views into the Site from the south, from the far side of the Helford River. However, Given the sylvan character of the Bar Road residential development, the views are reGularly screened by the interveninG veGetation. Elsewhere to the east and west, the local topoGraphy, narrow country lanes and interveninG veGetation prevent views of the Site. The views from Helford River itself were assessed in principle, however they were not able to be corroborated on site. The local views from the Helford Point foreshore and slipways identify the likely extent of the views and the context of the site within those views. There are very localised views into the Site from the northwest and north from Bar Road and occasional views from the south from the Public footpath 218/18/1 and 218/19/1 but otherwise the Site is well contained with only partial Glimpsed views throuGh the veGetation, from PROW, the South West Coat Path, limited areas of foreshore and residential dwellinGs. Penmorva, Helford: Landscape and Visual Appraisal 2 Matthew Wigan Associates 2. Methodology 2.1: This appraisal considers two separate, but inter-linked issues as follows: • Landscape Issues: The physical and cultural characteristics of the Site and its surroundinGs and the landscape character of the local area; and • Visual Issues: Views from visual receptors surroundinG the Site and the amenity value of these views. 2.2: In considerinG these issues the standard industry Guidance for Good practice, on which the methodoloGy adopted for this appraisal is based, includes the followinG Guidance: • ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment’, Landscape Institute (LI) and Institute of Environmental ManaGement and Assessment (IEMA) 2013; and • ‘Landscape Character Assessment’, the Countryside AGency and Scottish Natural HeritaGe (SNH) 2002. • The Cornwall Landscape Character Best Practice Guide 2011 parts1-7; • The methodoloGy adopted comprised a combination of desktop and field studies includinG the followinG: • An overview of statutory plans and other data reGardinG relevant desiGnations and planninG polices for the area; • A topoGraphical analysis of the Site, usinG OS profile data, to establish the topoGraphy of the area and zone of theoretical visibility of the Site itself; • An assessment of the landscape character of the Site, toGether with the sensitivity of the landscape to chanGe. This includes the classification of the landscape into units of distinct and recoGnisable character; • Identification of representative viewpoints and classifications of sensitivity; • Consideration of the likely potential landscape and visual effects which miGht result from the proposed scheme options. 2.3: The visual analysis is based on views from external spaces within the public domain and not from inside buildinGs or private spaces. PhotoGraphs were taken from selected viewpoints with a diGital camera with the equivalent of a 50mm lens. PhotoGraphs were diGitally stitched usinG software to create panoramic imaGes representinG the Site’s full context. The camera location and details of each viewpoint were recorded and summarised in the table below. Penmorva, Helford: Landscape and Visual Appraisal 3 Matthew Wigan Associates Viewpoint Location Schedule Penmorva, Cornwall Jan-21 VIEWS Viewpoint AOD metres Location View summary add 1.6m HELFORD PASSAGE A1 51.5 Looking south on Bar Road (private Road) Site is partially visible A2 48 Looking south east on Bar Road (private Road) Site is partially visible B 28 Looking north east on footpath 220/35/1 Site not visible due to intervening topography and vegetation C 10 Looking north from Helford Passage oppoSite Heyle House Site not visible due to intervening topography and vegetation D 12 Looking north west from South West Coastal Path 220/30/1 Site not visible due to intervening topography E 60 Looking south west on Bar Road (private Road) Site not visible due to intervening topography F 64 Looking south on Burdock Vean Lane (private Road) Site not visible due to intervening topography G 62 Looking south west on Helford Passage oppoSite Trebah Site not visible due to intervening Gardens topography HELFORD AND TREATH H 58 Looking north east from Kestle Barton footpath Site not visible due to intervening vegetation I 59.5 Looking north east from top of Orchard Lane Public Bridleway Site not visible due to intervening vegetation J 77 Looking north from Bosahan to Helston Road Site not visible due to intervening topography K 68 Looking north from Bosahan to Helston Road Site not visible due to intervening vegetation L 7 Looking north from Helford Long Stay Car Park beside South Site is partially visible West Coastal Path M1 20 Looking north from South West Coastal Path Site not visible due to intervening vegetation M2 4 Looking north from Treath Quay House (private land) beside Site is visible South West Coastal Path 218/17/1 N1 7 Looking north from Kennel Cottages beside South West Site not visible due to intervening Coastal Path (permissive footpath) vegetation N2 16 Looking north from South West Coastal Path Site not visible due to intervening vegetation N3 8 Looking north from South West Coastal Path Site not visible due to intervening vegetation O1 77 Looking north west on footpath 218/19/1 Site is partially visible O2 64 Looking north west on footpath 218/18/1 Site is partially visible P 11 Looking north from Helford Ford, pedestrian bridge Site not visible due to intervening topography Q 7 Looking north from Helford Ferry point beside South West Site is partially visible Coastal Path 218/16/1 R 4 Looking north east from Penarvon Cove from footpath Site is partially visible 218/16/1 S 4 Looking north east from permissive footpath, beside chapel Site not visible due to intervening launch steps vegetation Views in RED have no view of Proposed Scheme due to intervening topography / vegetation Views in ORANGE have a view of Proposed Scheme Views in GREEN have a view of Proposed Scheme are modelled to show Proposed Scheme Table 1 Schedule of Viewpoint Locations 2.4: In addition to viewpoints that have views of the Site, representative views of potential visual receptors that do not have views of the Site are included in the Schedule of Visual Effects. This provides a balanced assessment of the Site’s relative visibility within the area of study.