Mole Valley Local Plan

APPENDICES 1 INTRODUCTION APPENDICES – The Appendices provide additional background and statistical information to the Local Plan. Where relevant, they will be taken into account in the determination of planning applications. INTRODUCTION MOLEVALLEYLOCALPLAN Appendix 1 2 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS (see plan on page 8) APPENDIX 1. INTRODUCTION a broad valley northwards to the Thames. The open, flat valley floor is bounded by gently sloping sides and is set ’The Future of Surrey’s Landscape and Woodlands‘* within a gently undulating landscape. identifies seven regional countryside character areas in Surrey and within these, twenty five county landscape ESHER & EPSOM character areas. In Mole Valley, four of the regional countryside character areas are represented with eleven The area between Bookham and Ashtead, excluding the LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS county landscape character areas. These are: valley of the River Mole, lies within this landscape character area. Much of the area is built-up but there are tracts of open undulating countryside and Regional County Landscape extensive wooded areas including Bookham Common Countryside Character Areas and Ashtead Common. The gentle dip slope of the Character Areas North Downs to the south of Bookham and Ashtead provides a broad undulating farming landscape Thames Basin S Esher & Epsom composed of a patchwork of fields and occasional Lowlands S Lower Mole irregular blocks of woodland. Although close to the North Downs S Woldingham, Chaldon built-up areas, this area retains much of its rural & Box Hill agricultural landscape character. It provides a S Mole Gap transition between the densely wooded landscape on top of the North Downs and the built-up areas. S Ranmore & Hackhurst Downs Wealden Greensand S Holmesdale Guidelines for Appropriate S Pippbrook & Tillingbourne Design Detailing S Reigate Greensand: Deepdene S Red bricks and red tiles. S Leith Hill Greensand S Hedgerows, especially on boundaries between built- Low Weald S Open Weald up area and countryside. S Wooded Weald S Timber post and rail fences and brick walls. Using this classification, the District’s landscape has LOWER MOLE been analysed and a profile of each character area has North of Leatherhead the River Mole flows through a been prepared. broad gentle valley. The river rises in flood here to form lakes which transform the landscape. The valley is The profiles will be used in assessing whether rather open with occasional small blocks of woodland development proposals satisfy the Plan’s policies that and some strips of riparian woodland. The land is mostly seek to conserve and enhance the richness and diversity used for farming and has a strong hedgerow pattern. of the District’s landscape, particularly the Surrey Hills There are also some areas of horsiculture. Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Area of Great Landscape Value. There are several small-scale landscapes of surprising quality and value. Areas to the north of Leatherhead, including the Common Meadow and Fetcham Splash 1. THAMES BASIN LOWLANDS which form part of the flood plain of the River Mole, provide access to intimate river landscapes. General Landscape Character The M25 runs across the valley and is a major feature The area consists predominantly of farmland with small in the landscape. woodlands and the River Mole, which meanders through * The Future of Surrey’s Landscape and Woodlands - Part 1: Landscape Assessment. Published by Surrey County Council. MOLEVALLEYLOCALPLAN 3 Guidelines for Appropriate Village Character and Design Detailing Local Building Materials S Red bricks and red tiles. Boxhill and Headley are the two villages in this area. In APPENDIX 1. Headley especially, local flint has been used in S Hedgerows, especially on boundaries between built- traditional building construction. Brick has been also up areas and countryside. often used for corners and door and window surrounds. S Timber post and rail fences and brick walls. The rich orange-reds of Wealden bricks contrast attractively with the cool grey of the flintwork. 2. NORTH DOWNS Guidelines for Appropriate LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS General Landscape Character Design Detailing The North Downs is a prominent landscape feature S Red brick and tiles, occasionally decorative or visible over wide areas of Surrey. Much of the scarp is running in patterns, grey slate and white-painted wooded especially the top parts where the woodland on walls. the dip slope extends over the top of the Downs and S Hedgerows, tree belts, shrubs and brick walls. onto the scarp. The lower slopes are more open but are being colonised by scrub. Where the downland is open, S New development should be sited within the species rich grassland exists. landscape on the sides of slopes, avoiding the top of the North Downs. Within the North Downs there are three distinct landscape character areas in Mole Valley: Woldingham, Chaldon and Box Hill; Mole Gap and Ranmore and MOLE GAP Hackhurst Downs. This is a striking corridor of landscape between Dorking and Leatherhead where the River Mole cuts through the WOLDINGHAM, CHALDON AND chalk escarpment to create a spectacular BOX HILL geomorphological feature. Along this stretch of the Downs, to the east of the Mole The valley is flanked on the east by the precipitous, Gap, the dip slope is dissected by a series of steep wooded slopes of Box Hill and by more gently rising U-shaped valleys. Between the valleys, and at the top of farmland, vineyards and parkland on the west, including the dip slope, are areas of flat open plateau. Where Norbury Park. This is included on the English Heritage valleys join, the intervening high ground narrows to form Parks and Gardens Register and was originally laid out the characteristic blunt profile of the Downs. There is a in the late eighteenth century to provide a picturesque special sense of openness on top of the Downs despite setting to Norbury Park House. the encroachment of scrub and woodland. Semi-natural woodland on the steep sides of the valley Despite the simplicity of the underlying chalk geology, is a very important element in the landscape. Although there is a great variety of surface deposits of sands, much of it has been substantially storm damaged there gravels and clay with flint, each with their own is good natural regeneration. characteristic vegetation. There are the acidic heathland The Mole Gap is also an important transport corridor for areas such as Headley Heath, ash and field maple road and rail. The A24 follows the line of the River Mole woodlands on clay soils and oak and birch woodland on and provides important views of the distinctive outline the flinty clay soils. Yew and box are characteristic of of Box Hill. the steep exposed chalk slopes while belts of woodland on the open downland contain either beech or ash and Village Character and field maple. Hedgerows are not generally characteristic Local Building Materials of the downland, but in places the remnants of an old hedge line remain. Mickleham is the only village in this area. It has a linear form and flanks the Old London Road with an outlying Chalk quarries, such as at Betchworth are prominent group of properties at Byttom Hill overlooking Norbury landmarks and give the scarp a dramatic aspect. Park. It is mostly 18th and 19th century in character. MOLEVALLEYLOCALPLAN 4 Red brick, flint and tile predominate with render and Guidelines for Appropriate slate also to be seen. Design Detailing APPENDIX 1. S Red brick, stone, flint and red tiles, white render and Guidelines for Appropriate natural timber. Design Detailing S Stone and flint boundary walls and belts of trees S Red and brown brick, flint, red-tiled roofs, vertical along boundaries. tile hanging to upper floors and white-painted walls. S Open boundaries, hedges, hedgerow trees, banks, 3. WEALDEN GREENSAND LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS shrubs and brick walls. General Landscape Character RANMORE AND HACKHURST DOWNS The Wealden Greensand runs parallel to and south of This area includes the downland to the west of the the North Downs. It is typified by a south facing River Mole. It is densely wooded. Fields tend to be in scarp, and a dip slope running north down to the small clearings surrounded by woodland or separated base of the scarp of the North Downs. It is a by thick shaws. The area has a remote character. The complex landscape character region, which primarily landscape of the dip slope to the north of the area is can be divided into the Greensand Hills, and the more open. Around Polesden Lacey parkland merges Greensand Valley lying between the Greensand Hills into farmland among rolling hills and valleys with belts and the North Downs. of woodland and shaws following the contours of the In Mole Valley, the Greensand Valley is lined by a string land. Lanes flanked by hedges wind their way across of villages each with its own distinctive character. this landscape and paths thread through it. Isolated farm houses and their associated buildings are This area contains the full range of woodland types also characteristic of this area. The A25 and the North found on the Downs including native yew and beech Downs railway line running east-west are significant woods, beech plantations and some ash and field features of the landscape. The landscape of the maple coppice. There are also extensive tracts of countryside is characterised by green pastureland and forestry containing conifers and broadleaved species. hedged fields. There is a range of woodland types Most of the woodland is recent but there are pockets reflecting the diversity of soil types. of ancient woodland especially on the scarp of The District’s Greensand Valley is subdivided into three the Downs. character areas: Holmesdale, Pippbrook and Ranmore Common is an extensive and diverse Tillingbourne and a small isolated area of Reigate woodland covering a series of hills and valleys.

Load more