-292.806 mm State of the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2006 LANDSCAPE BIODIVERSITY GEOLOGY HISTORIC & BUILT ENVIRONMENT TRANQUILLITY ENJOYMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Introduction 1. LANDSCAPE: Fixed-point photography This report provides a snap-shot of the condition of the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 2006. It does this by presenting information about a range of elements, or attributes, which are deemed to be characteristic of the area. The aim of the report is to provide a baseline of data against which future change can be monitored. When compared with future state of the AONB reports it will also aid decison making and provide a gauge of the effectiveness of the AONB Management Plan Overview: in conserving and enhancing the special qualities of the area. Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) has emerged as a key approach to identifying and describing variation in the character of At the time of writing, work to monitor the condition of designated areas is being developed at the national and local levels. landscapes. This framework is used here to establish an objective programme of fixed point photographic monitoring of change New data sets are being collected and, at the same time, some data are becoming both easier to access and easier to utilise. The throughout the AONB. In this way, subjectivity and cultural bias in the selection of key views, largely based upon scenic beauty and approach to data collection and analysis which has been used to compile the report is intended to be a start, rather than the final knowledge of accessibility, can be avoided. word, in how the special features of the Malvern Hills AONB should be monitored. We are aware that this report has its limitations and will consider new data sets and new approaches to collecting and using data as they emerge. We will then refine and improve our own methodology accordingly. Current Situation: It should be noted that this report focuses on the presentation of data rather than on why or how it has been collected. Information on the justification and rationale for this work can be found in a report entitled ‘A Methodology for Monitoring the Drawing upon work conducted Changing Condition of the Malvern Hills AONB’ (Centre for Rural Research, 2006) available at www.malvernhillsaonb.org.uk in the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, 27 detailed Paul Esrich Landscape Description Units Manager, Malvern Hills AONB Unit (LDUs) can be identified within the Malvern Hills AONB (Figure 1). LDUs are distinct, relatively small areas in which historical, physical Contents and biological features are similar in their appearance and purpose. Hence, LDUs can be regarded as Attribute Indicator Page the individual building blocks of the landscape. 1. LANDSCAPE Fixed-point Photography 3 One fixed point photography 2. LANDSCAPE Agricultural Change location has been identified for each i) Farm type of the 27 LDUs in the AONB. A ii) Land use mathematically calculated central iii) Area under agri-environmental schemes 13 point, known as a ‘centroid’, informs the objective selection of 3. BIODIVERSITY Condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest 14 each monitoring point. The images 4. GEOLOGY Number and Condition of Regionally Important taken from these monitoring Geological Sites points provide an indication (and 15 no more than an indication) of the 5. HISTORIC AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT Condition of Scheduled Ancient Monuments 16 appearance and condition of each LDU. 6. HISTORIC AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT Condition of Listed Buildings, Parks and Gardens 17 7. TRANQUILLITY Tranquillity Index All images depicted over the 18 subsequent 9 pages were recorded 8. ENJOYMENT Condition of Rights of Way in February and March 2006. The 19 images are organised according to the general appearance of the landscape, known as Landscape Character Type. Each LDU belongs to a generic Landscape Character Type (Figure 1). The text provided alongside each image identifies some of the features that are deemed to be characteristic of each LDU and also refers to current condition. This has been done with reference to detailed descriptive work that exists at the local level. The LDU number is included simply by way of cross-reference to its geographic location shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Landscape Character Types and Landscape Description Units for fixed photographic monitoring within the Malvern Hills AONB. 2 STATE OF THE MALVERN HILLS AONB 3 Principal Wooded Hills Principal Wooded Hills West Malvern and Upper Colwall Bradlow Hills (LDU 17) (LDU 5) LDU 5 Characteristics: Characteristics: ● Blocks of woodland dominate hilltops LDU 17 ● Wooded hilltops are characteristic ● Field trees are relatively abundant adding Condition: to wooded character ● Intensive arable production undermines ● Land use is extensive wooded character ● Field boundaries are becoming Condition: discontinuous ● There is some incursion of conifers into ● Field boundary trees are more evident the landscape where they are near the main blocks of hill ● The influence of nearby urban areas is woodland evident by structures associated with a sewage farm Storridge (LDU 4) Alfrick (LDU 1) LDU 4 Characteristics: Characteristics: LDU 1 ● Blocks of woodland dominate hill summits ● Woodland is prominent on hilltops, ● Land use is extensive framing views ● Hedged field boundaries contribute to ● There is a mixture of extensive and visual unity intensive land use Condition: Condition: ● There are fewer hedgerow trees than ● Some field boundaries and trees have might be expected been lost ● Uniformity of woodland age is a concern ● Intensive cultivation breaks the link between woodland and field habitats Suckley Hills (LDU 2) Ockeridge (LDU 14) LDU 2 Characteristics: Characteristics: LDU 14 ● Hills are dominated by blocks of woodland ● Ancient semi-natural woodland ● Old orchards link woodland with the dominates hills practice of agriculture Condition: Condition: ● Land is intensively farmed for arable ● Coniferisation has a negative visual impact production ● Non-vegetative boundaries detract from ● The link between woodland and farmland wooded character has been broken ● Gardens associated with new dwellings add ● Field boundaries are in poor condition a suburban element with few hedgerow trees 4 STATE OF THE MALVERN HILLS AONB 5 Principal Timbered Farmlands Principal Timbered Farmlands Colwall (LDU 8) Fairoaks Farm (LDU 24) LDU 8 Characteristics: Characteristics: ● Views filtered by trees and woodland are ● Irregular field pattern LDU 24 characteristic ● Landscape has a wooded character ● Hedgerow trees are particularly dominant in the landscape Condition: ● Field reorganisation towards a more Condition: planned landscape is evident ● Species and age variation of trees remain ● Hedgerow trees are now the main link good with wooded landscape character ● Some arable land use incursion and ● Arable cultivation is apparent, reducing the deterioration in boundary condition is functionality of hedge boundaries evident ● Hedgerow trees survive best along boundaries associated with small watercourses Stichin’s Hill, Alfrick (LDU 3) Whitehouse Farm (LDU 25) LDU 3 Characteristics: Characteristics: ● This is a small-scale landscape of irregular ● Field trees, hedgerow trees and small LDU 25 fields copses contribute to the wooded ● Hedgerow trees are important landscape character of this landscape features ● Settlement is dispersed Condition: Condition: ● Hedgerow boundaries themselves are ● There has been significant replacement of becoming ‘gappy’ hedgerows with post and wire fencing ● Derelict standard tree orchards dominate ● This has added straight line elements this unit undermining the irregular, small field pattern Colwall Stone (LDU 9) Mathon Village (LDU 6) LDU 6 LDU 9 Characteristics: Characteristics: ● Tree cover is prominent within the ● Ideally, a small-scale, irregular landscape landscape with prominent tree cover ● Fields are small and pastoral ● Dispersed timber and brick buildings Condition: Condition: ● Native species, such as oak, are becoming ● Intensive agriculture undermines the replaced with non-natives or specific trees complex, small scale nature of this associated with land use (note the line of landscape poplars) ● The associated ‘organic’ field enclosure ● Gardens associated with settlement also pattern is absent disrupt landscape character ● Tree cover is not well represented ● Incongruous modern buildings, both agricultural and residential, are evident 6 STATE OF THE MALVERN HILLS AONB 7 Enclosed Commons High Hills and Slopes Little Malvern (LDU 12) Malvern Hills North (LDU 7) Characteristics: Characteristics: LDU 12 ● Planned enclosure pattern is apparent ● This is unenclosed, steeply sloping land of LDU 17 ● Hedgerow trees are prominent highland character ● Field trees are a feature of this view, ● Rough grassland and heath dominate though are uncommon in the LDU and ● Prominent hills give exposed views this landscape character type Condition: Condition: ● The landscape is unwooded, though scrub ● The enclosure pattern is becoming less encroachment is a problem distinct over time ● Significant recreational pressure, with ● Boundary removal and/or replacement is some erosion, is a feature of these in evidence northern, highest hills ● Field pattern is relict and vulnerable, shown by hedgerow trees growing out Marlbank (LDU 11) Malvern Hills South (LDU 20) Characteristics: Characteristics: LDU 11 ● Hedgerow trees are strongly associated ● Bare summits are characteristic