Area 9: Greensand Ridge Landscape Character Areas Area 9: Greensand Ridge Landscape Character Areas 17 Other smaller estates, such as Key Characteristics: 6 Buston Manor, Sutton Place, 7 East Sutton Park (once again with the house on the ridge and , orchards and small 8 the parkland on the Weald chestnut woodlands; Area 9 below), Ulcombe Place and , parkland; 11 14 Boughton Place demonstrate Scale Bar , 10 the particular character of this south-facing scarp; area and the opportunities , 0 1 2 4 8 km regular network of narrow taken to command a fine view. enclosed twisting lanes Area: Narrow belt south of Maidstone between Nettlestead and Boughton Malherbe Ornamental planting around this oast with no verges, north-south Buildings and conversion jars with native vegetation and is down the scarp face; Landscape Character visible over a wide area This character area consists of a long, narrow, tree-clad, south-facing scarp. Small areas of coppiced chestnut Settlement , ragstone walls and woodland are dominated by orchards on the slope north of Yalding, Hunton and around Sutton Valence and Ulcombe. Sutton Valence is the only churches; Field sizes are small to medium and this is a long-settled, domesticated area of manors, farms and parks. From the top settlement of significant size in , extensive views over the of the scarp there are dramatic and extensive views over the Low Weald. This landscape is in good condition and has a this area and sits dramatically Low Weald; strong, well-managed and productive character. on the Greensand scarp with extensive views over the , all hazel hedges. Weald. Landscape Designations The whole of the Greensand Ridge is designated SLA in the Local Plan for its scenic quality and distinctive character, Ragstone is used extensively and protected accordingly. The relevance of this designation to development proposals is discussed below. in walls, farm buildings and churches, and in some Physical Influence domestic dwellings. Densely textured landscape of woodland and The underlying geology dictates the dramatic topography on the edge of this area, with a 50 metre drop from the top of orchard on the scarp the scarp down to the Low Weald. Landcover and Biodiversity Medium to large arable fields, with mainly small regular fields of pasture The soils are variable, supporting orchards or woodlands and several parks and estates. on the very undulating sandy soils, are characteristic of this area, with woodland plantations and extensive orchards. Local woodland consists Historical and Cultural Influences of chestnut coppice and hazel/ash/field maple coppice. Linton Park and Boughton Monchelsea Place dominate the central section of this area with their parkland vegetation. Most of Linton Park lies within the Valeside Parklands (Area 14), but its woodland provides a backdrop on the scarp. Elmstone Hole pasture at Liverton Street is designated SNCI for its mosaic Similarly, Boughton Monchelsea Place straddles this area, with the earthworks defining its northern boundary on the of unimproved neutral grassland and woodland, which includes cowslip northern edge of this area and its deer park largely in Area 14, while the house itself, a large rambling Tudor house (Primula veris), bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), early purple orchid (c.1567-75) which was much modified in the early 19th century, is dramatically sited on the scarp. (Orchis mascula), wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia) and soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum). Chestnut and Sutton Valence castle survives as a tower keep on the eastern edge of the village. It is located on a ridge with an ash/hazel/hornbeam coppice occur with field maple, elm and pedunculate extensive commanding view over the Weald and East Sussex to the south. It was built in the 12th century to control the oak. Boughton Park and reservoir are also designated SNCI. The small, route between Maidstone and the Channel ports. The ruins were restored in the 1980s and are open to the public. privately-owned deer park supports a herd of 80 fallow deer on dry grassland with several streams at the base of the ragstone, and is Linton Park consists of a mansion, built in 1730 and recently restored, within a very fine early 19th century landscape ornithologically important, with 52 breeding species. park. The house, northern woodland and part of the Loudon-designed parkland lie within this area, which was enclosed in 1818. This woodland contains both ornamental and indigenous trees, in contrast to the southern parkland, which This area also supports some of the dwindling number of nut platts and contains no ornamentals. traditional orchards, which are a distinctive yet rapidly disappearing part of the Borough's heritage. Wierton Place lies within the parish of Boughton Monchelsea and is now a country club. Although the garden is of little interest, the parkland contains mature Victorian planting of horse chestnut and beech and, to the north of the house, a rectangular walled garden with a spectacular Victorian conservatory. The estate was largely split up some 20 years ago. Plain of Low Weald Well-wooded scarp of Greensand ridge Houses on scarp command a fine view Densely textured field pattern 8/A9/1 8/A9/2 Area 9: Greensand Ridge Landscape Guidance Area 9: Greensand Ridge Landscape Guidance Landscape Condition Landscape Sensitivity This is a landscape with a robust and distinctive character. Within the dense texture of the scarp small-scale Condition StreStrengngthethenn CoConsnservervee SaSafegfeguauardrd development could be accommodated, but medium or large-scale proposals would damage the landscape pattern. GoodGood anandd anandd anandd Consideration should be given to the visual impact on areas of the Low Weald from which views could be obtained. Detracting features: none reireinfonforcerce strstrenengthgthenen mamananagege Visual unity: high N Cultural integrity: high N O O I I Typical Planting Mixes (Area 9: Acid sands) ImImproproveve ImImproproveve CoConsnservervee T Ecological integrity: medium T I I Moderate anandd anandd anandd Sweet chestnut plantations are very characteristic of this area, but should only be considered where the resultant D Moderate Functional integrity: high D woodland is to be commercially managed. The species listed below are those found in semi-natural woodland on N N reireinfonforcerce coconsnservervee resrestortoree O O these soils. C Robustness C ReRecoconsnstrutructct ImImproproveve ReRestostorere Hazel hedges are a locally distinctive feature; a mixed hedge would contribute to biodiversity and would not reduce Pattern of elements: regular PoorPoor anandd rresestortoree cocondnditioitionn ttoo distinctiveness if hazel remains a dominant species in the mix. Consistency of pattern: high mamaintaintainin Distinctive features: orchards, narrow lanes chcharaaractecterr Woodland: (in wet areas) Historic continuity: strong Ash 15 Ash 10 Alder Buckthorn 10 Impact of landform: very dominant WeakWeak Moderate StrongStrong Field Maple 25 Field Maple 15 Aspen 15 Extent of tree cover: extensive orchards ROBUSTNESSROBUSTNESS Hazel 60 Hazel 15 Downy Birch 30 Extent of visibility Hornbeam 50 Sallow 15 within area: limited by vegetation, Sessile Oak 10 Silver Birch 30 but extensive views out 100% 100% 100% Landscape Guidance: conserve and strengthen Hedges: Principles 100% Hazel Field Maple 20 Hazel 70 , development within areas designated Special Landscape Areas (SLAs) will be subject to special scrutiny, as Sallow 10 priority will be given to the protection of their scenic quality and distinctive character over other planning 100% considerations. Developers should pay due regard to this and ensure that their proposals would not adversely affect or damage the integrity of this area; Plant hedges at 45cm spacings in a double staggered row, , the SNCI designation protects designated areas from development in order to protect the nature conservation 30cm between the rows interest for which they were designated; , extend the principle of securing management agreements for high quality habitats; , maintain and conserve parkland, especially where storm damage has not been replaced. In most instances native tree and shrub species are to be preferred to ornamental or non-native species. Within parkland it may be important to conserve or strengthen the historic character, reflecting the species planted in earlier centuries; , traditional orchards and nut platts should be maintained for their contribution to local biodiversity, local distinctiveness and for their historic value. Countryside Stewardship grant aid is likely to be available; , coppice woodland should be managed for its contribution to landscape distinctiveness and its historic and biodiversity value. Advice, practical help and potential grant aid are available from a number of organisations; , increased areas of arable cropping and the loss of hedges to large field sizes should be resisted as diminishing the distinctiveness of this character area. Practical Measures , estate and parkland boundaries should remain distinguishable even where original boundaries have been lost to development or break-up. This distinction can be maintained by built features or by lines of appropriate planting; , owners of historic parkland should be aware of current grant aid possibilities and the various bodies available to provide advice, starting with the planning department of the Borough Council; , species that contribute to the distinctiveness of this area include chestnut, predominantly managed as coppice, with hazel/ash/field maple or hornbeam/ash/hazel coppice. Pedunculate or sessile oak standards with beech and wych elm are also present. Typical shrub species include aspen, alder buckthorn and sallow, in damper areas, with downy and silver birch and much honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum). 8/A9/3 8/A9/4 .