40063 B05 Landscape Character & Visual Impact Assessment.Indd
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SAINSBURY’S STORE, FALMOUTH ROAD, PONSHARDEN, FALMOUTH LANDSCAPE CHARACTER & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT MARCH 2011 STRIDE TREGLOWN JOB NO. 40063 PREPARED BY IET CHECKED BY MJ DATE 31.03.2011 FILE 40063_LVIA REVISION NO. C CONTENTS FIGURES VIEWPOINTS 1.0 Introduction 5 Figure 1 Site Location Plan 6 VP1 Viewpoint 1: Public Footpath south of Bissom Village 31 Figure 2 Falmouth OS Map VP2 Viewpoint 2: Gorrangorras Cemetery 2.0 Assessment Methodology 7 Figure 3 Photograph - Northern boundary 12 VP3 Viewpoint 3: Public Footpath south of Gorrangorras 32 Figure 4 Photograph - Southern boundary Cemetery 3.0 Baseline Survey 11 Figure 5 Photograph - Eastern boundary - Indusrial Estate VP4 Viewpoint 4: Public Footpath looking east to Ponsharden 3.1 Site Location 12 Figure 6 Photograph - Eastern boundary - Existing Store VP5 Viewpoint 5: Public Footpath south east of Bissom Village 33 3.2 Site Description 13 Figure 7 Photograph - Residential fringe VP6 Viewpoint 6: Public Footpath opposite Ponsharden 3.3 Topography 20 Figure 8 Photograph - North-eastern boundary - Jewish Cemetery VP7 Viewpoint 7: Public Footpath west of Trevissome House 34 3.4 Existing Vegetation 21 Figure 9 Existing site features and photo locations 13 VP8 Viewpoint 8: From field boundary adjacent to Trevissome 3.5 Tree Protection Figure 10 Photograph - Vospers showroom 14 Cottage 3.6 Public Rights Of Way 22 Figure 11 Photograph - Vospers rear buildings VP9 Viewpoint 9: Public Footpath south of Trevissome House 35 3.7 Environmental Constraints 23 Figure 12 Photograph - Gas works site - looking south-west VP10 Viewpoint 10: Public boat jetty opposite Ponsharden 3.8 Landscape Character Context - Natural Figure 13 Photograph - Gas works site - looking west 15 Marina England National Character Areas (NCA) Figure 14 Photograph - Existing water channel - looking west VP11 Viewpoint 11: Public Footpath west of Little Falmouth 36 3.9 Scheduled Ancient Monuments 24 Figure 15 Photograph - Existing water channel - looking east VP12 Viewpoint 12: Tregew Village - field boundary at farm shop Figure 16 Photograph - Gas works structures VP13 Viewpoint 13: Tregew Village - Private driveway 4.0 Landscape Planning Policy 25 Figure 17 Photograph - Gas works structures VP14 Viewpoint 14: Flushing Bay 37 Figure 18 Photograph - Rock face - southern boundary 16 VP15 Viewpoint 15: Falmouth Road - site entrance 5.0 Description of Proposals 27 Figure 19 Photograph - Existing trees -eastern boundary VP16 Viewpoint 16: Jewish Cemetery –looking west towards site 38 Figure 20 Photograph - Existing trees -western boundary 17 VP17 Viewpoint 17: Trescobeas facility - Recreational Ground looking 6.0 Landscape Impact Assessment 29 Figure 21 Photograph - Crib-lock retaining wall north over site Figure 22 Photograph - Internal view north 18 7.0 Visual Impact Assessment 39 Figure 23 Photograph - Internal view east Figure 24 Photograph - Internal view south 19 8.0 Proposed Landscape Mitigation 41 Figure 25 Photograph - Internal view west Figure 26 Wider contours and topography 20 9.0 Conclusions 43 Figure 27 Site contours and topography Figure 28 Photograph - open scrub 21 10.0 Appendix - Tree Survey, Constraints Analysis & 45 Figure 29 Photograph - mosses and lichens Plan Figure 30 Photograph - Marshy waterlogged land Figure 31 Photograph - Deciduous trees - central Figure 32 Photograph - Deciduous trees - eastern boundary Figure 33 Photograph - Deciduous trees - western boundary TABLES Figure 34 Photograph - Ponsharden Marina 22 Figure 35 Photograph - Public Footpath at North Parade Table 1: Sensitivity of Landscape Receptor 8 Figure 36 Photograph - Penryn River Table 2: Magnitude of Landscape Impact Figure 37 Photograph - Ponsharden Marina Table 3: Sensitivity of Visual Impact 9 Figure 38 Photograph - Ponsharden Ferry Landing Table 4: Magnitude of Visual Impact Figure 39 Adjacent Designated Sites 23 Table 5: Impact Significance Matrix Figure 40 Character Area 152 - Cornish Killas Table 6: Landscape Impact Assessment Summary 30 Figure 41 Diagram location of Jewish Cemetery 24 Table 7: Visual Impact Assessment Summary 40 and Congregational Cemetery. Figure 42 Photograph - Jewish gravestone Figure 43 Photograph - Congregational cemetery Figure 44 Zone of visual influence 30 Figure 45 Viewpoint location plan Figure 46 Diagram - Opportunities and constraints 42 SAINSBURY’S FALMOUTH 2 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1.0 INTRODUCTION SAINSBURY’S FALMOUTH 3 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1.0 Introduction 1.1 INTRODUCTION This assessment has been carried out by Stride Treglown Landscape Architects on behalf of Sainsbury’s Food stores in order to inform and support the design of the proposed development of land to the north-west of Falmouth, situated on the A39 Falmouth Road at Ponsharden in the Carrick District, Cornwall. The site location is shown on Figures 1 and 2. 1.2 The development proposals include the provision of a new commercial unit for Sainsbury’s Food Stores including a Petrol Filling Station at the site entrance with associated car parking, access roads and new landscape proposals. 1.3 This assessment will seek to demonstrate the likely impacts and overall appropriateness of the proposals by identifying the following: • The existing landscape and visual features of the site and the opportunities and constraints that they present; • The visibility of the site and the existing contribution that it makes to the character of the surrounding area; • How the proposals respond to the opportunities and constraints presented by site. 1.4 The assessment of the existing conditions on site, photographic survey and desktop study were carried out in October and November 2010 by a Penryn qualified Landscape Architect. The report includes a review of existing baseline conditions of the site within its physical and planning policy context. The assessment of the landscape impacts will consider Flushing the existing topography, vegetation and land use of the site. The assessment of visual impacts will consider existing visibility of the site, the contribution that it makes to the character of the surrounding area and the degree of change to the composition of views from public viewpoints. 1.5 This assessment concentrates on the landscape Falmouth and visual matters and should be read in conjunction with the other supporting information including: • Planning Supporting Statement by White Young Green • Architectural and Landscape Drawings by Stride Treglown • Design and Access Statement by Stride Treglown • Transport Assessment by Connect Consultants Figure 1 - Site Location Plan (NTS) Figure 2 - Inset Detail: Falmouth OS Map of wider area SAINSBURY’S FALMOUTH 4 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 2.0 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY SAINSBURY’S FALMOUTH 5 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 2.0 Assessment Methodology 2.1 This assessment has been carried out character Table 1: following guidelines outlined in the following • Potential mitigation measures to reduce Sensitivity of Landscape documents: or eliminate any adverse impacts • The significance of the residual impacts Receptor • Guidelines for Landscape and Visual after the incorporation of the mitigation Impact Assessment (Landscape measures Institute & the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (2nd 2.5 Landscape impacts relate to physical Edition 2002, Spon Press). changes to the nature and quality of the individual landscape elements and • Landscape Character Assessment characteristics on the site itself and the Guidance for England and Scotland consequential effect of these changes on (Countryside Agency & Scottish Natural the landscape or townscape character of the Heritage (April 2002). surrounding areas. 2.2 The guidelines state that there is no standard 2.6 Landscape receptors are elements or groups Table 2 : methodology for the qualification of landscape of elements which will be directly or indirectly Magnitude of Landscape and visual impacts. The methodology used affected by the proposals. These elements therefore needs to be relevant to the site consist of natural and cultural factors and Impact specific needs to be established incorporating include: a degree of professional judgement. Vegetation, topography, water courses, public rights of way, buildings, historic features and 2.3 Landscape and visual impacts will be land use and the effect these have on the considered as separate issues, where character of the site. landscape impacts relate to the physical changes to the landscape and the visual 2.7 The factors used to define the sensitivity of the impacts relate to changes in available views. landscape receptors (see Table 1) are: The scheme is likely to have effects upon the • Landscape quality – the physical state of physical landscape attributes of the site, on repair of the individual element the visual amenity of views from and towards • Landscape value – the relative the site and on the landscape or townscape importance attached to the landscape character of the surrounding areas. These element effects may be positive or negative depending • Contribution to Townscape/ Landscape on the baseline conditions of the receiving Character – contribution to the local environment. The significance of the impacts sense of place will depend upon the magnitude of the • Scope of replacement – the ability impact and the sensitivity of the landscape or otherwise to replace an individual and visual receptors (see Tables 1-5). element or group of elements • Main trends for change – the stability or