SEPTEMBER 2017 | JWA | BRS.5955 | FINAL CULM GARDEN VILLAGE, CULLOMPTON, DEVON LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT APPRAISAL ON BEHALF OF LIGHTWOOD LAND LTD Pegasus Group 5 The Priory | London Road| Canwell | Sutton Coldfield | West Midlands | B75 5SH T 0121 308 9570 | F 0121 323 2215 | W www.pegasuspg.co.uk Birmingham | Bracknell | Bristol | Cambridge | Cirencester | East Midlands | Leeds | Liverpool | London | Manchester ©Copyright Pegasus Planning Group Limited 2011. The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Pegasus Planning Group Limited Culm Garden Village, Cullompton, Devon Lightwood Land Ltd Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. APPROACH 2 4. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL BASELINE 6 5. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ANALYSIS 19 6. PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT AND LANDSCAPE STRATEGY 23 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 28 APPENDICES Appendix A: Extract from Peter Brett Associates report on ‘East Cullompton’ Appendix B: Extract from the Mid Devon LCA: LCT 3E - Lowland Plains Appendix C: Extract from the Mid Devon LCA: LCT 3C - Sparsely Settled Farmed Valley Floors LCT FIGURES Figure 1 Site Location and Study Area Figure 2 Landscape Planning Designations Figure 3 Landscape Character Figure 4 Viewpoint Locations and PROW Figure 5 Viewpoint Photographs 1 - 30 Figure 6 Topographical Analysis Figure 7 Drainage and Water Features Figure 8 Green Infrastructure Network Figure 9 Development Patterns Figure 10 Preliminary Development and Landscape Strategy BRS.5955 | FINAL 2 11.09.17 Culm Garden Village, Cullompton, Devon Lightwood Land Ltd Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 1. INTRODUCTION Terms of reference 1.1. Pegasus Environment, part of the Pegasus Group, has been instructed by Lightwood Land Ltd, to undertake an appraisal of landscape and visual impacts in relation to the proposed development of a new settlement of around 5,000 homes to east of Cullompton at Junction 28 of the M5 Devon (referred to as ‘the site’). 1.2. The report has been prepared to support the examination of Mid Devon District Council’s Local Plan; the preparation of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan; and the master planning of Culm Garden Village. 1.3. This appraisal of landscape and visual impacts (LVA) has been undertaken to determine the various landscape and visual constraints and opportunities regarding the wider site area and its context, how these might serve to influence the potential for development in respect of a strategic masterplan, and to influence an inherent landscape strategy as part of that masterplan. Site overview 1.4. The site is located immediately to the east of Cullompton (east of the M5) and approximately 19km to the north of Exeter. The wider site area comprises an extensive area of mixed agricultural land that extends broadly between the M5 corridor to the west, local roads of Long Moor and Long Drag to the north, Horn Road to the east and a combination of local roads and field boundaries to the south; The A373 Honiton Road crosses the site linking Cullompton and the M5 to Honiton, approximately 14km to the south-east. 1.5. Additional information and a more detailed description on the physical components, landscape character and visual amenity of the site and study area are set out in later sections of this LVA. 1.6. This LVA initially refers to a ‘wider site area’ and separately the broad ‘study area’ for the purposes of the appraisal process (refer to Figure 1, Site Location and Study Area). Later sections of this LVA refer to a ‘refined site area’ which addresses the areas of the site that are considered for inclusion in the development framework options. BRS.5955 | FINAL 1 11.09.17 Culm Garden Village, Cullompton, Devon Lightwood Land Ltd Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 2. APPROACH Overview 2.1. The approach and methodology used for this LVA considers best practice guidance, as set out in the following documents: • Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (2013) Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, 3rd Edition; • Natural England (2014) An Approach to Landscape Character Assessment; and • Landscape Institute Advice Note 1/11 Photography and Photomontages Guidance. 2.2. Reference has also been made to additional sources of data and information; these are referred to in the relevant sections of the baseline information. A series of drawings have also been produced as part of this LVA and are included as Figures 1 to 10. 2.3. Principles and good practice for undertaking landscape and visual impact assessment are set out in the Landscape Institute (LI) and the Institute of Environmental Management (IEMA) Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Third Edition (2013)1. Landscape Institute Garden City Principles 2.4. The Landscape Institute has responded to the Government’s call for new Garden Cities with a briefing paper that sets out five key principles for landscape-led garden cities, as summarised in the following table. Table 1: Landscape Institute Key Principles for Garden Cities2 Principle Overview 1: Start with the The vision for any new garden city must first and foremost be landscape informed by an understanding of the characteristics unique to its specific location; its local landscape character. These include natural factors, such as landform, hydrology, biodiversity, geology, soils and climate, and human influences such as historic and current land use and the perceptions of the local community. A vision and masterplan that works with, rather than against, these factors will root garden cities firmly in their landscape context and provide a strong sense of local character to which people can relate. 1 Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment 3rd Edition (April, 2013) 2 The Landscape Institute, Briefing, A new generation of garden cities: a future inspired by landscape BRS.5955 | FINAL 2 11.09.17 Culm Garden Village, Cullompton, Devon Lightwood Land Ltd Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 2: Work within the Garden cities must respond positively to the opportunities provided landscape by their environment. Layout, form, open spaces, architecture and choice of materials must reflect landscape context and help create a distinctive character and a sense of identity for the new communities. Designing with nature, through a green infrastructure approach, will deliver a whole host of benefits, such as reducing the risk of flooding, enabling wildlife to flourish, cleansing air and water, providing space to grow food and making new garden cities more liveable. A green infrastructure approach will also make garden cities more resilient to a changing climate and capable of mitigating and adapting to its effects. 3: Develop a positive Setting the limits of built development from the outset will prevent relationship between future suburban sprawl; new garden cities must avoid town and country development on the best and most versatile agricultural land in the interest of future food and farming. The surrounding rural areas must supply space for leisure activities and the secure production of local food, renewable energy and building materials, soils to capture carbon and conserve water, trees and plants to cool the air and improve air quality, and access to open countryside to allow local communities to engage with nature. 4: Build a place worth Garden cities must provide a ‘home for life’. They must be living…for life designed to be adaptable, dynamic, exciting and beautiful places that delight residents, workers and visitors. They must be resilient in the face of changing weather patterns and flexible enough to respond to the depletion of natural resources and demographic and lifestyle changes over time. A wide diversity of compact self- contained neighbourhoods designed around urban village centres, providing a variety of energy efficient house types and tenures, will encourage individuals and families to settle and stay, building distinctive identities for local communities over time. Garden Cities must be great places to grow up in, to learn and work in, and for people to live in for the rest of their lives. 5: Create vibrant places Garden cities must have landscape at their heart and be teeming with wildlife. A generous and well maintained network of public realm that serves multiple purposes for meeting, relaxing, growing food and social interaction, will help build civic pride and enjoyment. Parks and outdoor facilities, as well as access to nature, will encourage healthy lifestyles and community wellbeing. Reserving land for low carbon energy production and recycling, water and flood risk management and prioritising pedestrian and cycle movement, as well as excluding cars in places, will underpin the provision of sustainable, attractive and popular places to live 2.5. The Institute believes that new generation of garden cities must demonstrate the very best in landscape planning and design, from the outset of their development. By adopting a landscape-led approach it states that change in the landscape is not to be feared, and that communities will make the most precious land resources; this has been considered throughout the process of this LVA. BRS.5955 | FINAL 3 11.09.17 Culm Garden Village, Cullompton, Devon Lightwood Land Ltd Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal Level of assessment 2.6. The third edition of the Guidelines for Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA3) was published in April 2013. This guidance acknowledges that landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) (or appraisal) can be carried out either as a standalone assessment or as part of a broader EIA. The GLVIA3 note that the overall principles and core steps in the process are the same but that there are specific procedures in EIA with which an LVIA must comply. 2.7. This report has been prepared as a preliminary appraisal of landscape and visual impacts (LVA). The LVA addresses matters of individual resources, character areas and representative viewpoints.