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6.0 THE SETTING OF MERE

6.1 Historical Development of the Settlement

Landscape and Location

6.1.1 Mere lies in the southwest corner of Wiltshire, with the higher land of the Salisbury Plain to the north and east, low-lying pasture land of Dorset to the south and the wooded, gently rolling hills of Somerset to the west. Mere is at the confluence of several varied landscapes, including rolling clay vale, greensand hills, greensand terrace, chalk downland and chalk escarpment. The environmental conditions in and around Mere have played a fundamental role in the development and character of the village.

Historical Origins and Evolution

6.1.2 Mere and its neighbouring hamlets are good examples of ‘springline settlements’. Located at the dividing line between chalk and clay, a fault line with numerous springs runs through the settlement. The landscape setting of Mere includes evidence of prehistoric activity, with Neolithic long barrows at various sites and a causewayed camp at White Sheet Down. Bronze Age cremations and other finds occur in the area while the Iron Age has left the prominent hill fort on White Sheet Hill, overlooking the village. The area has been actively cultivated and grazed for many centuries, as evidenced by the small rectangular enclosures and finds of domestic animal bones. A ridgeway across Mere Down provided an early-east west route that would have been used throughout prehistory and into historic times.

6.1.3 Mere was most likely settled during Saxon times. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) Mere was a royal estate. In 1253 the manor of Mere belonged to the Earl of Cornwall, Richard the younger brother of Henry III. He obtained permission to build a castle on a hill (Castle Hill) in his manor of Mere, and to fortify that castle. It is most likely that Richard obtained a market for his manor and created urban growth by leasing land for merchants and craftsmen to live in Mere.

6.1.4 During the 15th and 16th centuries, the castle began to fall into disrepair and stone from its walls was used in several Mere houses. The 16th century saw cloth making in Mere well established and the market house was on the site of the present clock tower. From the late 17th century flax became an important crop locally and in the 18th century Mere became the centre of the local linen industry. The main London to Exeter road passed through Mere at

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this time, causing the older inns such as the Angel, The George, The Swan and the White Hart to prosper.

6.1.5 By the early 19th century there were more people engaged in trade and manufacturing than in agriculture. During this time Mere was very much the commercial centre of a rural area. The first council houses were provided at White Road in 1926, followed by more at Clement’s Lane and Barnes’ Place. Mere expanded in population in the post war years, with more council and private housing built. Mere was bypassed by the A303 in 1976 and largely retains a rural village character with relatively traffic free streets.

6.1.6 The area to the North of Mere which is comprised of the chalk escarpment and the downland beyond, forms on area of relatively recent enclosure. The majorities of fields were either created in the 19th century during the process of parliamentary enclosure or were created due to intensification of farming in the 20th century. Before this the area would have been predominantly open downland explaining the excellent survival of archaeological earthworks in this area. The chalk escarpment and the areas around the scheduled ancient monuments though fenced still maintain this open chalk grassland character. The wider downland though ploughed is comprised of large fields which still maintain a flavour of the historic open character of this area. The historic landscape to the west of Mere retains a much more varied pattern of landscape use being comprised of relic common land, pre 18th century fieldscapes, interspersed with more recent fields and secondary woodland.

6.2 Environmental Policy Designations

6.2.1 Mere is an area of exceptional importance for wildlife and natural features, with many sites of national or international importance. Environmental designations cover a range of habitats with many different reasons for designation; their implications are shown in Figure 6.1 and discussed in Section 6.8.

6.2.2 There are a range of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and County Wildlife Sites within the area, including lowland meadows, calcareous grasslands, neutral grasslands and wet woodland; which reflect the region’s diverse landscape and underlying geology. The chalk escarpment at Whitesheet Hill is a particular feature, which forms a dramatic backdrop to the north of Mere. Its scarp slopes are considered to be of outstanding landscape and ecological importance, particularly where they have retained their species-rich chalk grassland habitat (Whitesheet Hill SSSI). Other important wildlife habitats include ancient and semi-natural woodland. Areas of woodland vary in size and species throughout the

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landscape setting, with large swathes at the base of the nearby Greensand Hills, west of Mere. These hills support a large proportion of woodland, both deciduous and coniferous, along with other woodland habitats, such as wet woodland and acid woodland. Charnage Down Chalk Pit, which was once quarried for agricultural purposes, is now a geological Site of Scientific Interest, located east of Mere.

6.3 Cultural and Access Policy Designations

6.3.1 Figure 6.1 illustrates cultural and access designations within the landscape setting of Mere.

6.3.2 The majority of land in and around Mere (up to the A303) is covered by the Special Landscape Area. In addition, the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers the majority of land to the north and east of Mere. The AONB has been established under the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act to conserve and enhance the outstanding natural beauty of this area which straddles four counties and seven district councils. It is clear from the Act, subsequent government sponsored reports, and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 that natural beauty includes wildlife, scientific, and cultural heritage. It is also recognised that in relation to their landscape characteristics and quality, National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are equally important aspects of the nation’s heritage and environmental capital. In terms of sensitivity, as a landscape of national significance, the absolute sensitivity of the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB is deemed high as a function of its unusual or unique characteristics, its expression of natural beauty and quality of landscape, its heightened sense of tranquillity, and the extent and continuity of these attributes experienced on the ground35.

6.3.3 The area north of Mere is rich in historical and archaeological features, including several barrows, hillforts and field systems. Scheduled Ancient Monuments are dispersed throughout the area and represent archaeological sites from Prehistory onwards. The Neolithic camps on White Sheet Hill and Castle Hill form particularly important and prominent historic sites, north of Mere. It is thought that the ancient trackways, now called Long Lane and White Sheet Lane, may date from this time. The historical and archaeological importance of the settlement is recognised through Local Plan policy.

35 The Landscape Practice (2007) The Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty: Landscape Sensitivity Report. CCWWD AONB: Cranborne.

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6.3.4 There is one large historic park and garden in the area, Stourhead, northwest of Mere. Located amongst greensand hills, the park includes nationally renowned 18th century English landscape gardens and Stourhead house, a Palladian mansion.

6.3.5 A network of public rights of way (footpaths, bridleways and byways) covers the setting to Mere, including routes along ancient trackways and several routes traversing rolling clay vale south of the village. Monarch’s Way long distance footpath passes through Mere in an east-west direction. Access to areas north of Mere is limited; partly as a result of the construction of the A303, which hinders north-south permeability.

6.4 Topography and Geology

6.4.1 Figure 6.2 illustrates the topography of Mere, and the surrounding area.

6.4.2 The varied landscape within the area is directly related to its underlying geology, which spans approximately 150 million years of geological history, from the upper Jurassic Period to the present day36. The environmental conditions in and around Mere have played a significant role in their historical development. The topography closely reflects the underlying geology, which is characterised by rolling clay vale, greensand hills, greensand terrace, chalk downland and chalk escarpment. The village lies on the dividing line between the chalk and the clay. A fault line, along which there are numerous springs, runs through the settlement itself, with chalk and greensand to the north and Kimmeridge clay to the south.

6.4.3 The dramatic chalk escarpments at Whitesheet Hill and Heath Hill Farm have eroded into spurs and deep coombes, providing an outstanding landscape feature north of Mere. The Ashfield Water and Shreen Water meander through the low-lying land around Mere and carry away some of the outflow from the springline. These waters and their distinctive lowland meadows, providing an important foundation and landscape setting to Mere.

6.5 Townscape Character

6.5.1 Mere has evolved from a linear settlement pattern along Castle Street and Salisbury Street; which coincides with a fault line where the chalk meets clay. The village is compact but there are many small hamlets and settlements surrounding Mere, especially to the south.

36 Salisbury District Council (2003) Salisbury District Council Local Plan.

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Some of these have developed from farms, such as Charnage and Barrow Street but most are still farms and farm cottages.

6.5.2 There are also scattered farmsteads, manor houses and clusters of buildings along periphery roads at Limpers Hill and Burton.

6.5.3 The historical development of Mere, in response to the underlying geology, has resulted in a distinct urban grain structure, with reflective townscape character types. The townscape character types and areas are usually defined by periods of historic growth or function.

6.5.4 Figure 6.3 illustrates the results of the townscape character assessment, which are described below.

Historic Core

6.5.5 The historic core of Mere is defined as the coherent pre-1800 settlement core; which has strongly influenced the expansion of the village. The historic core sits within a designated Conservation Area and includes clusters of locally distinctive buildings, many built from local quarried stone, which strongly contribute to the visual quality and cohesion of Mere’s townscape character.

Victorian Expansion

6.5.6 Victorian expansion within Mere is characterised by a variety of architectural styles and details that span the period from the late 17th century to the mid to late 19th century. Mere prospered during this time as a commercial centre, mainly due to its location on the London to Exeter route, which spurred growth of local industry, trade and manufacturing, and associated building of factories, mills and cottages. Within these areas, some parts of the urban grain are characterised by cottages and some back-to-back terraced houses, small front gardens and long narrow rear gardens.

Commercial / Industrial / Service Development

6.5.7 Mere has developed with an industry focused on agriculture, however, the economic focus of the village clearly changed by the early 19th century towards trade, manufacturing and the tourism industry. Although the village has been bypassed by the A303, local industry and commerce has continued, including large wholesale plant nurseries, the Hill Brush company

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at Woodlands Road, Quarry Industrial Estste on the western edge of the village, and the notable Yapp's wine merchants (located within the former brewery and milk factory at Water Street).

Pre and Post-war Suburban Housing

6.5.8 Housing expansion in Mere was most substantial during this period. Although the character of the pre-war and post war housing development differs, this townscape type has been grouped, as the scope for this study does not lend itself to a detailed townscape analysis. Pre and post-war suburban housing areas are generally composed of red brick and rendered semi-detached and detached houses with front and rear gardens. These residential areas are generally low-density with some well-established planting and mature trees. The street pattern is generally curved, with cul-de-sacs.

Late 20th Century and Recent / New Residential Development

6.5.9 Residential expansion in Mere since the late 20th century has been associated with small infill development and housing estates, often comprising standardised housing layouts and building designs. Buildings are mainly brick semi-detached and detached houses, with front and rear gardens. The street pattern is generally curved, with cul-de-sacs and roundabouts.

6.6 Landscape Character

6.6.1 Mere comprises a particularly distinctive and varied landscape setting, situated at the confluence of several landscape character areas. The level, simple and open topography on which the village lies, strongly contrasts with the dramatic backdrop of the chalk escarpment and the enclosed rolling wooded hills.

6.6.2 The high quality of the surrounding landscape is a major constraint on development. The Local Planning Authority considers the landscapes that surround and flow through Mere to be of a high quality, reflected in its current designation as a Special Landscape Area. In addition, the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB covers much of the landscape north and east of Mere.

6.6.3 The composition of landscape character types and areas that provide the landscape context for the settlement are shown in Figure 6.4, and are described in the district-wide Landscape Character Assessment.

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6.7 Visual Assessment

6.7.1 Figure 6.5 illustrates the results of the visual assessment of Mere; with particular focus on the interrelationship between the settlement edge and the surrounding landscape. Key viewpoints are shown, including distant and proximal views, both level and elevated. The viewpoints marked are not intended to be exhaustive, but coincide with significant views on approaches to the village. Potentially there are a small number of viewpoints from elevated land outside the figure shown, but they are isolated points, and their views are very distant.

6.7.2 The village is contained by chalk escarpment to the north, which afford expansive views over Mere, and to the countryside beyond. The Landscape Setting of Mere encompasses Castle Hill, a Neolithic causewayed camp that was fortified during the Iron Age. The monument, once the site of a medieval castle, is a memorable and distinctive feature within views to and from Mere, and often viewed against the chalk escarpment beyond with an open skyline. Reaching over 160 meters in height, Castle Hill provides expansive views over and beyond Mere and largely encloses the village historic core from the A303. Furthermore, White Sheet Hill Castle is a large Iron Age hillfort situated high in the chalk downland north of the town of Mere. The ancient trackway, White Sheet Lane, which traverses the chalk downland to the hillfort site, provides panoramic views over and well beyond Mere.

6.7.3 Trees and woodland form particularly important features within the landscape setting of Mere; sometimes forming distinctive wooded skylines (Nor Wood).

6.7.4 Key landmarks within Mere have been identified, which include mainly historic and some modern buildings and structures. They primarily include buildings within the historic core, which would have been important landmarks 150 years ago. St Michael's Church is a memorable and distinctive feature within views towards Mere. Views to its distinctive church tower are often viewed against the chalk escarpment with a rural foreground character. Although many of the landmarks are visible from the local setting, few form prominent visual markers in the landscape setting, due to vegetation and general urban massing of the settlement.

6.7.5 Key distinctive / memorable features in the landscape setting to Mere have also been identified; which comprise a mixture of man-made and natural features. The features marked generally coincide with memorable views on approaches to the village.

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6.7.6 The interface between the settlement edge and surrounding landscape as observed in immediate views from routes around Mere, has also been assessed and grouped into three different types of views; based on landform, foreground landscape character and settlement edge character:

 Level views, with a countryside or river valley foreground, and a generally soft, well- integrated settlement edge;  Elevated views, with a countryside or river valley foreground, and a generally soft, well- integrated settlement edge;  Elevated views, with little / no foreground, mixed settlement edge.  Level views, mixed foreground and a mixed settlement edge.

6.7.7 Outside the immediate visual setting of Mere, the wider landscape setting includes countryside with a strongly rural character and ‘springline’ farmsteads, hamlets and villages (as shown in Figure 6.5); which is important to the context of Mere and fundamental to people’s perception of the village as they approach and depart.

6.8 Analysis of Landscape Sensitivities

6.8.1 The particular qualities within the setting of the settlement that are key to its distinctive character, as identified through analysis of the baseline data set out in Section 6.1 to 6.7, are described below. These qualities are considered to be most sensitive/vulnerable to harm through development and other types of land use change and are desirable to safeguard.

Policy and Geographical Context

6.8.2 Features, sites and areas covered by environmental, cultural and access designations (Figure 6.1) are important elements that enrich the appearance of the landscape and people’s experience of it. They strongly contribute to the character, diversity, biodiversity, history and general interest of the landscape setting to and special character of Mere.

6.8.3 Mere lies within a highly valued landscape, with designated features, sites and areas spread fairly evenly throughout its setting. The chalk escarpment and chalk downland, which encloses the village to the north, is considered to be of outstanding landscape and ecological importance and is wholly covered by the AONB and broadly correlate to sequences of SSSI and CWS designations. In addition, this area is profoundly rich in ancient monuments.

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6.8.4 Figure 6.2 clearly illustrates the topographical setting of Mere. Section 6.1 of the report describes the historical evolution of the village and how it developed as a springline settlement at the meeting of chalk and clay. The landscapes which surround and flow through Mere are considered to be intrinsic to its character, and at times, avoid its coalescence with hamlets/villages and provides a buffer to nearby transport corridors.

Approaches and Gateways

6.8.5 The following section describes the approaches and gateways to Mere, reflected in Figure 6.6. Approaches to and within the urban area provide the viewpoints from which many visitors see the settlements and gain a perception of its scale. Distance and travel time between countryside and the distinctive core of Mere, and the character of the approaches, play an important role in determining people’s perception of the character and scale of the settlement.

6.8.6 Both the length and character of the approaches (mostly vehicular) were assessed to determine potentially, how people currently perceive the character and scale of Mere. The approaches were broadly categorised as green / treed / rural meadow, suburban or commercial / industrial / service development. The length of the approach is determined by the distance between the urban gateway and the gateway to the distinctive core of Mere.

6.8.7 Three categories of gateways were defined. The ‘First View’ of the settlement is the point along the approach route where the village first comes into view. The ‘Urban Gateway’ is the point at which the character of the route becomes built-up and urban. Gateways to the distinctive core of to Mere is defined as the point at which the traveller feels a sense of arrival.

Green / Treed / Rural Meadow Approaches

6.8.8 This type of approach is commonly associated with the following features:

 Route lined with woodland, mature tree belts or robust hedgerows / hedgerow trees, often forming a strong sense of enclosure and distinctive approach to the settlement core;  Views to rural low-lying meadowland, with meandering waters and springs within the valley floor of pastures, wet woodland and meadows; generally tranquil in character with fairly strong landscape structure created by robust hedgerows / hedgerow trees.

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Suburban Approaches

6.8.9 This type of approach is commonly associated with the following features:

 Route lined with a mixture of residential building types along the road including mainly semi-detached and detached houses of varying architectural styles and building materials, reflecting the period of time in which they were built;  Route sometimes lined with pre-19th century buildings with a strong vernacular style, reflecting the use of traditional, locally sourced materials such as local stone, flint, slate and to a lesser extent, thatch.

Commercial / Industrial / Service Development

6.8.10 Mere has developed with an industry focused on agriculture, however, the economic focus of the village clearly changed by the early 19th century towards trade, manufacturing and the tourism industry. Although the village has been bypassed by the A303, local industry and commerce has continued, mainly in periperal sites to the east, south and west of Mere.

Green Corridors

6.8.11 Castle Hill is an especially important green corridor that protrudes into northern parts of Mere, offering recreational opportunities. Overlooking the village, the Iron Age earthwork comprises a number of qualities that form critical elements in defining the historic village and its intrinsic setting.

Relationship Between Villages and Mere

6.8.12 Mere lies at the meeting of several landscapes including rolling clay vale, greensand hills, greensand terrace, chalk downland and chalk escarpment, which combine to form a distinctive setting to the village. The patterns of farmsteads, manor houses, hamlets and villages surrounding Mere are separated by a predominantly rural landscape (Refer to Figure 6.6). Each hamlet/village possesses its own inherent character, and their vernacular buildings reflect the surrounding landscape in their use of local materials. Historic villages such as East Knoyle and Zeals comprise qualities that contribute positively to their character and play a fundamental part of the setting and special character of Mere.

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6.8.13 Villages such as these play an important role in the immediate and wider landscape setting to Mere. They contribute to people’s experience and perception of the setting to Mere, particularly as they approach the village from surrounding villages and view Mere in its landscape setting from key viewpoints. The open and mostly rural landscape separating the hamlet/villages, and separating those villages from Mere, play a critical role in preserving the separate identities of these hamlet/villages; therefore increasing the overall sensitivity of several parts of Mere’s landscape setting, in visual terms as well as inherent landscape character.

Townscape and Landscape Role and Function

6.8.14 The approach to assessing the role and function that townscape and landscape plays in contributing to the distinctiveness of Mere and its landscape setting is described in Section 2.0.

6.8.15 The results of this study are illustrated in Figure 6.7. This demonstrates the area of townscape and landscape that performs a significant role in contributing to the distinctiveness of Mere and its setting. A striking feature is that areas of connective, supportive and distinctive landscapes do not extend north of the escarpment. This is largely because of the escarpment to the north of Mere conceal the extent of the village from the wider landscape and enclose northern views from Mere. The edge of the downlands, where it meets the escarpment, provides a platform for panoramic views over and beyond Mere (refer to Figure 6.5). Similarly, Castle Hill forms a highly prominent and distinctive landscape feature within Mere. Their monumental location contributes to several memorable approaches to the village, and their hillfort sites stand as a visual reminder of Mere’s rich history. These areas are generally associated with a strong sense of tranquillity, and at times, remoteness.

6.8.16 Of particular note is the compactness and cohesiveness of the historic core with an intact link to its rural landscape setting. This type of townscape character is briefly described in Section 6.5, and includes such landmarks as historic St Michael’s Church. The visually cohesive historic core is a key element of the distinctiveness of Mere and its setting, and a fundamental quality of the setting and special character of the village.

6.8.17 The landscape setting south of Mere is dominated by areas of supportive landscape, including mainly rural meadow with patterns of farmsteads, manor houses, hamlets and villages. These areas comprise a fairly strong landscape structure and are rich in

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biodiversity, including water meadows and wet woodland habitat, which bolster the sense of place of the village and its approaches. They comprise landscape components that contribute to a strongly recognisable landscape setting and provide distinctive views towards, as well as a quintessential backdrop to Mere.

6.8.18 This study has shown that there are defined areas of land (within the parameters of this broad scale assessment) that contribute in different ways to the distinctiveness of Mere and its setting. The visually cohesive historic core, and distinctive and supportive townscape and landscape, are areas that are most characteristic of Mere, and their protection should be prioritised.

6.8.19 Areas of connective landscape are also important in the role that they play in contributing to the distinctiveness of Mere and its setting, but they are not distinctive to Mere. They are however, finite and worthy of protection through positive management, conservation and enhancement or potentially, and in only limited locations, development. In such cases, development proposals should respond to the inherent landscape sensitivity of the landscape setting and take account of the potential impacts on the surrounding landscape.

Special Qualities to be Safeguarded

6.8.20 Section 6.0 so far has assessed and illustrated factors that contribute to the setting and character of Mere. This section now takes the process one step further to identify the qualities that should be safeguarded in order to protect the setting and character of the settlement. These are listed below (not in any sequence of importance) and illustrated diagrammatically on Figure 6.8.

6.8.21 Special qualities that contribute to the essence of Mere:

 Definitive relationship between the landform, hydrology and the evolution of Mere, which provides a unique framework to the village;  A village focused on the historic core;  A large and visually cohesive historic core, relative to the settlement as a whole;  Compactness and cohesiveness of the historic core with an intact link to its rural landscape setting;  Distinctive and memorable approaches to Mere from first views and urban gateways; including approaches by public footpaths, ancient trackways and bridleways;

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 Trees and woodland form particularly important features within the landscape setting of Mere, often forming distinctive wooded skylines;  A historic core of human scale, easily crossed by foot and by bicycle with good access to ‘green corridors’, as well as long distance footpaths and bridleways;  Designated sites and areas, as well as ancient monuments, enrich the setting of Mere and add a sense of time-depth to the area;  The distribution, setting, scale, form and inherent character of springline hamlets and villages surrounding Mere;  Chalk escarpment that forms a highly prominent and locally distinctive scenic rim to the village and wider landscape; their inherent sensitivities include the open scarp slopes, which are most commonly viewed against an open, undeveloped skyline;  Sense of place, tranquillity and remoteness associated with parts of the chalk escarpment and Castle Hill, offering panoramic views over and beyond Mere;  Historic parks, in addition to their value as open space, contribute favorably to the character, heritage and wider landscape setting of Mere.

6.9 Development Capacity Recommendations

General Recommendations for the Setting of Mere

6.9.1 The following recommendations have been prepared at a strategic scale and relate to the entire landscape setting of Mere.

 The definitive relationship between the landform, hydrology and the evolution of Mere is a distinctive feature that should be conserved and enhanced. Measures should be taken to ensure that the contrasts in landform are not masked by inappropriate development or management. In particular, the chalk escarpments and Castle Hill, which enclose the village are particularly sensitive, due to their high levels of landscape character, visual sensitivity and landscape value. Maintain the open undeveloped skyline of the escarpment and Castle Hill, by resisting development of new buildings, telecommunications masts, power lines, or any other vertical elements near the ridgeline;

 Ensure that peripheral development does not grow so as to outweigh the dominance of the historic core and areas of distinctive and supportive townscape and landscape. In other words, ensure that any new development respects the scale, setting and form of the existing settlement and appropriate design and mitigation measures are put in place to

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accommodate new development without significant adverse effects on the character of the landscape and townscape. Maintain the perception of a compact settlement, contained by Castle Hill;

 Conserve and enhance the integrity of a number of key views to Mere, from where its special character and setting can be perceived. Ensure any new development respects the character, quality and scale of these views, particularly those that strongly contribute to distinctive and memorable approaches to the historic core from first views and urban gateways (refer to Figure 6.6);

 Conserve and enhance the short and/or distinctive approaches to Mere, which contribute to a memorable approach and sense of arrival to the village core. Resist development that does not respond to the inherent landscape sensitivity of the setting area or take account of both its setting and potential impacts on the surrounding landscape and its approaches. Avoid ribbon development along all routes that would narrow the gap between Mere and surrounding springline hamlets and villages;

 A distinctive feature within Mere is its inherent relationship with the rural landscape setting, including several links to the open countryside. Rural landscapes protrude into the heart of the village, in most cases complementing and/or enhancing its character; providing the foreground of key views to the historic core. Conserve and maintain the historic core’s intact link to its rural landscape setting as well as the green corridors. Ensure new development will not impose unacceptable adverse effects on the character of the landscape, or the way that it is perceived, and without compromising the values attached to it;

 Conserve the ‘human scale’ of Mere, and enhance ease of travel within the village by foot and bicycle; particularly between residential areas and the historic core. Ensure peripheral development is easily accessed via coherent, direct, attractive, safe, comfortable and legible footpaths and cycle paths, which link into the existing greenspace (including ‘green corridors’) and public footpath / cycle path network;

 As discussed in section 6.2 all features, sites and areas covered by environmental, cultural and access designations (Figure 6.1) are important elements that enrich the appearance of the landscape, as well as people’s perception and experience of it. Specific conservation, management, enhancement and development control measures need to be

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developed and employed in these areas, which enrich and strongly contribute to the setting, special character and identity of Mere;

 As outlined in section 6.7 and highlighted in 6.8, it is essential to employ management, enhancement planning policy and development control measures to safeguard and strengthen the diversity of character and pattern of springline hamlets and villages surrounding Mere. Resist new development that impedes on their physical separation from other settlements, their rural landscape settings and their scale;

 Enhance and celebrate gateways and arrival points to the historic core;

 Ensure all new developments adhere to the set of place-making principles and standards of good urban design as established by CABE and English Partnerships, to ensure a strong identity and sense of place. These include connectivity, development grain, mixed use, quality public realm, legibility, robustness and visual delight (as set out in as the ‘Vision for Salisbury – Area Development Framework37).

Area-Specific Recommendations for the Setting of Mere

6.9.2 The following recommendations relate to specific areas within the setting of Mere as defined in Figure 6.8 and the classification of townscape and landscape role and function categories shown in Figure 6.7.

Recommendations for Areas within Distinctive and Supportive Landscapes

6.9.3 Area 1

 Maintain the perception of a compact and cohesive historic core with an intact link to its rural landscape setting. Resist new development that weakens this perception;  Conserve the historic rural setting of locally distinctive listed buildings and landscape features within the landscape setting. Ensure the sense of setting, scale, form and inherent character of such clusters of buildings, structures and landscape features are not lost with the location of new development;  Conserve and enhance locally distinctive wooded skylines, which enrich and strongly contribute to the setting, special character and identity of Mere;

37 Salisbury District Council (2007) Vision for Salisbury – Area Development Framework.

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 Maintain and enhance public access to the area. Opportunities for sensitive, high quality, accessible green infrastructure allowing improved access to the countryside for urban populations e.g. improved access and connections to distinctive and memorable features within the setting of Mere;  Maintain visual and physical separation between Mere and springline hamlets/villages and ensure the sense of setting, scale, form and inherent character of such villages is not lost with the location of new development;  Conserve and enhance the historic field boundaries and field patterns. The future creation of new fields and paddocks or the enlargement of fields and the removal of hedgerows could easily corrode the current historic character of this landscape, which is remarkably extant, and contributes hugely to existing vistas and the sense of place.

6.9.4 Area 2

 Conserve distinctive and memorable approaches to the historic core from first views and urban gateways. Resist new development that disrupts key views to important landmarks and features within Mere and its setting;  Conserve key views that strongly contribute to memorable and distinctive approaches to Mere by public footpaths (including ancient trackways) and bridleways. Resist new development that disrupts key views to important landmarks and features within Mere and its setting;  Conserve the historic rural setting of Castle Hill and other ancient monuments that enrich the landscape setting of Mere. Consider the effects of any new development outside this area on views to and from Castle Hill and the escarpment;  Conserve the undeveloped nature of the skyline to Castle Hill and the chalk escarpment, which form a distinctive and visually prominent backdrop to many views from within Mere;  Maintain the sense of place, tranquillity and remoteness associated with parts of the chalk escarpment and Castle Hill. Resist new development that would result in any reduction of such qualities;  Manage the historical character of the landscape to retain its distinctive and generally ancient historical character.

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Recommendations for Areas within Connective Landscapes

6.9.5 Area 3

 Ensure that any new development respects the scale, setting and form of the existing settlement and appropriate design and mitigation measures are put in place to accommodate new development without significant adverse effects on designated sites and areas, which enrich the setting of Mere; especially Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB;  Conserve the historic rural setting of locally distinctive listed buildings within the area and other memorable features within the landscape setting. Ensure the sense of setting, scale, form and inherent character of such buildings is not lost with the location of new development;  Ensure that any new development does not detract from or disrupt key views to Mere.  Consider the effects of any new development within this area on views to and from the chalk escarpment;  Potential to soften visually harsh and abrupt settlement edges in this area through additional tree and shrub planting;  Enhance public access to the area. Opportunities for sensitive, high quality, accessible green infrastructure allowing improved access to the countryside for urban populations e.g. improved access and connections to distinctive and memorable features within the setting of Mere;  Conserve and enhance the historic field boundaries and field patterns. The future creation of new fields and paddocks or the enlargement of fields and the removal of hedgerows could easily corrode the current historic character of this landscape, which is remarkably extant, and contributes hugely to existing vistas and the sense of place.

Recommendations for Rural Areas Beyond the Landscape Setting

6.9.6 Proposals for development and land use change within the rural areas beyond the landscape setting of the settlement should address the management strategy and objectives for the relevant landscape character areas (see Figure 6.4), as set out in the district-wide Landscape Character Assessment.

11106001R SettlementSettings_DW_02-08 96

11106001R SettlementSettings_DW_02-08 KEY

SSSI

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty Y Y Y Y Y Y YYYYYY Ancient Woodland YYYYYY Y Y Y Y Y Y County Wildlife Sites

Conservation Areas

Scheduled Ancient Monuments Registered Historic Parks and Gardens

Special Landscape Areas

Flood Plain

Salisbury District Boundary

Mere

0 0.5 1 Km This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Salisbury District Council OS Licence No. 100033329.

S:\Projects\11106001 Salisbury LCA\GIS\Projects\11106001_1207\11106001_06-01_desig.mxd CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES SALISBURY DISTRICT SETTLEMENT SETTING ASSESSMENT FIGURE 6.1 www.cba.uk.net MERE POLICY DESIGNATIONS FEBRUARY 2008 KEY

30 - 50

50 - 70

70 - 90

90 - 110

110- 130

130 - 150

150 - 170

170 - 190

Rivers

Salisbury District Boundary

Mere

0 250 500 m This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Salisbury District Council OS Licence No. 100033329.

S:\Projects\11106001 Salisbury LCA\GIS\Projects\11106001_1207\11106001_06_02_topo.mxd CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES SALISBURY DISTRICT SETTLEMENT SETTING ASSESSMENT FIGURE 6.2 www.cba.uk.net MERE TOPOGRAPHY FEBRUARY 2008 KEY

Historic Core Victorian Expansion (including terraced housing) Commercial / Industrial / Service Development

Pre and Post-War Development (including suburban housing)

Late 20th Century and Recent / New Residential Development

0 100 200 m This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Salisbury District Council OS Licence No. 100033329.

S:\Projects\11106001 Salisbury LCA\GIS\Projects\11106001_1207\11106001_06_03_townscape.mxd CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES SALISBURY DISTRICT SETTLEMENT SETTING ASSESSMENT FIGURE 6.3 www.cba.uk.net MERE TOWNSCAPE CHARACTER FEBRUARY 2008 KEY

D Chalk Downland D1 West Wiltshire Downs Chalk Downland

E Chalk Escarpments

E1 West Wiltshire Chalk Escarpments

G Greensand Terrace G1 G1 Kilmington Greensand Terrace

H Greensand Hills D1 E1 H1 Longleat to Stourhead H1 Greensand Hills H2 Donhead, Fovant and Fonthill Greensand Hills

D1 I Rolling Clay Vale I1 Vale of Wardour Rolling Clay Vale

Salisbury District Boundary Mere H2

I1

0 0.5 1 Km This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Salisbury District Council OS Licence No. 100033329.

S:\Projects\11106001 Salisbury LCA\GIS\Projects\11106001_1207\11106001_06_04_La.mxd CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES SALISBURY DISTRICT SETTLEMENT SETTING ASSESSMENT FIGURE 6.4 www.cba.uk.net MERE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER FEBRUARY 2008