Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment
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Charnwood Local Plan BOROUGH OF CHARNWOOD LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT Charnwood Borough Council JULY 2012 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................2 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................4 2. PURPOSE OF REPORT .................................................................................6 3. CHARNWOOD LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES ..8 4. METHOD .........................................................................................................9 5. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT ....................................................................13 6. INTERPOLATION OF MAPPING RESEARCH..............................................20 7. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS.............................................................25 9. CONCLUSION...............................................................................................85 10. PART 2: CHARNWOOD LANDSCAPE CAPACITY AND SENSITIVITY APPRAISAL...................................................................................................87 APPENDIX 1..........................................................................................................94 Review of Published Landscape Assessments APPENDIX 2........................................................................................................110 Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment – Field Survey Form APPENDIX 3........................................................................................................118 Landscape Character Assessment: Field Survey Points APPENDIX 4........................................................................................................121 To Follow APPENDIX 5........................................................................................................122 The Following Tables Indicate Those Trees and Shrubs that are Locally Native to Each Landscape Character Area APPENDIX 6........................................................................................................140 Ancient Woodland in Charnwood Borough Listed in Natural England’s Inventory APPENDIX 7........................................................................................................141 Landscape Capacity & Sensitivity Field Survey Results APPENDIX 8........................................................................................................206 Landscape Capacity & Sensitivity Survey Zones – LOUGHBOROUGH & SHEPSHED Landscape Capacity & Sensitivity Survey Zones – NORTH LEICESTER ...........207 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................208 GLOSSARY .........................................................................................................212 Charnwood Local Plan Borough Of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment - July 2012 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The document provides a structured evaluation of the landscape of the borough including a landscape strategy with guidelines for the protection, conservation and enhancement of the character of the landscape, which will inform development management decisions and development of plans for the future of the Borough. It identifies the distinct landscapes within Charnwood by describing their key characteristics and natural, historical and cultural features and elements. This Landscape Character Assessment and Charnwood Forest Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment are primary evidence to inform decisions on development. The overall aim is to achieve high quality, sustainable development proposals, which will protect, conserve and enhance the character and appearance of the Borough’s landscape, and reinforce local distinctiveness and sense of place, the key objectives to achieve this are set out in Chapter 3. The method used to produce the Landscape Character Assessment is set out in Chapter 4 which is followed by an outline of the planning policy context to which the document relates, in Chapter 5. The landscape assessment is in two parts: Part 1: divides the borough into 6 distinct character areas and deals with these each in turn, describing the key characteristics, geology, topography, land use, farming, industry, recreation, communications, ecology, heritage, boundaries & hedgerows, woodlands & trees, hydrology and buildings & settlements of each area. It then identifies the strength of landscape character and landscape condition of that area which results in a list of guidelines to be followed in order to protect the character of that area. Finally these elements are brought together in a broad conclusion. These are that the boundaries need to be shown as broad lines, reflecting the fact that landscape character gradually changes, with zones of transition between landscape character areas, and that the Charnwood Forest Landscape Character Area is the most distinctive and has the strongest landscape character of the areas within the borough. Part 2: includes a landscape sensitivity and capacity study for the areas which adjoin the urban edges of Leicester, Loughborough and Shepshed to broadly assess the capacity of these landscapes to accommodate development. This document concludes by placing each study area into one of five categories which are graded according to the landscapes capacity to accommodate new development. Charnwood Local Plan Borough Of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment - July 2012 2 Charnwood Local Plan Borough Of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment - July 2012 3 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Charnwood Borough Council has undertaken a borough wide Landscape Character Assessment, which identifies the distinct landscapes within the Borough of Charnwood by describing their key characteristics and natural, historical and cultural features and elements. The document provides a structured evaluation of each landscape area including a landscape strategy with policy guidelines for the protection, conservation and enhancement of the character of each area, which will inform the development of plans for the future of the Borough. 1.2. Part 2 of this document includes a landscape sensitivity and capacity study for the areas which adjoin the urban edges of Leicester, Loughborough and Shepshed to broadly assess the capacity of these landscapes to accommodate development. What is Landscape Character Assessment? 1.3. Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) is the systematic process of identifying and describing variation in the character of landscape and using this information as a decision making tool to assist in managing change in the landscape. LCA seeks to identify and explain the particular combination of elements and features that makes landscapes different and distinctive. Distinctiveness of character arises from the interplay of geology, landform, soils, habitats, vegetation, and both the historical and current influences of human land use and settlement. 1.4. Landscape Character Assessment guidance prepared by The Countryside Agency (now Natural England) in 2002 recognises that: “Landscape Character Assessment is a tool which can make a significant contribution to ‘environmental protection’ and ‘prudent use’ as a cornerstone for sustainable development.” 1.5. Natural England, the Government’s statutory adviser on landscapes, believes that: “An understanding of landscape character, systems and dynamics is essential in resource management and planning and in visioning future landscapes. Landscape character and cultural history are key contributors to regional and local identity, influencing sense of place, shaping the settings for people’s lives, whether at work or play and providing a critical stimulus to their engagement with the natural environment.” Charnwood Local Plan Borough Of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment - July 2012 4 The Scope of the Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment Comprehensive: it will cover the whole of the Borough of Charnwood with the exception of main urban areas. Consistent: it will use methods and approaches that are consistent with national guidance and which will be compatible with previous landscape assessement work affecting the Borough and with neighbouring Authorities landscape assessment work. Descriptive: it will identify the key distinctive characteristics of the Borough’s landscape using desk based and field survey information. Analytical: it will seek to understand how the landscape has evolved into its present state, its current condition, its sensitivity to future change and its capacity to adapt. Contextual: the landscape assessment evidence will be used to inform policy making and to develop guidelines, and will provide a base line for the future monitoring of change. Charnwood Local Plan Borough Of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment - July 2012 5 2. PURPOSE OF REPORT Purpose of Charnwood Landscape Character Assessment 2.1. The Landscape Character Assessment provides a framework for the formulation and assessment of planning proposals and will also inform landscape conservation and management strategies within the landscape character areas. 2.2. The document identifies the distinct landscapes within Charnwood by describing their key characteristics and natural, historical and cultural features and elements. The document provides a structured evaluation of each landscape area including a landscape strategy with guidelines for the protection, conservation and enhancement of the character of each