Landscape and Visual 10
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LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 10 CONTENTS Introduction ..............................................................................................................10-1 Scope ...................................................................................................................10-1 Structure...............................................................................................................10-1 Methodology.........................................................................................................10-2 Technical Difficulties.............................................................................................10-2 Landscape Planning Baseline .................................................................................10-2 Landscape Designations......................................................................................10-2 Landscape Planning Policies ...............................................................................10-4 Landscape Baseline ................................................................................................10-9 Introduction ..........................................................................................................10-9 Existing Landscape Appraisals of the Application Site and its Surroundings.......10-9 Landscape Appraisal of the Application Site and Surroundings.........................10-13 Landscape Dynamics.........................................................................................10-17 Classification and Evaluation .............................................................................10-17 Potential for Landscape Enhancement ..............................................................10-18 Conclusions on the Landscape Appraisal of the Existing Site ...........................10-18 Visual Baseline ......................................................................................................10-19 Introduction ........................................................................................................10-19 General Visibility of the Application Site.............................................................10-19 Choice of Viewpoints..........................................................................................10-21 Key Representative Viewpoints..........................................................................10-21 Potential for Visual Enhancement ......................................................................10-21 Conclusions of the Visual Assessment of the Existing Site................................10-22 Potential Landscape And Visual Implications Of The Proposed Development......10-23 Nature and Extent of Proposed Development....................................................10-23 Timescale...........................................................................................................10-23 Landscape and Visual Constraints.....................................................................10-24 Landscape and Visual Opportunities/Mitigation Measures ................................10-24 Predicted Residual impacts ...................................................................................10-25 Predicted Residual Landscape impacts .............................................................10-25 Landscape Sensitivity.........................................................................................10-25 Magnitude of Landscape Impacts ......................................................................10-26 Changes in Natural Characteristics....................................................................10-26 Changes in Cultural and Social Factors.............................................................10-26 Changes in Aesthetic and Perceptual Aspects ..................................................10-27 Changes in Classification and Evaluation ..........................................................10-27 Magnitude of Landscape Impacts ......................................................................10-27 Summary of Residual Landscape Impacts.........................................................10-28 Predicted Residual Visual Impacts.....................................................................10-28 Magnitude of Visual Impacts ..............................................................................10-29 ZTV Analysis ......................................................................................................10-30 Potential Significance Of Landscape And Visual Impacts .....................................10-36 Assessment of the Significance of Impacts........................................................10-36 Potential Significance of Landscape Impacts of the proposed development .....10-37 Potential Significance of Visual Impacts of the Proposed Development ............10-38 Potential Effects in Relation to Landscape Planning Policies ............................10-39 Summary and Conclusions....................................................................................10-40 Introduction ........................................................................................................10-40 Landscape Impact..............................................................................................10-40 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 10 Visual Impact......................................................................................................10-41 Impact on the Planning Policies .........................................................................10-41 Appendix A – Methodology for Generation of Zone of Theoretical Visibility Studies.10- 42 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 10 INTRODUCTION Scope 10.1 Filching Quarry is a currently inactive chalk quarry within the South Downs National Park. The quarry is located on the western fringe of the small hamlet of Filching, East Sussex, approximately 2.1km from the northern boundary of the borough of Eastbourne. 10.2 The approximate centre of the site lies at National Grid Reference 556400, 102850. The site is located just off the Jevington Road, approximately 2.5km south west of its junction with the A2270 at Polegate. 10.3 The site is only accessible from its eastern side, through a gate which is kept padlocked. 10.4 The site occupies a broadly rectangular piece of land of approximately 1.9 hectares. The quarry void is approximately 135m x 160m at its maximum extent and is between 23-56m deep. 10.5 Chalk was originally worked at Filching Quarry for lime production, and subsequently to produce fill materials for the construction industry. The quarry has a valid mineral extraction planning permission requiring the restoration of the site by 2017. 10.6 The proposed development seeks to stabilise the quarry and then to secure the restoration of the site to grassland by subsequently infilling the quarry using inert materials (refer to drawing L&V06 for the proposed restoration landform). Structure 10.7 The following report assesses the potential landscape and visual implications of the proposed development, and is split into sections, as follows: General introduction and summary of the methodology used; • baseline assessment for the existing site and its surroundings, which includes an examination of the planning context of the proposals, a landscape appraisal of the existing site and its surroundings and a visual assessment of the existing site and its surroundings; • study of the development proposals, including mitigation, to identify potential landscape and visual characteristics, effects and impact generators; • assessment of the sensitivity of the landscape and visual receptors to the proposed development and the potential residual landscape and visual impacts likely to be generated after mitigation has been considered and their significance; and • summary and conclusions. Filching Quarry Page | 10-1 SLR Consulting Limited LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 10 10.8 The assessment of impacts, as discussed below, includes a study of the development proposals, potential landscape and visual characteristics and impact generators, effects and mitigation and would be considered in terms of spatial elements (local, district, regional, national), timescales (short/medium/long term) and permanency (reversible or permanent). 10.9 The assessment of residual impacts, as discussed below, considers the sensitivity of the receptors to the proposed development, the magnitude of change and the overall significance of effects. Methodology 10.10 The format of this assessment is based on the principles produced by the Countryside Agency (“Landscape Assessment Guidance”, 2002) and the Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (“Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment”, Second Edition, 2002). 10.11 Initially a desktop study was undertaken to review the landscape planning history, proposal plans, all existing assessments and other relevant information and to identify potential viewpoints with the aid of ZTV analysis. These viewpoints and any others identified during the fieldwork were then visited and assessed for their sensitivity to the proposed development. The site visit was carried out on Tuesday 16th November, 2010. The weather conditions were dry and clear/suitable for assessment work. 10.12 Photographs illustrating views from the selected viewpoints were taken using a Nikon D70 digital camera, set to a 34mm focal length (the equivalent of a 50mm lens for a 35mm format negative). Where viewpoints consisted of more than