CORNWALL AND LANDSCAPE CHARACTER STUDY

Landscape Character Area Description

LCA - Plateau LCA No CA36

JCA

Constituent LDUs Total 1: 317

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. County Council 100019590, 2008.

Location Plateau between and the North coast. Designations Partly within AONB and Heritage Coast; no WHS; there is an SSSI and SMs.

Description Elevated and undulating slate, shale and limestone plateau with sweeping skylines forming a backcloth to the coast. The character of the vegetation is influenced by coastal winds and there are few trees. The area is predominantly a pastoral landscape of improved grassland at a medium to large scale from enclosed former rough ground and heath with some arable. There are Cornish hedges with local stone, turf banks and hedgerows with beech. Settlement is generally thinly scattered with some clusters. The A39 and A379 bring movement to the landscape and the junction forms a focus for some large scale development. Two windfarms also form a focus for open views in the area which displays the characteristics of development pressure. Key Landscape Characteristics Elevated, gently undulating plateau underlain by slates, shales and limestone forming backcloth to the coast. Exposed and open landscape strongly influenced by coastal winds, restricting tree growth and making hedgerow trees adopt sculptured forms. Cornish hedges with local stone, turf banks and beech hedges. Pastoral landscape including predominantly improved grassland and limited arable with small areas of "Culm grassland" (wetland on the Culm measures with Purple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture and Fens) Areas of Lowland Heathland in the east part of the area. Settlement thinly dispersed with exception of some small clusters and larger linear settlements of Camelford and Delabole to the south. Proliferation of vertical elements in places including windfarms, pylons and masts. Concentration of commercial development on A39.

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Landscape Character Area Description

Geology and soils The underlying geology is upper Devonian slates with a north west, south east trending band of lower Carboniferous slates with thin limestone and shales. The soils are shallow and impeded in some places. Topography and drainage The area is an elevated plateau which has been incised over time to form a broad topped undulating ridge falling from its highest point at Down at over 300m AOD to around 175m AOD at its westernmost point and 139m AOD near the coast to the north. Both sides of the ridge are incised by short tributary streams running into the adjacent valleys of the , Allen, Inny and Valency. Biodiversity Improved grassland and pasture forms the main landcover, much from former rough ground and heath, with some arable.The network of Cornish hedges form ecological corridors between the fields, with Beech a distinctive hedgerow species used in this LCA. The high plateau drains into the Camel and Tamar river catchments, as well as the smaller coastal streams. Small areas of Fen and Purple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture form part of valley wetlands and along streams in the upper reaches of the tributaries. Some of the wetland vegetation is known locally and broadly as ‘Culm grassland’ and areas of it in LCA 36 link to other similar vegetation in LCA 31, in the upper Ottery catchment, some of which is within SSSI. Along the ridge eastwards towards in the eastern part of the LCA, some areas of Lowland Heathland are found, now much fragmented, with other areas of scrub, bracken and neutral grassland, which are also found in small pockets throughout the LCA. An area of coniferous plantation at Wilsey Down is on old heath.

Land Cover Large areas of former rough ground and heath are now enclosed and used for agriculture, mostly as improved grassland and pasture. Small areas of Lowland Heathland are found in the east part of the LCA, and any other areas of semi-natural habitats such as scrub and bracken are small, usually along streams and fragmented. There are few trees, though many present are mature, except for areas that have been taken in for conifer plantations. Land Use Medieval enclosure forms just over half the field pattern. The land use is dominated by improved grassland and pasture with one significant coniferous plantation at Wilsey Down. There are isolated pockets of industrial use and two windfarms at Delabole and taking advantage of the open and exposed nature of the area. A deep slate quarry lies south of Delabole. Field and woodland pattern There are substantial areas of Anciently Enclosed Land which are characterised by long and relatively narrow fields with sinuous boundaries fossilising parcels of medieval stripfields. On higher ground, the undulating landform is emphasised by the larger-scale rectilinear fields of Recently Enclosed Land, mainly of improved pasture and with a general lack of tree cover. Large tracts of the former rough ground and heath in this area have been enclosed in this fashion, either in post-medieval times or in the twentieth century, although some areas of rough grassland persists within the pattern of field boundaries. The hedges are generally of broad earth-bank construction, with stone facing, usually of slate and quartz, well- grown with turf and with occasional wind-pruned hawthorn, blackthorn or gorse. Some hedge banks are turf and soil only, and many are derelict or deteriorating through lack of appropriate maintenance. On the highest land skirting the ridgetop routes of the A39 north coast road, and the A395 to Launceston, the hedges are topped with planted beech hedges exhibiting extreme shaping through wind-pruning. The only

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Landscape Character Area Description significant tree cover is the coniferous plantation on the former Wilsey Down. Settlement pattern The linear settlement of Delabole lies on the lower ridges to the south west and was developed to service the adjacent quarry. Other settlements are smaller as at , a medieval churchtown, and , a medieval manorial centre developed in the later twentieth century. Small post-medieval roadside and junction hamlets at and have enlarged during the twentieth century, the latter partly around the agricultural market. A few scattered farmsteads, generally avoiding the highest land, together with a scattering of cottages and houses, occupy the higher land to the north. A modern milk and cheese factory and various radio masts along the ridge line form prominent landmarks. Just off the highest land, to the north, two lines of electricity pylons cross the landscape are seen in silhouette from the lower coastal areas. Transport pattern The A39 together with the B3314 traverses the area and the A395 runs east to Launceston. Their junction forms the focus for industrial and other development which is visible over a wide area. Other B roads run along the ridge tops and are linked to the surrounding valleys by minor roads. The broad verges with a variety of lush wild grasses and wildflowers are also characteristic of this area providing a softening element in this exposed, open landscape. The dismantled Railway forms a scrubby linear feature. Historic features Groups of Bronze Age barrows crown the high ground followed by the A39 at Starapark, on the south side of Hendraburnick Downs, Tichbarrow and Otterham Downs, and the ridge overlooking the coastal slope at Tresparrett Downs and Condolden Beacon, and form significant features in the landscape. Bury to the far east of the area is an atmospheric and commanding Iron Age hillfort with wide views to the east; there are other substantial later prehistoric enclosures to the south west at Tregear Rounds, Newberry and Castlegoff. Outside Delabole is a large post-medieval slate quarry. The former London South Western Railway line from Launceston to Camelford, which did much to open the North Cornwall coast to tourism but is now disused, runs through the LCA.

Condition Parts of the area have limited management input with fragmented ecological corridors. Recent development erodes the landscape integrity of the area. Pressures Commercial development pressure along A39. Possible further windfarms. Proliferation of other vertical elements such as masts. Caravan sites to north west. Further drainage and removal of hedges. Coniferous plantations. Aesthetic and sensory This is a large scale, open and exposed landscape with a coarse grain. The large-scale fields provide little detail and therefore the broader landscape components of the sky and general topography, with the ever- changing weather conditions, make a significant impression. The large scale elements of the windfarms, dairy factory and forestry tend to become the focus of views and create an unsettled feeling of a slightly degraded landscape. The busy roads create movement and disturb the visual and sensory tranquillity of the area in parts.

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Landscape Character Area Description

Distinctive features Small to medium sized field pattern with Cornish hedges using local stone; wind turbines Barrows and tumuli; sculpted beech hedging.

Visions and objectives The sweeping landform and wide sky means any vertical object like pylons and tall buildings will create a strong visual intrusion. The objective should be to consider the capacity of this exposed landscape for development and try to conserve and enhance the open tranquil landscape character. Planning and Land Management Guidelines Provide design guidelines for development in the area, especially commercial development. Maintain and enhance the Cornish hedges and hedgerows retaining the use of beech as part of the landscape character of this area. Consider restoration of Lowland Heathland at Wilsey Down conifer plantation. Manage wide road verges to maintain the existing biodiversity. Consider a strategy for conserving the archaeological remains especially the earthworks and barrows.

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