Sections 4.11-4.23
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4. Landscape Character Areas 11. High Street North Industrial Estate 10A Page 55 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 11. High Street North Industrial Estate DESCRIPTION Location and Boundaries Built and rural interface Located on the eastern edge of Dunstable, the estate is bordered by The character area adjoins Houghton Regis Chalk Quarry to the residential development, opening out to the west onto arable land and north, a CWS, the Dismantled Railway CWS and plateau farmland to 10A rough grassland/ scrub Suncote Pit CWS. the west. The school and warehouse buildings on the northern edge are visible from the Chalk Pit. Works on the western edge of the area Built character are contained by scrub vegetation of the CWS and vegetation along The character area comprises large-scale warehouse buildings, a gas the Dismantled Railway CWS. However the large metal container works and the South Bedfordshire District Council Offices. Two school buildings and school are clear in views from the elevated plateau buildings and their playing fields are located within the character area. farmland to the west. A large area of derelict land, enclosed by chain-link fencing, lies The Dismantled Railway CWS forms a green link with the adjacent between the Dismantled Railway CWS and High Street North. Some countryside and provides an opportunity for access and biodiversity. new housing development has occurred on this land along French’s Avenue and Peppercorn Way. The character area is characterised by large building units. Typical building materials include red and yellow brick. The area is served by main distributor roads which provide a degree of permeability for the traveller, and is bisected by the Dismantled Railway CWS. Structure planting occurs around the warehouse units and there are occasional groups of cherry trees. School playing fields provide open spaces which function as green edges to the area. Views are generally restricted by the mass effect of large buildings. However there are views northwards from playing fields across the Houghton Regis Chalk Quarry. Page 56 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 11. High Street North Industrial Estate EVALUATION Quality / Condition • Not applicable Sensitivity • Not applicable 10A Opportunities • Enhance green links to adjacent rural areas. • Enhance structure planting and maintain the natural form of the species • Conserve the Dismantled Railway CWS as a green link between the urban area and adjacent countryside. Constraints • Existing large scale built form in direct proximity to the rural edge and CWSs. • Existing open recreation land important to retain and enhance. • Limited land availability. Page 57 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas Page 58 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 12. Chalk Hill Escarpment 10A Page 59 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 12. Chalk Hill Escarpment DESCRIPTION Location and Boundaries This is a peaceful landscape with no major roads in close proximity. Views across the rural vale and woodland at the bottom of the The north eastern tip of the Chalk Hill Escarpment Character Area is 10A escarpment add to perceived naturalness. Traffic movement is defined by the 140m contour. To the east it is defined by built visible along Thorn Road to the north. Lighting along the built edge of development, and to the south, the cliffs of the Houghton Regis Quarry Houghton Regis, together with the sewage works and pylons to the form an exposed chalk edge with a footpath running along its length. north of the area are seen as detracting landscape features in local The character area is adjoined to the north by the Clay Vale. views. Landscape Character Built- Rural Interface Within the character area, land gently slopes down to the north with The escarpment interfaces with Roslyn Way Post War Suburban (CA subtle and attractive undulations. This is a smooth open arable 18) and Millers Way Contemporary Development (CA 15). Properties landscape with open field boundaries. Rough grasslands occur where form a visible built edge to the top of the escarpment and are also the escarpment meets the edge of the chalk quarry and a small built into the slope penetrating the escarpment. Belts of native woodland belt runs offset but parallel to the Roslyn Way Post War vegetation alongside the built edges provide some screening but Suburban (CA 18). The A5 (Watling Street) bisects the escarpment, rooftops remain prominent. Bunding on the northern edge of Millers segregating the eastern end from the rest of the Totternhoe Chalk Way Contemporary Development (CA 15) visually contains Escarpment. The character area is crossed by a number of paths, the properties. Icknield Way path runs along the bottom of the escarpment. Lighting columns on the perimeter path which runs alongside the built Open, distant views northwards across the Clay Vale are afforded from edge of Millers Way Contemporary Development (CA 15) are the elevated escarpment. In the foreground, Houghton Regis Sewage prominent features, accentuating the built interface. works is visible. In views back to Houghton Regis, the built edge and cliffs of the chalk quarry are prominent. Page 60 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 12. Chalk Hill Escarpment EVALUATION • Quality / Condition Attractive undulations of chalk escarpment, Opportunities Maintain openness of the 10A detracting features from outside area are escarpment and prevent further present in views. development on the ridgeline • Maintain edge vegetation to Sensitivity The sensitivity of the Chalk Hill Chalk promote screening of built edge. Escarpment is judged to be medium-high for reasons including the following: • Conserve existing footpaths, including path following along the • Open, elevated landform with attractive edge of the escarpment with views undulation accentuated by the down into the chalk pit. smoothness of the arable land cover • • Panoramic views across the Clay Vale Constraints Further development on and beyond the ridgeline of the • Recreational value particularly due to escarpment would be highly visible. close proximity of Houghton Regis. Development has reached the crest • High ground provides an important of the escarpment and any further backdrop in views from the Clay Vale development would encroach into and an open, rural setting to Houghton open landscape which falls away to Regis the north and would be highly The open elevated chalk escarpment is visible in distant views prominent in views from the north and any change associated with built development would be highly visible. Page 61 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas Page 62 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 13. Houghton Regis Chalk Quarry Photos 10A Page 63 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 13. Houghton Regis Chalk Quarry DESCRIPTION 10A Location and Boundaries Built- Rural Interface The quarry is situated on the north eastern edge of Houghton Regis, The built edge of Millers Way Contemporary Development (CA 15) extending from the urban edge into the Totternhoe Chalk Escarpment. and Salters Way Post War Suburban (CA 10) elevated on the cliff The quarry is defined to the north and east by steep cliff faces. A5 tops are visible from the chalk pit. The roofs of warehouses are also (Watling Street) runs alongside the eastern edge of the pit with visible to the north although screened partially by scrub and pioneer residential industrial development adjacent to the southern and western species vegetation. edges. Lighting columns on the perimeter path which runs alongside the built Landscape Character edge of Millers Way Contemporary Development (CA 15) are prominent features, accentuating the built interface Steep sided cliff edges contain the quarry to the north and east with an extensive flat to locally undulating quarry floor. The chalk quarry comprises both calcareous grassland and open standing water habitats (Houghton Regis Marl Lakes, reed-bed, fen and willow scrub), supporting a diverse flora and fauna associated with wetlands. The area is designated a SSSI and is an important habitat for dragonfly as well as being an important ornithological site. A reservoir occupies the southern part of the quarry. The chalk quarry is accessed from Houghton Road via a path along the edge of the reservoir which is enclosed by fencing on both sides. The quarry floor is open to the public and is used for recreational purposes. This open, expansive landscape contained by dramatic cliff edges has a peaceful almost remote quality. However built development visible on the cliff tops is a reminder that this landscape lies on the edge of an urban area. Page 64 Chalk Arc Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited Landscape Character Assessment 2212959 4. Landscape Character Areas 13. Houghton Regis Chalk Quarry EVALUATION • Quality / Condition The entrance to the chalk pit is poorly defined. Opportunities Conserve the ecological value of 10A The entrance access path is enclosed either grassland