Lavernock Point to Gold Cliff Name
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Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 49 Regional Seascape Unit Lavernock Point to Gold Cliff Name: The island of Flatholm, as seen from near Cardiff, also showing hills on the English side of the Severn Estuary. (Photo © Monica Jones, CCW) Newport (Photo © Kathryn Birch, CCW) Cardiff Bay, where water levels are constant because of a barrage (Photo from Wikimedia Commons with free copyright) Newport (Photo © Paul Brazier,CCW) Tidal flats with industrial background (Photo © Charles Lindenbaum, CCW) 1 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 49 Regional Seascape Unit Lavernock Point to Gold Cliff Name: Seascape Types: TSLR TSLU THMU Key Characteristics THIR Lias cliffs to the west with some wave-cut platforms and shingle beaches ending abruptly at Penarth Head. Relatively linear reclaimed coastline to the east, with grass bund sea defences and extensive sand and mud exposed at low tide. Incised plateau landscape to the west and extensive flat levels hinterland to the east, with pastoral and arable fields to the coastal edge. The low lying cities of Cardiff and Newport are generally set back from the coast with port, power station and commercial areas adjacent. Penarth lies in an elevated position overlooking the estuary. The Severn Estuary has a strong lateral flow, a very high tidal range and is opaque with suspended solids. East of Penarth Head, the Severn is estuarine in character, reinforced by the extensive levels and mud flats, whereas west of here, the Bristol Channel is sufficiently wide and exposed to form a wide sea inlet. Key views from Penarth including parks, Cardiff Bay barrage and the coastal path. Long open views from the south and east facing coast along the estuary and to the English coast. Key Cultural characteristics: Cardiff historic City and port, Capital of Wales and centre of Welsh government and Millenium Centre, centred around the old port area, with a barrage to stimulate regeneration. Newport is Wales’s newest city. Gwent levels reclaimed landscape dates back to the Pleistocene period. Physical Geology Triassic rocks with Liassic limestone to the west in the Vale of Glamorgan overlain with Characteristics alluvium. River terrace deposits lie back from the coast with Old Red Sandstone further inland. Coastal landform To the east of Cardiff, this seascape is a south to south-westerly facing deposition coast, with low lying and reclaimed Wentlooge and Caldicot Levels, protected with a bund of around 5m high. The River Usk estuary forms a relatively narrow mouth cut into the levels. To the west of Cardiff the headland to Laverock Point faces east and rises to form vertical cliffs of up to 30 m high, with wave cut platforms at their base. The nearer Penarth Head is particularly prominent as it can be seen from the former Taff and Ely estuaries, which are now separated from the sea by a barrage forming Cardiff Bay. Coastal landcover The coast has a mix of urban and rural character. Infrastructure, industry and docks associated with the major low lying settlements of Cardiff and Newport abut the coast. Penarth runs to the coastal edge with a promenade, pier with associated housing. The greater part of the coastline to the east of Cardiff has a mix of pastoral and arable land in this levels landscape. Intertidal area Extensive mud and sand flats lie adjacent to the low-lying areas to the east of Cardiff. A combination of wave cut platform and sand lie to the west around Penarth, whose cliffs yield many fossils at Penarth Head. Characteristics of sea The Severn Estuary has a large tidal range and exhibits a strong lateral flow. There are also suspended solids giving an opaque brown appearance to the water. The rocky islands of Flatholm and Steepholm lie off the coast. Hinterland landform The Levels including parts of Cardiff and Newport are flat, lying at around 5-8m AOD for extensive areas. The Vale of Glamorgan landform consists of scarp slope and hills dissected by valleys inland. The highpoints reach over 50m AOD in Penarth. Hinterland landcover The hinterland is dominated by the cities of Cardiff and Newport with the mainly pastoral levels between and the former resort settlement of Penarth bounded by further pastoral land used to the south. The extensive coastal levels exhibit important historic field patterns, with many drainage ditches, and abut heavy industry in places e.g. at Newport, with many pylon lines and other detractors to the levels landscape and its setting. 2 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments Lighting The cities and their industrial coastal elements are major light sources along with Penarth. This is one of the most concentrated developed areas along the Welsh coast. Flatholm has a lighthouse. Use Land/coast uses There are docks in both Cardiff and Newport, a power station south of Newport plus heavy industry and commercial uses. Residential and leisure uses are primarily focused on Penarth, with its beach and pier, and to some extent on the Cardiff Bay barrage and informal recreation on the coastal path. Sea uses The sea is used for bathing to an extent at Penarth, occasional seasonal pleasure trips from the pier, fishing and sailing and pleasure boating/sailing from the marinas in Penarth Haven and Cardiff Bay. Commercial traffic uses the estuary to and from ports such as Avonmouth, Cardiff and Newport. Visual and How the seascape unit Penarth Head, promenade and pier; some Penarth residential areas; Cardiff Bay barrage; sensory qualities is experienced coastal path both on the cliffs south of Penarth and along the levels to the east. Degree of intervisibility Visibility to the sea is limited to a relatively narrow strip above the cliffs between Lavernock of land and sea Point and Penarth and on the sea defence embankment east of Cardiff. There is also some visibility from the hills north of Cardiff. Key views to sea and Penarth Head, promenade and pier, Cardiff Bay barrage, coastal path both on the cliffs south along the coast of Penarth and along the levels to the east. Key views to land Views from yachts and pleasure craft including occasional pleasure steamers. Tranquillity/rem- The most tranquil area is on the Wentlooge levels coast. The landscape and coastal edge is oteness/wildness highly modified so it is only the character of the sea that contributes to the wildness of the area. Otherwise the area lacks tranquillity. Sense of scale Medium to large due to cliff height to west and general openness and simplicity of coast. Openness/ Open- although English coast is apparent. enclosure Diversity Diverse due to contrast between urban and rural, and higher and low areas. Exposure Exposed Key cultural The most dominant contemporary cultural expression in this seascape unit is the Cardiff Bay associations regeneration, with the Barrage and demolition of Tiger Bay, infilling of the former pre- eminent docks and siting of the National Assembly for Wales and Senedd, and the Millennium Centre on former industrial land in the City and Capital of Wales. The City and County of Newport is striving to emulate its near neighbour, with intensive efforts to attract inward investment and development of very large business parks south of the M4 motorway. Penarth has also benefited from the construction of the Barrage, its waterfront now being developed as an upmarket residential, restaurant, café and bars quarter. Historically, the most supreme cultural expression are the reclaimed landscapes of the Levels, with Wentlooge to the west of Newport and the Gwent Levels beginning at Goldcliff and spreading eastwards to the boundaries of Chepstow. These reclaimed coastal landscapes – managed successively by Romans, Cistercians and Marcher lords for two millennia - are under threat both from the possible effects of climate change and gradual erosion of the historic landscape for industrial, residential and infrastructure development. Lavernock Point and Flatholm island are historically significant for the transmission of the first message in Morse Code by wireless telegraphy (radio) by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897. The Severn Estuary is designated as a SSSI along the length of the Levels from north-east to south-west. Forces for change Land/coast Development pressure around all settlements, the most vulnerable being the Gwent Levels. Climate change may put pressure on sea defences and threaten low lying land with flooding, particularly on the seaward edge of the Levels. 3 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments Sea Proposals for tidal empowerment schemes have the potential to significantly affect the character, both locally around construction works, and across the estuary as a whole where tidal range is altered. Designations and National Park - sensitive features AONB - Heritage Coast - Long-distance coastal - footpath/National Trail Outstanding and special Gwent Levels historic landscapes Historic gardens and parks Penarth: Italian Gardens, Windsor Gardens, Alexandra Park Cardiff: Bute Park, Roath Park Key scheduled ancient Cardiff Castle monuments Newport Castle (guardianship) Country Parks - Open access land - 4 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 49 Regional Seascape Unit Lavernock Point to Gold Cliff Name: Headline Sub-criteria Increases sensitivity Decreases sensitivity criteria Overall Summary of key • High cliffs to the west • The low lying coastal plain character factors in this seascape • The islands of Flatholm and Steepholm • The urban port and industrial