Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
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Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Revision of Development and Restoration Scheme at Ballidon Quarry, Ballidon, Peak District National Park Report Reference: CE-BQ0776-RP01 - FINAL Produced by Crestwood Environmental Ltd. 3 June 2015 Crestwood Report Reference: CE-BQ0776-RP01 - FINAL: Issued Date Written / Updated by: Checked & Authorised by: Version Status Produced Karl Jones Adam Collinge Draft v1 23-03-2015 (Principal Landscape Architect) (Senior Landscape Architect) Karl Jones Adam Collinge Final 03-06-2015 (Principal Landscape Architect) (Senior Landscape Architect) This report has been prepared in good faith, with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, based on information provided or known available at the time of its preparation and within the scope of work agreement with the client. We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. The report is provided for the sole use of the named client and is confidential to them and their professional advisors. No responsibility is accepted to others. Crestwood Environmental Ltd. 1 & 2 Nightingale Place Pendeford Business Park Wobaston Road Wolverhampton WV9 5HF Tel: 01902 824 037 Email: [email protected] Web: www.crestwoodenvironmental.co.uk Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Ballidon Quarry – Revised Development and Restoration Scheme CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 KEY WORK ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 OUTLINE METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 4 2 BASELINE SITUATION - LANDSCAPE ASPECTS ............................................................................. 6 2.1 LANDSCAPE POLICY .................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 LANDSCAPE DESIGNATIONS ....................................................................................................... 10 2.3 REGISTERED PARKS AND GARDENS ............................................................................................ 10 2.4 LISTED BUILDINGS, SCHEDULED MONUMENTS AND CONSERVATION AREAS ........................... 10 2.5 HISTORIC LAND-USE AND COVER ............................................................................................... 11 2.6 TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS .................................................................................................... 11 2.7 RIGHTS OF WAY AND OPEN ACCESS LAND ................................................................................. 11 2.8 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ............................................................................................................ 12 2.9 LANDSCAPE VALUE ..................................................................................................................... 18 3 BASELINE SITUATION - VISUAL ASPECTS .................................................................................. 20 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 VISIBILITY .................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3 VIEWPOINTS ............................................................................................................................... 21 4 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT ................................................................................... 22 4.1 ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS.............................................................................................. 22 4.2 PREDICTED POTENTIAL IMPACTS ............................................................................................... 23 4.3 IMPACT AVOIDANCE AND MITIGATION MEASURES .................................................................. 23 4.4 EFFECTS ON LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS AND CHARACTER ................................................. 24 4.5 EFFECTS ON VISUAL AMENITY .................................................................................................... 28 4.6 EFFECTS ON OTHER VISUAL RECEPTORS .................................................................................... 40 4.7 SEQUENTIAL CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ......................................................................................... 41 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................... 41 5.1 DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................... 41 5.2 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS .............................................................................................. 41 5.3 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 41 LIST OF TABLES: Table 1 Landscape Guidelines .................................................................................................... 15 Table 2 Landscape Value of the Locality .................................................................................... 19 Table 3 Viewpoints (VPs) ........................................................................................................... 21 Table 4 Predicted Potential Impacts .......................................................................................... 23 Table 5 Summary of Assessment of Significance of Landscape Effects ..................................... 28 Table 6 Summary Visual Sensitivity of Receptors at Viewpoints (VPs) ...................................... 30 CE-BQ0776-RP01 - FINAL Page 1 3 June 2015 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Ballidon Quarry – Revised Development and Restoration Scheme LIST OF APPENDICES: APPENDIX 1 METHODOLOGY AND METHOD OF ASSESSMENT APPENDIX 2 FIGURES APPENDIX 3 LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES LIST OF FIGURES IN APPENDIX: Figure L1: Landscape Context Plan Figure L2: Visibility Analysis Plan Figure L3: Viewpoint 1 Figure L4: Viewpoint 2 Figure L5: Viewpoint 3 Figure L6: Viewpoint 4 Figure L7: Viewpoint 5 Figure L8: Viewpoint 6 Figure L9: Viewpoint 6 Photomontage Figure L10: Viewpoint 7 Figure L11: Viewpoint 8 Figure L12: Viewpoint 9 Figure L13: Viewpoint 10 Figure L14: Viewpoint 11 Figure L15: Viewpoint 12 Figure L16: Viewpoint 12 Photomontage CE-BQ0776-RP01 - FINAL Page 2 3 June 2015 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Ballidon Quarry – Revised Development and Restoration Scheme 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND 1.1.1 Crestwood Environmental Ltd (‘Crestwood’), a Registered Practice of the Landscape Institute, were commissioned by Lafarge Tarmac to undertake a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) of proposals to revise the development and restoration scheme (‘the Proposed Development’) at Ballidon Quarry, (‘the Site’). The Site is divided into two main quarry areas (West Quarry and Woodbarn Quarry (shown as Hoe Grange Quarry on OS maps)), linked via a short informal private access road. 1.1.2 The location of the Site and its surrounding context are provided on Figure L1. The Site is located north of the small settlement of Ballidon, Derbyshire and lies within the Peak District National Park. The Site is centred on NGR: SK 20070 55500 and covers an area of circa 67.5 hectares (ha). 1.1.3 A detailed description of the Proposed Development is included in the accompanying planning application. In summary, the Proposed Development consists of: Reduction in height of, and reallocation of mineral waste from, ‘Tip 3’, located near the southern boundary of the Site; and A revised restoration scheme (including revised landform and habitat/land-use and progressive implementation (in six phases). 1.1.4 Specifically, the Proposed Development involves the partial removal of Tip 3 on the Southern Boundary of the quarry and using this material to bury and restore the high faces in the Western Quarry. This will be undertaken over a two year period, and will result in the sterilisation of deeper currently permitted reserves. However the loss of these reserves will be offset by modifying the development scheme to recover reserves previously inaccessible beneath Tip 3. 1.1.5 No increase in reserves will result from the Proposed Development and there will be no change in any of the other operating conditions at the Site. A significantly improved restoration scheme (allowing faces within West Quarry to be restored to a top-to-bottom slope (resembling a steep valley side) will be achieved, along with more sustainable quarry operations. The life of the consent will remain unchanged. 1.2 CONTEXT 1.2.1 Ballidon Quarry has been producing high purity carboniferous limestone since the 1950’s. The quality of the stone is such that it is sold predominantly into industrial markets for use as fillers in paints, plastics, animal feeds, pharmaceuticals and numerous other applications. 1.2.2 The current consent granted in 2004 permits the extraction