Volume 1 Borough Wide Landscape Character Assessment
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Project Title: Scarborough Landscape Study: Volume 1 – Borough wide Landscape Character Assessment Client: Scarborough Borough Council Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by Principal 01 December Draft Andrew Andrew Kate Ahern 2012 Tempany, Tempany Hannah Leach 02 February Final Andrew Andrew Kate Ahern 2013 Tempany Tempany Scarborough Borough Landscape Study: Volume 1 Borough wide Landscape Character Assessment Final report Prepared by LUC February 2013 Planning & EIA LUC LONDON Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd Design 43 Chalton Street Bristol Registered in England Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning London NW1 1JD Glasgow Registered Office: Landscape Management T 020 7383 5784 Edinburgh 43 Chalton Street Ecology F 020 7383 4798 London NW1 1JD LUC uses 100% recycled paper Mapping & Visualisation [email protected] FS 566056 EMS 566057 Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Study methodology 3 3 Landscape character context 7 4 Physical and cultural influences acting on the Scarborough landscape 15 5 The landscape characterisation of Scarborough Borough 29 Character Type A: Becks 34 Character area A1: Cloughton & Burniston 35 Character Type B: Dales 39 Character area B1: Wydale to Brompton Dale 40 Character area B2: Lang Dale to South Dale 45 Character area B3: Bartin Dale and Hunmanby Dale 50 Character Type C: Chalk Wolds 55 Character area C1: Folkton to Hunmanby 56 Character area C2: Speeton 61 Character Type D: Coastal Hinterland 65 Character area D1: Sandsend 66 Character area D2: Whitby Abbey 72 Character area D3: Scalby 77 Character area D4: Lebberston and Filey 82 Character area D5: Hunmanby Moor to Speeton 87 Character Type E: Tabular Foothills 92 Character area E1: Sawdon 93 Character area E2: East Ayton 98 Character area E3: Eastfield 103 Character Type F: River Valley 107 Character area F1: Esk 108 Character Type G: Coastal Cliffs 114 Character area G1: Whitby to Sandsend 115 Character area G2: Whitby Abbey 120 Character area G3: Long Nab to North Bay 125 Character Type H: Upper Valley Side 130 Character area H1: Esk 131 Character Type I: Settlement Fringe 136 Character area I1: Whitby 137 Character type J: Soft Coastal Cliffs 142 Character area J1: South Bay and Cayton Bay 143 Character area J2: Filey Brigg to Speeton Cliffs 148 Character Type K: Vale Fringe 153 Character area K1: Snainton to Seamer 154 Character area K2: Lebberston to Gristhorpe 160 Character Type L: Vale 165 Character area L1: Snainton to Brompton 166 Character area L2: Wykeham Abbey 171 Character area L3: Star & Flixton Carrs 176 Character type M: Wooded Escarpment 182 Character area M1: Oliver’s Mount 183 Character area N: Escarpment 188 Character area N1: Flixton Brow to Muston 189 Appendices Appendix 1: Field survey template Appendix 2: Glossary Acknowledgements: This study was steered by a group of officers from the Forward Planning Team at Scarborough Borough Council – David Walker (Forward Planning Manager), Steve Wilson (Senior Planning Policy Officer) and Matthew Lickes (Planning Policy Officer). The study was undertaken by Land Use Consultants (LUC) in conjunction with the steering group. LUC’s team comprised Kate Ahern (Principal), Andrew Tempany (Project Manager), Hannah Leach, Chris Green and Louise Tricklebank. Mapping in this report is reproduced from Ordnance Survey information with the permission of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Crown Copyright, Land Use Consultants, Licence Number 100019265. 1 Introduction What is landscape? What is landscape character assessment 1.1 Landscape can be defined as ‘an area as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors’1. 1.2 Landscape character assessment or LCA is an accepted, recognised method for understanding what the landscape is like today, how it came to be like that, and how it may change in the future. Landscape character assessment describes and classifies the distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements that make one landscape different from another, rather than better or worse. Character is what makes each part of a landscape distinct and gives each area its particular sense of place. 1.3 The landscape character approach considers that all landscapes matter2 or are valuable. The purpose of landscape character assessment is to help ensure that change and development does not undermine what is characteristic or valued about a particular place, and that ways of improving the character of a place can be considered in planning for change. 1.4 The landscape character assessment of Scarborough Borough provides a comprehensive landscape evidence base to help underpin planning and management policy and decision-making in the borough. The landscape of Scarborough Borough 1.5 Scarborough Borough is located in the north east of England, within the county of North Yorkshire. Approximately 73% of the borough falls within the jurisdiction of the North York Moors National Park Authority. This study covers the areas of the borough which are outside the National Park boundary, as shown on Figure 1.1. 1.6 The landscape of Scarborough is an upland landscape rising from the North Yorkshire coast up towards the open heather moorlands and the forests of the North York Moors and the associated National Park, although characterised by the Yorkshire Wolds in the southern part. Landform distinction is created by moorland outcrops and at the coastal headlands and cliffs, as well as by gorges and river valleys such as the River Esk. Purpose and structure of this report 1.7 This report forms part of the evidence base for the Scarborough Local Plan and informs the direction of future landscape planning policy. It will also provide evidence at strategic level for development management decisions. It describes, assesses and evaluates the character of the rural landscapes3 of Scarborough, identifying broadly aspects of the landscape which would be sensitive to change, and appropriate strategies for the landscapes. 1.8 It is supported by a companion volume (Volume 2: Landscape Sensitivity Study) which assesses the landscape and visual sensitivity of potential growth locations to residential and mixed use development. 1.9 The remainder of this report is structured as follows: 1 Council of Europe, 2000, European Landscape Convention 2 Ibid 3 Urban areas have been excluded from the study except where settlements fall outside of the defined settlement boundaries with reference to nationally available local authority data. In some instances a number of identified service villages in the borough fall outside of the defined settlement boundary. Scarborough Borough LCA 1 28 February 2013 • Section 2: Study methodology • Section 3: Landscape character context • Section 4: Physical and cultural influences acting on the Scarborough landscape • Section 5: The landscape characterisation of Scarborough Borough • Section 6: Summary and conclusions Scarborough Borough LCA 2 28 February 2013 Scarborough LCA Redcar and Cleveland Figure 1.1 Location Plan Study Area Boundary North York Moors National Park District Boundary Hambleton District Scarborough District Ryedale District Map Scale @ A3:1:200,000 Hambleton District East Riding of Yorkshire ² 0 42km Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data © Crown copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Licence numbers 100047514, 0100031673. LUC LDN 5505-01_041_Fig1.1_Location_Plan 07/12/2012 Source: 2 Study methodology 2.1 The process of undertaking this landscape character assessment follows the accepted approach set out in the national Landscape Character Assessment Guidance4. The process has involved five main stages, namely: • Data collation – Physical and cultural data, including data on adjacent landscapes • Characterisation – analysis of the data, identify common patterns, to characterise the landscape in terms of landscape types and specific local character areas within these types • Field survey – to confirm /test the characterisation • Description – Describing the main or key characteristics of the local character areas • Evaluation – Understanding strategic sensitivities to change of the local character areas 2.2 This study draws from the county wide North Yorkshire Landscape Character Assessment, and was undertaken at 1:25,000 scale. It takes appropriate account of adjacent landscape character assessments, both for the North York Moors National Park and the adjacent local authorities. 2.3 A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used throughout the study to collate, interrogate and present mapped data. Data collation 2.4 This stage involved the collation and mapping of a wide range of existing information on the characteristics of Scarborough Borough, including mapped data on landform, geology, hydrology, historic landscape, biodiversity, land use, settlement and archaeology. Specifically, a hierarchy of landscape character is detailed through the National Character Areas, National Landscape Typology, the county wide landscape classification and previous Borough Landscape Study. Existing biodiversity and nature conservation interest is explored through environmental designations, both statutory and non-statutory, Natural Areas, BAP Priority Species and Ancient Woodland data. Additional information was provided by the Yorkshire and the Humber Green Infrastructure Mapping Project. Heritage assets have been provided through heritage designations (including registered parks and gardens), conservation areas and the North Yorkshire Historic Landscape