Cefn Mawr 7B

adopted March 2007 Landscape Character Area 7b

Cefn Mawr 7b

This is one of a series of Local Planning Guidance Notes based on Set on a ridge overlooking the scenic Dee Valley at the entrance to the Vale of Wrexham LANDMAP (adopted Llangollen, this area, including Cefn Mawr, Acrefair, Plas Madoc and Rhosymedre, November 2004), setting out has a significant industrial heritage recommendations for each Landscape Character area. Landscape context Cefn Mawr is one of four character areas in Wrexham which have a mixed rural and urban landscape. The other areas are Chirk, Rhosllanerchrugog - Rhostyllen and West Wrexham Ridges and Valleys

Map of Cefn Mawr Landscape Character Area

map not to scale

Cefn Mawr summary:

O Fragmented area of urban villages and open space with a legacy of industrial land uses

O Densely built hillside village of Cefn Mawr set on a ridge with good views over the Dee valley

O Chemical industries

O Restored farmland to north, and much green space within settlements

O Need for sympathetic regeneration without loss of heritage Key characteristics Visual character: O Countryside to the north is recovering from past industrial exploitation and O Several communities of different though improving visually, vegetation character make up the urban area, is immature and drainage disrupted. including tightly built Cefn Mawr set on a ridge; the 1960s housing estate of Geological character: Plas Madoc, and Acrefair, seen from the Llangollen Rd tourist route O Underlain by sedimentary rocks - Coal Measures of Carboniferous age, O Good views to the south over the Dee mostly covered by glacial till Valley towards the Berwyn foothills O Cefn Mawr is located on a ridge of O Unsightly industrial development yellow sandstone (Cefn Rock), which prominent in views from the south west was quarried for local buildings

O Much 'brownfield' land including old O Artificial landforms form large sandstone quarries, forming extensive proportion of area - restored opencast open space network. mining, spoil heaps, clay pits etc Wrexham Landscape Character Area Guidance Landscape Character Area 7b

Ecological character: Overall management strategy: O Mixed area with much valuable Enhancement, restoration and conservation secondary grassland or scrub woodland on former industrial land Management Guidance O Remnants of semi-natural vegetation Aims Guidelines including lowland pasture and Promote urban O Retain existing woodland and trees within the settlement and broadleaved woodland linked to the small valley of the Tref-y-nant Brook forestry carry out woodland management to increase amenity value O Increase urban and rural tree planting, particularly on O Restored land in the Delph area is derelict and neglected sites of low ecological value improved grassland of low value, but new hedges provide a valuable green Sustainable O Protect and improve existing footpaths and rights of way in network development which urban and rural areas does not depend on O Utilise extensive network of 'brownfield' sites to develop Historical character: the car an accessible green network - enhance green spaces and link with footpath and cycle network O Settlements are mainly of 19th or 20th century origin, linked to exploitation of Preserve local O Preserve local character including built development, area's minerals distinctiveness industrial sites, field systems and small scale road and O Sandstone quarries in Cefn Mawr building pattern provided stone for the Pontcysyllte O Use local building materials including Cefn sandstone and Aqueduct and many other buildings Ruabon red bricks where possible O Follow Conservation Area guidance where applicable O Network of disused industrial railway lines O O The chemical works are situated at the Preserve geological Ensure new development or management practices do not end of a former link to the Llangollen features damage natural topography or geological exposures branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, Assess exposures for scientific or educational interest and which transported materials and protect if of value products to and from the area Enhance and extend O Protect existing wildlife corridors, including aquatic O The former Plas Bennion explosives exisiting habitiats for corridors and hedgerows, and develop new ones factory is a 20th century military site wildlife

Preserve O Preserve surviving industrial structures - including tramway Cultural character: archaeological and railway lines, and assess in context of wider industrial O The area is of great interest for its features landscape industrial heritage, developed through O Evaluate known archaeological sites prior to development, the enterprise of prominent individuals including the many industrial sites

O The commercial centre of Cefn Mawr Encourage local and O Enhance the main tourist route through the area, is presently undergoing regeneration sustainable tourist Llangollen Road through a Townscape Heritage and business the O Promote awareness, understanding and enjoyment of the Initiative, and has recently been initiatives area's heritage designated a Conservation Area O Refer to Green Network Strategy due March 2007 and O There is a significant proportion of implement new links Welsh-speaking inhabitants

Landscape sensitivity Very sensitive - the area is very vulnerable to development which does not take account of the very distinctive settlement patterns, industrial heritage, tourist traffic passing through the area, and prominent location overlooking Dee valley

For further information contact: Planning Environment, Planning Department, Wrexham County Borough 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