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PUBLICATION TITLE: Elizabeth Landmark: Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment JOB NUMBER: 1131 (PJ2366) VERSION: First issue for Planning (January 2019) CLIENT: Viscount Devonport Prepared by: Sharon Lumb / Ros Southern Checked by: R. Southern This report has been prepared by Southern Green Ltd with reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the terms of the contract with the client Viscount Devonport. No part of this document may be rreproduced without the prior written approval of the above parties. \\OAK\3_JobFiles\1131_Elizabeth Landmark (PJ2366)\2. WIP\4. Drawings and Reports\Reports and 1 Plans\190118_LIVA Report_Planning issue SL.docx CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Site Location and Study Area 4 1.3 The Development Proposal 4 1.4 Policy Context 7 1.5 Non statutory Polices 11 2.0 METHODOLOGY 2.1 Landscape and Visual Methodology 11 3.0 BASELINE CONDITIONS & LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT 3.1 Statutory and Non-Statutory Designations 23 3.2 Landscape Character 25 3.3 Site Description and Context 32 Visual Context (Visual Envelope and Representative 3.4 33 Viewpoints) 4.0 ASSESSMENT OF PREDICTED EFFECTS 4.1 Summary of Process 36 4.1 Landscape Assessment 36 4.2 Visual Receptors and Viewpoints Assessment 38 5.0 MITIGATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 55 6.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 57 APPENDICES Appendix A - References 59 Appendix B - Figures 60 Issue Description of Changes Author Checked Date - WORK IN PROGRESS SL /RS RS 07.01.19 - FIRST ISSUE FOR PLANNING SL /RS RS 17.01.19 \\OAK\3_JobFiles\1131_Elizabeth Landmark (PJ2366)\2. WIP\4. Drawings and Reports\Reports and 2 Plans\190118_LIVA Report_Planning issue SL.docx 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.1.1 This Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) has been prepared by Southern Green Ltd., Chartered Landscape Architects, commissioned by Viscount Devonport (“the client”) to accompany the planning application for a public landmark to be known as Elizabeth Landmark, at Cold Law Hill, Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland. 1.1.2 Pre-application comments were provided from Karen Derham from the Conservation Team and Glenn Shaw from the Building Conservation team of Northumberland County Council (NCC) on 23.10.18, recommending that a Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVIA) would be required, including reference to Scheduled Monuments and listed buildings within 3km. Viewpoints were suggested by Colin Godfrey of the Northumberland National Park to ascertain the effect on views looking to and from the nearby National Park. 1.1.3 The LVIA seeks to provide an understanding of the baseline landscape and visual conditions of the site and surrounding area, in order to determine likely effects which may arise as a result of the development and highlight mitigation measures to reduce, offset or compensate for such impacts. This LVIA provides a combined approach, which considers landscape and visual issues separately in order to gain an holistic understanding of the impact of the proposed landmark on landscape and visual receptors. 1.1.4 In the LVIA methodology, the baseline situation is considered before the likely environmental effects of the development are identified, including the construction phase. Baseline findings are used to inform the emerging design in order to avoid or reduce impacts where possible. Mitigation measures are then identified to reduce any remaining unavoidable negative effects before the residual effects are assessed. 1.1.5 The assessment has concentrated on a 5km radius study area, centred on the proposed landmark. 1.1.6 The assessment is intended to provide a factual account of the predicted landscape and visual effects of the proposed development and has not been written with a particular planning outcome in mind. 1.2 Site Location and Study Area Refer to Figure 1: Site Location Plan 1.2.1 The proposed site is located on land approximately 4km to the southeast of West Woodburn, Northumberland and around 5km west of the eastern boundary of the \\OAK\3_JobFiles\1131_Elizabeth Landmark (PJ2366)\2. WIP\4. Drawings and Reports\Reports and 3 Plans\190118_LIVA Report_Planning issue SL.docx Northumberland National Park. The landmark is proposed to sit on the summit of Cold Law, an upland fell within a largely open and large scale landscape. 1.2.2 The study area covers a 5.0km radius from the centre of the proposed site and includes the villages of East Woodburn and West Woodburn to the northeast. The site is an open field, containing upland heathland and marsh habitats within a wider area generally farmed for grazing, game shooting and plantation woodland. A strong network of footpaths, bridleways, cycleways and recreational routes criss-cross the study area, connecting villages and settlements to the surrounding landscape. The A68 and A696 travel northwest - southeast through the study area to the west of the site, linking England and Scotland. 1.3 The Development Proposal and Construction 1.3.1 The Elizabeth Landmark is a manifestation of Viscount Devonport's wish to recognise Queen Elizabeth II as the longest-reigning British monarch. The proposed landmark, a slender steel structure in a stone setting including interpretation, will be set on Cold Law, a distinctive localised hillock. The landmark will be around 56m high in order to match the height of nearby Hepple Heugh at 336m AOD. 1.3.2 The associated access road, car park and viewing area and ‘rock slot’ have been included in the assessment along with proposed outline construction access and methods. 1.3.3 The following extracts from the Artist’s proposals describe the development and the proposed construction process in further detail: ‘Concept The proposed landmark will be a thin slice cut north to south through the uppermost bedrock of Cold Law hill, tilted and elevated at the north end so that it points to the sun at its zenith on Midsummer’s day. The angled form will be between 55 - 60m high overall from the hill top, such that it will equal the summit of the adjacent Hepple Heugh crag. Its upper curved surface will match the topographical form of the hill, precisely following its curved profile. The under surface will be flat. Angled lateral fins, between the upper and lower flanges, will change in pitch and frequency as they rise up the wing form, accentuating the sense of perspective and movement. Plan Visitors will walk on a curving pathway from the proposed car park (graded for accessibility). This will feature works by poets and writers from around the Commonwealth and the local community. It will lead through a bed rock lined slot cut \\OAK\3_JobFiles\1131_Elizabeth Landmark (PJ2366)\2. WIP\4. Drawings and Reports\Reports and 4 Plans\190118_LIVA Report_Planning issue SL.docx through the top of the hill and pass via an archway through the base of the monument to a pathway curving round to the hilltop viewpoint and area. Markers around the main oval path will indicate the shadow fall of the monument at the Queen’s birthday, the sun rise and sunset locations at summer and winter solstice and the spring and autumn equinox. The viewing area will be oval in plan with a stone bench and a sheltered space provided beneath the hillside overhang. The focus of this area will be a bronze topographic map set onto a stone plinth, giving information about the landscape and history of the surroundings. There will be Corten steel inserts in the stone floorscape denoting the commonwealth flag and direction and distance markers to all of the Commonwealth member state capitals. Materials and construction The artwork will be formed of Corten weathering steel, which weathers to a rich orange/red colour. The steel is metallurgically designed so that the rust surface forms a protective coating that prevents further corrosion and requires no maintenance. It will be supported on a simple grass and stone covered reinforced concrete beam spanning the rock slot at the hill’s summit, close to the base of the Corten structure and above the archway through it. The indigenous bedrock of the hill will be cut smooth and angled away above the pathway to provide a clean natural stone finish. The path surface will be of the same finish. Its shape and appearance will reference the engineering heritage of the area, with the aerodynamic form of a steam turbine blade. The steam turbine was invented by Charles Parsons, a former owner of the Ray Estate; he is buried in Kirkwhelpington. The iron for the High Level Bridge was worked at Ridsdale. Small traditional sandstone quarries close to the site continue to produce stone for local use.’ Construction Phase The construction period is anticipated at between 8 and 12 months. A temporary site compound will be established on the site of the proposed visitor car park. This will provide space for contractor’s office, materials and plant and fuel storage, staff facilities, deliveries drop off and turning area; and construction staff parking. A temporary access track will be laid from this compound to follow the proposed footpath to the landmark, anti-clockwise NE around to the top of hill for the rock slot excavation machinery and landmark foundations construction. This route will also provide access to a temporary fabrication area for the landmark on the east shoulder of Cold Law. All site accommodation will be removed at project completion. \\OAK\3_JobFiles\1131_Elizabeth Landmark (PJ2366)\2. WIP\4. Drawings and Reports\Reports and 5 Plans\190118_LIVA Report_Planning issue SL.docx The 5m wide access road and site compound will be constructed in compacted stone using locally sourced stone and excavated material from site. Topsoil will stored within the site for reuse. Construction of the landmark base, rock slot, paths and visitor viewing area Topsoil removed during construction will be stored at the site compound for re-use in landscape re-instatement.