Gibraltar Farm, Ham Lane, Hempstead, Gillingham,

Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Volume II

Prepared by: The Environmental Dimension Partnership

On Behalf of: KD, SJ & MC Attwood

July 2014 Report Reference L_EDP1995_04a

For EDP use Report no. L_EDP1995_04a

Author Vanessa Powell 2nd Read Dai Lewis Formatted Sarah Compton Proofed Christina Hinder Proof Date 04 August 2014

1

Gibraltar Farm, Ham Lane, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment L_EDP1995_04a

Contents

Volume I (Bound Separately)

Section 1 Introduction, Purpose and Methodology ...... 1

PART ONE: THE BASELINE POSITION

Section 2 Policy Review and Findings of EDP Data Trawl ...... 9

Section 3 Landscape Character: Baseline Conditions ...... 19

Section 4 Visual Amenity: Baseline Conditions ...... 29

PART TWO: ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT EFFECTS

Section 5 Assessing the Proposed Project ...... 37

Section 6 Anticipated Landscape Character Effects and their Significance ...... 45

Section 7 Anticipated Visual Effects and their Significance ...... 53

PART THREE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Section 8 Summary and Conclusions ...... 63

2

Gibraltar Farm, Ham Lane, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment L_EDP1995_04a

Volume II

Appendices

Appendix EDP 1 Illustrative Masterplan and Parameter Plans

Appendix EDP 2 Glossary of Terms

Appendix EDP 3 LVIA Assessment Methodology

Appendix EDP 4 Relevant Policy Extracts drawn from Local Plan (Adopted May 2003) and the National Planning Policy Framework

Appendix EDP 5 Extract of (March 2008) ‘Green Cluster Studies Capstone – Bredhurst Technical Report’ prepared by Greening the Gateway Kent and Medway

Appendix EDP 6 Extract of ‘The Landscape Assessment of Kent’, (October 2004) prepared for Kent County Council by Jacobs Babtie

Appendix EDP 7 Extract of ‘Medway Landscape Character Assessment’, (March 2011) prepared by Medway Council

Appendix EDP 8 Zone of Theoretical Visibility

Plans

Plan EDP 1 Site Location and Site Boundaries (EDP1995/03c 09 July 2014 VP/TW)

Plan EDP 2 Landscape Relevant Designations and Public Rights of Way (EDP1995/02a 16 July 2014 VP/DM)

Plan EDP 3 Aerial Photograph of the Site, showing the Location of the Settlement Context (EDP1995/09a 28 July 2014 VP/DM)

Plan EDP 4 Topographic Analysis (EDP1995/88a 16 July 2014 VP/DM)

Plan EDP 5 Landscape Character (EDP1995/11a 16 July 2014 VP/DM)

Plan EDP 6 Landscape Change through the 20th Century (EDP1995/12a 15 July 2014 VP/CL)

Plan EDP 7 Views Towards Site (EDP1995/14a 28 July 2014 VP/DM)

3

Gibraltar Farm, Ham Lane, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment L_EDP1995_04a

Plan EDP 8 Selected Viewpoint Locations (EDP1995/10a 16 July 2014 VP/DM)

Plan EDP 9 Findings of Visual Assessment (EDP1995/13a 16 July 2014 VP/DM)

Photosheets

Photosheet EDP 1 Local Landscape Character (EDP1995/15a 28 July 2014 VP/DM)

Photosheet EDP 2 Built Form within the Wider Area (EDP1995/16a 28 July 2014 VP/DM)

Photosheet EDP 3 On-site Landscape Fabric (EDP1995/17a 28 July 2014 VP/DM)

Photoviewpoints

Photoviewpoint EDP 1 View from Kingsway Road looking south-west towards the site (EDP1995/18a 20 May 2014 VP/DM) (EDP1995/19a 20 May 2014 VP/DM)

Photoviewpoint EDP 2 View from south-west boundary looking north-east across the site (EDP1995/20a 20 May 2014 VP/DM) (EDP1995/21a 20 May 2014 VP/DM)

Photoviewpoint EDP 3 View from Gibraltar Farm looking south across the site (EDP1995/22a 20 May 2014 VP/DM) (EDP1995/23a 20 May 2014 VP/DM)

Photoviewpoint EDP 4 View from Public Right of Way RC27 within the site boun