Landscape Sensitivity Analysis for Wind Energy Development in Bath and North East Somerset Final Report Prepared for Bath and North East Somerset Council by Land Use Consultants December 2010 LUC SERVICES Environmental Planning Landscape Design Landscape Management Masterplanning Landscape Planning Ecology Environmental Assessment Rural Futures Digital Design Urban Regeneration Urban Design 43 Chalton Street 37 Otago Street London NW1 1JD Glasgow G12 8JJ Tel: 020 7383 5784 Tel: 0141 334 9595 Fax: 020 7383 4798 Fax: 0141 334 7789 [email protected] [email protected] 14 Great George Street 28 Stafford Street Bristol BS1 5RH Edinburgh EH3 7BD Tel: 0117 929 1997 Tel: 0131 202 1616 Fax: 0117 929 1998 [email protected] [email protected] CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 APPROACH TO THE ASSESSMENT 1 Development Types Considered..........................................................................................1 Evaluating Landscape Sensitivity............................................................................................2 Landscape Character ......................................................................................................................... 3 Landscape Quality ............................................................................................................................. 3 Assessment Criteria .......................................................................................................................... 3 Undertaking the Landscape Sensitivity Assessment .............................................................................. 4 Presentation of Results........................................................................................................5 Limitations .........................................................................................................................6 3 UNDERSTANDING THE BASELINE LANDSCAPE 7 Landscape Character Baseline..............................................................................................7 Landscape Character Assessment of the Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset ................. 7 Bath City-wide Character Appraisal.................................................................................................... 8 Landscape Quality Baseline..................................................................................................9 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.................................................................................................. 9 Bath World Heritage Site................................................................................................................. 11 The landscape and visual setting of Bath World Heritage Site ............................................................. 12 Registered Parks and Gardens.......................................................................................................... 17 Other Designations...........................................................................................................20 Conservation Areas......................................................................................................................... 20 Scheduled Monuments..................................................................................................................... 28 Locally Important Historic Parks and Gardens................................................................................... 30 Bristol/Bath Greenbelt..................................................................................................................... 34 4 RESULTS OF THE SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS 35 A note on cumulative impacts relating to wind energy development ................................................... 36 Area 1: THRUBWELL FARM PLATEAU .............................................................................39 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 39 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 39 Area 2: CHEW VALLEY....................................................................................................43 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 43 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 43 Area 3: UPPER CHEW AND YEO VALLEYS ......................................................................47 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 47 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 47 Area 4: MENDIP SLOPES ..................................................................................................51 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 51 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 51 Area 5: Dundry Plateau .....................................................................................................55 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 55 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 55 Area 6: Hinton Blewett and Newton St Loe Plateau Lands...................................................59 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 59 i Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 59 Area 7: Hollow Marsh.......................................................................................................63 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 63 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 63 Area 8: Farrington Gurney Farmlands.................................................................................65 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 65 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 65 Area 9: STOCKWOOD VALE ..........................................................................................69 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 69 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 69 Area 10: HICKS GATE......................................................................................................73 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 73 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 73 Area 11: BICKLEY WOOD GORGE..................................................................................77 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 77 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 77 Area 12: CAM and WELLOW BROOK Valleys...................................................................81 Summary of Landscape Character (lifted directly from Rural Landscapes of Bath and North East Somerset: A Landscape Character Assessment, 2003)........................................................................ 81 Summary of Key Designations .......................................................................................................... 81 Area 13: Paulton and Peasedown St John Ridge...................................................................85