SKYERS FARM EWHURST ROAD RAMSDELL HAMPSHIRE RG26 5RF LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT DRAFT Prepared by: ACLA Ltd For: Skyers Farm Development Ltd. Ref: ACLA/BDW Date: 7th August 2015 Landscape Architects & Designers 9 Hungerford Rd, East Grafton, Marlborough. SN8 3DG T: 01672 810516. E:[email protected] W:acla-ltd.com Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT CONTENTS: Page No: 1. INTRODUCTION 3. 2. BASELINE CONDITIONS 4. 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSALS 9. 4. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 10. 5. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER 18. 6. VISUAL AMENITY 34. 7. EFFECTS ON LANDSCAPE FEATURES 42. 8. MITIGATION STRATEGY 43. 9. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 48. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Plans 01-06 ACLA/BDW 01 Site Location ACLA/BDW 02 Site Context & Viewpoints ACLA/BDW 03 Planning Context ACLA/BDW 04 Landscape Character Areas ACLA/BDW 05 Visual Analysis ACLA/BDW 06 Proposed Layout & Mitigation APPENDIX 2 Photo Viewpoints 1-15 APPENDIX 3 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment Methodology Ref ACLA/BDW August 2015 Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 ACLA Ltd has been instructed by Skyers Farm Development Ltd to prepare an updated Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) report relating to a planning application for a new arrangement of buildings on the site at Skyers Farm near Ramsdell, Hampshire. A previous LVIA was prepared by ACLA Ltd to support a planning application for the demolition of the existing modern buildings on the site and the erection of a replacement dwelling together with a new pool house, ancillary buildings, parking, landscaping and conversion of the listed barn. The scheme was approved by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in October 2014 (planning reference 14/020996/FUL). 1.2 The application site is located in open countryside at approximately 200m to the west of the village boundary of Ramsdell and is accessed from Ewhurst Road (Lloyds Lane), which is located at approximately 100m to the north of the main application area. The Ordnance Survey grid reference for the site is SU58607 57154 and it covers an area of approximately 1.4 hectares (ha). 1.3 Ramsdell is a small traditional village set in a predominantly rural landscape. The village of Charter Alley is located at 500m to the east. The closest town is Tadley, at 4.0km to the north and the large town of Basingstoke is located at 5.5km to the south-east. Other nearby settlements include; Monk Sherborne (at 2km to the south- east), Wootton St Lawrence (at 4km to the south) and West Heath (at 1.2km to the north). The area is administered by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. 1.4 The purpose of this report is to assess the baseline qualities and value of the existing landscape resource and the visual amenity of the site and its surrounding area; to describe the outline development proposals in their landscape context and to predict the landscape and visual effects (impacts) that may arise from the proposed development. The report also may consider appropriate mitigation strategies for the site in order to reduce or minimise any effects caused by the development and to put forward initiatives for landscape and visual enhancement. 1.5 Landscape impact assessment aims to determine the likely changes in the physical landscape resulting from a given development and to evaluate the significance of these changes in relation to their effects upon both the quality and character of the landscape. Visual impact assessment predicts the appearance of these physical changes within the landscape and their effects upon specific viewpoints or visual Ref ACLA/BDW August 2015 Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT receptors, such as the occupants of residential properties and the users of roads, public rights of way or other public open spaces. 1.6 In order to seek consensus and to minimise subjectivity in the assessment of the existing landscape, wherever possible this report makes reference to published landscape character assessments and other authoritative publications. 1.7 The landscape and visual assessment has been undertaken in accordance with the ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment’ (Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, 3rd Edition 2013). For a full description of the assessment methodology refer to Appendix 1 at the end of this report. 1.8 This report has been prepared as a stand along appraisal to support the planning application. The Council has not been consulted on the location of key viewpoints and the cumulative impacts of other similar proposals in the area have not been assessed. A comparison with the approved scheme will not be discussed in this report. Ref ACLA/BDW August 2015 Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 2. BASELINE CONDITIONS Description of the Existing Site 2.1 The application site covers an area of approximately 1.4 ha and currently contains the following elements; Skyers Farmhouse is a 1970s red brick dwelling in the western sections of the site. The garden area to the farmhouse covers the far western sections of the site over an area of approximately 0.39 ha. A Grade II Listed timber framed and timber clad barn near the northern site boundary and site access. An open fronted timber cart shed adjoins the eastern gable end of the barn. A farmyard with four modern larger scale steel clad and open fronted barns and ancillary agricultural buildings and associated infrastructure in the eastern sections of the application area. The barns are finished in grey with corrugated grey roofs and set within concrete and gravel hardstanding. 2.2 The farmhouse is currently tenanted and the modern agricultural barns and buildings in the eastern sections of the application site do not appear to be in use. 2.3 Significant vegetation is mainly located in the western sections of the site and along the site access leading to Lloyds Lane. A more substantial group of ash and yew trees are located on the southern central boundary to the south-east of the farmhouse garden. The farmhouse gardens in the far west of the site are laid to lawn. The property is accessed from a track running through the farmyard to the south of the listed timber barn. Three mature oak trees are located on the south-western site boundary. There are low-level views into the site below the canopies of the trees. 2.4 Groups of native, none-native and evergreen trees and shrubs are located on the western and north-western site boundary. The vegetation provides a moderate level of screening to the farmhouse from local views. Other sections of the western boundary are relatively open allowing localised views into the site towards the farmhouse and the listed timber barn. A screen belt of mature evergreen trees is located between the farmhouse and areas to the south of the listed barn. A small domestic orchard is also located to the south of the barn. Ref ACLA/BDW August 2015 Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 2.5 There is no substantial vegetation in the eastern sections of the site allowing open views towards the modern agricultural buildings and barns at close distance. Elsewhere the site boundaries are generally demarcated by stock fencing. The vehicular access from Ewhurst Road has a row of mature willow trees on its eastern boundary. There are no tree preservation orders on or adjacent to the site. 2.6 Open fields with intact hedgerows are located to the south, west and east of the site. Ewhurst road is located at approximately 100m to the north of the site and bounded by mature and well-maintained native hedgerows with occasional trees. 2.7 The application site and surrounding area is located within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The eastern boundary of the AONB is located on the western boundary of Ramsdell, at approximately 200m to the east of the site. The Study Area 2.8 The initial area of search for the LVIA was determined by drawing a circle offset by 5km from the proposed development. The extent was set to enable a general understanding of the wider landscape context within which the site is located, while limiting information to that which is most relevant and avoiding excessive analysis. As such it conforms to best-practice guidance. 2.9 These findings were assessed through field observations on the 21st of May 2014. The weather was clear with bright sunshine and the visibility was good. 2.10 The containment by woodlands and tree belts to the north & east and ridgelines to the west & south resulted on the potential ‘Zone of Visual Influence’ considerably reduced to approximately 500m to the north, 300m to the east and up to 2km to the south and west. 2.11 At close distance, lower level views are often screened by intervening woodland blocks, together with hedgerows and vegetation associated with the western boundary of Ramsdell. May’s Copse and Skyer’s Wood are significant blocks of woodland creating visual barrier from may potential viewpoints from publicly accessible locations within the southern sections of the study area. Lloyd’s Copse, Boathouse Copse and Park Copse are significant woodland blocks screening close distance views from the north and north-west. Ref ACLA/BDW August 2015 Skyers Farm, Ramsdell, Hampshire LANDSCAPE & VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Description of the Surrounding Area 2.12 The predominant characteristic of the study area is a tranquil semi-rural landscape with narrow county lanes and scattered settlements and rural villages. 2.13 There is a distinct change in character between the northern sections and the southern sections of the study area.