LUC SERVICES Environmental Planning Landscape Design Landscape Management Masterplanning Landscape Planning Ecology Environmental Assessment Rural Futures LUC SERVICESDigital Design CONTENTS Urban Regeneration 1 INTRODUCTION 6 EnvironmentalUrban PlanningDesign Commissioning details .................................................................................................................... 6 Landscape Design Purpose of the assessment ............................................................................................................. 6 Landscape Management Study area ....................................................................................................................................... 6 The purpose of the Solway Coast AONB ...................................................................................... 7 Masterplanning Uses of the landscape and seascape character assessment ............................................................ 8 Approach and methodology Landscape Planning ........................................................................................................... 8 Report structure .............................................................................................................................10 Ecology 2 DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION OF THE LANDSCAPE AND Environmental Assessment SEASCAPE 13 Rural Futures Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 13 Digital Design Physical influences ............................................................................................................. 33 Natural features ............................................................................................................................ 36 Urban Regeneration Flora and fauna .............................................................................................................................. 40 Urban Design Human influences .......................................................................................................................... 43 Early prehistory ............................................................................................................................ 43 Later Prehistory ............................................................................................................................ 43 Rural industry and the landscape .................................................................................................. 48 Features of cultural interest ......................................................................................................... 50 43 Chalton Street 37 Otago Street 3 FUTURE ISSUES AND FORCES FOR CHANGE 55 London NW1 1JD Glasgow G12 8JJ Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 55 Tel: 020 7383 5784 Tel: 0141 334 9595 Natural processes ......................................................................................................................... 55 Fax: 020 7383 4798 Fax: 0141 334 7789 Climate change ............................................................................................................................. 56 [email protected] [email protected] Development pressures ................................................................................................................ 57 Agricultural change ....................................................................................................................... 60 Land management ......................................................................................................................... 61 14 Great George Street 28 Stafford Street Edinburgh EH3 7BD Bristol BS1 5RH 4 LANDSCAPE AND SEASCAPE CLASSIFICATION 65 Tel: 0117 929 1997 Tel: 0131 202 1616 Fax: 0117 929 1998 [email protected] Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 65 The landscape/seascape classification [email protected] ................................................................................. 66 5 SEASCAPE/INTERTIDAL LANDSCAPES 71 Seascape/intertidal landscape character Type A: Inner Firth Intertidal Flats and 43 Chalton Street 37 Otago Street Saltmarsh ....................................................................................................................... 71 London NW1 1JD Glasgow G12 8JJ Seascape/intertidal landscape character Type B: Outer Firth Beaches and Dunes ................... 80 Tel: 020 7383 5784 Tel: 0141 334 9595 6 LOWLAND LANDSCAPES Fax: 020 7383 4798 Fax: 0141 334 7789 88 [email protected] [email protected] Lowland landscape character Type C: River Floodplain and Marshy Grassland ....................... 88 Lowland landscape character Type D: Coastal Mosses ........................................................ 96 Lowland landscape character Type E: Coastal Plain .............................................................10 3 14 Great George Street 28 Stafford Street Edinburgh EH3 7BD Lowland landscape character Type F: Drumlinised Lowland Farmland ................................ 11 4 Bristol BS1 5RH Lowland landscape character Type G: Undulating Coastal Farmland Tel: 0131 202 1616 .....................................12 5 Tel: 0117 929 1997 Lowland landscape character Type H: Coastal Town and Urban Fringe ............................... 133 Fax: 0117 929 1998 [email protected] [email protected] 7 SETTING TO THE AONB AND WIDER LANDSCAPE 141 3 FIGURES APPENDIX 1 : PROJECT BRIEF 144 APPENDIX 2 : INFORMATION SOURCES/REFERENCES 156 APPENDIX 3 : LANDSCAPE CLASSIFICATION HIERARCHY AND FIT Figure 1: Solway Coast AONB and Regional Context WITH OTHER ASSESSMENTS 157 Figure 2: Topography Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 157 Existing assessments......................................................................................................................................... 157 Figure 3: Slope The new AONB assessment ........................................................................................................................... 163 Fit with the previous AONB classification ..................................................................................................... 164 Figure 4: Hydrology Previous and new Solway Coast AONB types .............................................................................................. 164 The new classification of types and areas and relationship with existing LCAs.......................................... 165 Figure 5: Geology APPENDIX 4 : SURVEY SHEET EXAMPLE 166 Figure 6: Soils APPENDIX 5 : WORKSHOP REPORT 174 Figure 7: Land Use Figure 8: Historic Landscape Character Types in Cumbria ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 191 Figure 9: Nature Conservation Designations Figure 10: Landscape Designations Figure 11: Landscape Character Types Figure 12: Landscape Character Areas Figure 13: Zone of Theoretical Visual Influence - indicating the areas visible from the AONB, and those areas it is visible from Figure 14: National Landscape Character Areas Figure 15: Cumbria Landscape Types and Sub-Types iii 4 5 ii Introduction 1 INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Solway Coast AONB 1.10 The purpose and concepts behind AONBs and the Solway Coast AONB in particular are set out in the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Commissioning details Management Plan 2009-2014 (2009). The Solway Coast AONB was 1.2 Land Use Consultants was commissioned to “undertake a landscape and designated in December 1964, in recognition of the quality of its landscape Introduction seascape character assessment for the AONB and its setting, updating and and its significant historic and scientific interest1. improving the existing study.” 1.11 The primary purpose of the AONB designation is to conserve and enhance 1.3 The project was guided by a Project Steering Group, consisting of a number the natural beauty, encompassing the three following aims: of partner organisations including Natural England, the AONB and Cumbria conserve natural beauty; County Council. The lead AONB officer and other AONB officers, as well as volunteers for the AONB contributed to work on the project. recreation will not be an objective of designation but AONBs should be used to meet the demands for recreation as far as this is consistent with Purpose of the assessment the conservation of natural beauty and the needs of agriculture, forestry and other users; and 1.4 The purpose of the study is to “inform the management of the areas and to be available for use by the partners, stakeholders and communities.” The study in pursuing the primary objective of designation, account should be taken provided an important opportunity to update and to widen the scope of the of the need to safeguard agriculture, forestry, other rural industries and of existing landscape character assessment. the economic and social needs of local communities. 1.5 There are a number of factors which led to the need for an updated 1.12 The Solway Coast AONB is one of England‟s smallest AONBs, comprising landscape and seascape character assessment (LSCA) for the area. These two narrow coastal strips stretching along the Cumbrian shore of the Solway included the publishing of the