adopted March 2007 Landscape Character Area 9d

Dee Valley, Froncysyllte to Newbridge 9d

This is one of a series of Local Planning Guidance Notes based on Spectacular section of the River Dee at the entrance to the Vale of , including the and Newbridge viaduct LANDMAP (adopted November 2004), setting out recommendations for each Landscape context Landscape Character area The Dee Valley between Froncysyllte and Newbridge is one of several river valleys with woodland and pasture which have been affected by industrial uses, past or present. The other landscape character areas of this type are Clywedog Valley (9a), Valley (9b) and Ffrith Valley (9c)

Map of Dee Valley, Froncysyllte and Newbridge Landscape Character Area

map not to scale

Dee Valley-Froncysyllte to Newbridge summary

O Key section of Dee Valley with historic canal, rail, road and Offa's Dyke crossings

O Enclosed valley with scenic views to west

O Rural land uses but close to industry and settlements

O Important river, grassland and woodland habitats Character Area boundaries should be considered transitional rather than precise © Crown copyright. All rights reserved Licence No.100023429. 2006" O Focus for tourism and recreation Key characteristics terraces, narrowing above O Outstanding industrial Pontcysyllte aqueduct archaeology Visual character: O River cliffs near Trevor and O Enclosed lowland valley with level Newbridge cut into glacial drift and floodplain underlying sedimentary strata O Farmed and wooded character, O Froncysyllte is built on an outcrop flanked by closely built 'urban of limestone, with disused quarries villages' of Mawr, Trevor and above the village Froncysyllte O The valley, following faultlines, O Outstanding views to and from the separates the older Silurian rocks of Pontcysyllte aqueduct, Cefn railway the Berwyn uplands from the younger viaduct, and nearby hills Carboniferous rocks of Mountain and its eastern slopes O Notable man-made embankment carrying canal to aqueduct, which helps to form 'gateway' in valley Ecological character: O Lowland pasture, upland mixed ash Geological character: woodland and aquatic habitats of very high value O Major river in natural channel O Remainder is improved grassland O Alluvial valley floor with river and farmland

Wrexham Landscape Character Area Guidance Landscape Character Area 9d Overall management strategy: Conservation and enhancement

Management guidance Aims Guidelines

Protect and retain O Identify, maintain and enhance significant views scenic and historic O Strengthen tree planting on edges of valley but maintain landscape character selected views with visually exciting rural-urban contrast

O Enhance recreational routes linking historic landscape features

Maintain geodiversity O Maintain integrity of landforms, including fluvial landforms, Historical character: of area and assess any new exposures O Historic crossing point - Offa's Dyke, O Continue current management Shropshire Union Canal, railway Manage woodlands O Maintain and develop woodland corridors linking with adjoining O 19th/20th century workers housing at for biodiversity areas - refer to Green Network Strategy due March 2007. Trevor and Froncysyllte connected Increase diversity in woodland structure, restrict grazing in with expansion of industrial woodlands, and retain old/dead trees standing or fallen development which spanned the Dee O Expand native woodland types (upland mixed ash woodland) Valley, including limestone quarrying and burning, industrial ceramics, and and replace conifers with broadleaves development of the chemical industry Protect river and O Protect water quality, enhance river bank habitats and minimise at associated habitats hard bank engineering such as canalisation and retaining walls. and species Manage canal banks for water vole - refer to River and Canal Cultural character: Habitat Action Plan and Otter Species Action O Historic parks and gardens - Trevor Plan (part of Wrexham Biodiversity Action Plan) Hall and Argoed Hall O Enhance lowland pastures through management Increase wildlife value O Part within Vale of Llangollen and of farmland O Diversify general agricultural land and enhance and extend Eglwyseg Landscape of Special hedgerows preserve hedgerow trees and plant new ones Historic Interest O Protect and reduce disturbance to species in villages eg bats, O Tourism and leisure activities - Trevor Protect wildlife in Basin, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Ty villages newts and birds, and retain trees, hedges and stone walls Mawr country park O No development on or near Offa's Dyke - contact Cadw Safeguard industrial O Well known artistic representations of archaeology and O Preserve canal and associated structures - contact British aqueduct, and literary references earlier prehistoric and Waterways medieval heritage O Preserve former quarries, tramlines, inclines, limekilns, miners' cottages and other characteristic structures - refer to Vale of Llangollen and Eglwyseg historic landscape character assessment by Powys Archaeological Trust Landscape sensitivity: O Assess and protect Wrexham Borderlands fieldscape Conserve Very sensitive to any development and manage historic features of Telford's Road (A5) which might affect the setting of Promote understanding O Continue existing management strategies for Pontcysyllte / Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Cefn and enjoyment of the Trefor / Ty Mawr Country Park Viaduct, and the scenic Vale of outstanding historic Llangollen industrial landscape O Support local history/culture initiatives and setting For further information contact: Planning Environment Planning Department Council Lambpit Street, Wrexham. LL11 1AR Tel:01978 292019 www.wrexham.gov.uk/planning All our information is available in accessible formats

Wrexham Landscape Character Area Guidance © Wrexham County Borough Council 2007 Back