Natural and Historical Environment Introduction Landscape, geology and setting Arnesby is a hilltop village at the northern edge of the ridge that is central England’s main watershed, between the Soar/Trent, the Welland and the Avon. This position gives the parish an elevated aspect, with extensive northward vistas across the Midland to Charnwood Forest, and more intimate views into the rolling country of south Leicestershire in other directions. Geologically, the whole Plan Area is underlain by Jurassic clay and siltstone, but this is only Topographical map of Arnesby revealed in the valley bottoms where streams have cut through the thick covering of glacial till, a mixture of heavy clay, sand and gravel. Outcrops of sand and gravel within the glacial clay determined the original (Anglo-Saxon) locations of settlements in the area because of the associated combination of freshwater Topographical map of Arnesby springs and dry ground for building sites. Generally, soils in the Plan Area are heavy and fairly fertile; in the 18th century this part of the country was renowned for its ’champion’ grazing land, although much has been converted to arable since the mid-20th century. Geological map of Arnesby. The whole parish is mapped at Grade 3 in the Brown - Jurassic clay; blue - glacial till, national agricultural land classification scheme; cream – alluvium. Source: British Geological Survey detailed post-1988 mapping is not available to distinguish 3a (which is the lowest of ‘best and most versatile’ classes) from 3b, which is not specially protected under National Planning regulations. The parish is located in National Character Area NCA 94 Leicestershire Vales, as defined by Natural England for planning purposes. Key characteristics of the NCA, which accurately also describe Arnesby, include: Open landscape of gentle clay ridges … with an extensive cover of superficial [Quaternary] deposits giving rise to moderately steep scarp slopes. A mixture of pasture and arable. … Woodland [is] largely … spinneys and copses. Diverse levels of tranquillity associated with contrasts between busy urban areas and … deeply rural parts. Local people value the ‘deeply rural’ character of Arnesby, regarding it as particularly precious because of the proximity of Leicester, which can be seen, 12 kms away, from the top end of the village. The main part of the settlement is secluded and hidden, with houses clustering along tiny steep-sided valleys and around a series of greens. Historic environment 150 words, to follow – precis from Kelly & Dilks? Natural environment 150 words, to follow (JM) Existing environmental designations There are 10 Listed Buildings, of which one appears no longer to exist, three other historic features with visible expression in the landscape, and two areas of Priority Habitat (as defined by Natural England). No recent Phase I Habitat Survey has been conducted, so local records and fieldwork have provided the remaining biodiversity evidence base for site selection. Environmental inventory An environmental inventory (Appendix X) of Arnesby was carried out between February and June 2017. The work comprised two elements: Review of all existing designations and available information, and Fieldwork to identify sites and features of natural and historical environment significance in the context of the Plan Area. The review compiled information from many sources, including: DEFRA Natural England Historic England Leicestershire & Rutland Historic Environment Records Leicestershire & Rutland Environmental Record Centre records (biodiversity and geology) Environment Agency British Geological Survey Old maps (Ordnance Survey, manuscript) British History Online Local history and archaeology publications Local knowledge Fieldwork reviewed all open and currently undeveloped land in the Plan Area, and significant species, habitats, landscape characteristics, earthworks and other extant features were checked. These data, along with all relevant site-specific information from the existing information review, were mapped and tabulated, and each site was scored and evaluated using the nine criteria for Local Green Space selection in the National Planning Policy Framework 2012: Fig. X. Environmental inventory scoring system used in preparing the Plan Criterion (NPPF 2012) Score range Notes e.g. private, no access (0) – visible from public ACCESSIBILITY 0 1-3 4 place – accessed via PRoW – fully open to the public (4) Distant (0) --- fairly near to --- adjoins (3) or is PROXIMITY / LOCAL 0 1-3 4 within (4) settlement Individual parcel of land (not an undefined or BOUNDED 0 1-3 4 large area) Opinion of local people e.g. via questionnaire or SPECIAL TO COMMUNITY 0 1-3 4 at consultation events Actual or potential, informal sports, dog-walking, RECREATIONAL / 0 1-3 4 Forest School use, informal or official open EDUCATIONAL USE space, etc. Subjective, relative (give justification); use BEAUTY (including views) 0 1 2 consultation map results TRANQUILITY 0 1 2 Subjective, relative (give justification) Extant, visible evidence. Number of HISTORICAL 0 1-3 4 periods/features/records etc. / Relevant existing SIGNIFICANCE designations (Historic Environment Records) Richness of species and habitats (Priority (BAP) WILDLIFE SIGNIFICANCE, spp. / Priority habitats) / relevant existing 0 1-3 4 GEOLOGY designations (Habitat Survey, Local Wildlife Sites / site of geological/industrial history significance [Maximum possible score] 32 Environmental protections In the National Planning Policy Framework, the natural and historical environment is acknowledged to be an essential component of sustainable development; as such it carries equal weight in a balance against social and economic growth, including new development. This section identifies land and features of environmental significance in Medbourne. It includes policies to protect the best from loss or damage by allocating them to categories, as follows, based on their type, importance, function (as community assets, for example) and intrinsic value. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS PROVIDED BY THE PLAN Weight Selection Protection Notes Local Green Statutory NPPF criteria Full protection of No other Space (LGS) (see below) the site and its obligations or applied locally. features ‘other burdens on than in landowner. Highest exceptional environmental No new public circumstances’ importance in the rights (e.g. Plan Area access) are conferred Policy ENV x Statutory Listed Statutory English Demolition, Already protected Building legislation extension, – no Policy alteration require needed in the National ‘special Plan significance permission’ from Age, rarity, HDC. aesthetic merit, The ‘setting’ of best of type the feature will also be considered if affected by development nearby Other site of Non-statutory, National, county The sites, No new public environmental but in compliance and district significant rights (e.g. significance with English and designations historical access) are EU regulations / (existing) for features, habitats conferred directives biodiversity and and species Policy ENV x /or history should be taken into account if Sites not eligible development or for LGS change of use is designation but planned; with presumption demonstrable against harm or high destruction environmental significance in the Plan Area Important Open Non-statutory NPPF and HDC Presumption Includes all sites Space criteria and against identified by HDC guidance redevelopment or as OSSR, and (‘Open Space, loss of value additional sites Sport & ‘all open space of identified in the Recreation’ sites, public value’ in 9 May also be Plan’s OSSR) categories (HDC) protected by environmental public ownership Sites not eligible inventory or covenant for LGS No other designation but obligations or with burdens on demonstrable landowner high community value in the Plan No new public Area. (Some rights (e.g. LGS may also be access) are Weight Selection Protection Notes OSSR) conferred Policy ENV x Wildlife corridor Non-statutory NPPF paragraph Should be taken No other 117, etc., and into account if obligations or conservation development or burdens on good practice. change of use is landowner planned; Broadly linear No new public presumption features rights (e.g. against harm or identified in the access) are destruction environmental conferred inventory for their Policy ENVx4 biodiversity value and for providing connectivity between habitats and species in the Plan Area ‘Local List’ Non-statutory NPPF paragraph Notification as Less proscriptive 126 et seq., 135. non-designated than statutory heritage assets. Listing. Identified in the Advisory on environmental No other owners, inventory and obligations or community and through burdens on HDC community landowner if the consultation building is in a Conservation Area. Otherwise both the structure and its ‘setting’ will be taken into account in Planning Applications Policy ENV x Ridge and Non-statutory NPPF paragraph Notification as No other furrow 135. non-designated obligations or heritage assets. burdens on Historic England Advisory on landowner, encourages landowners, although sites LPAs and farmers, receiving DEFRA Neighbourhood community and subsidy as ridge Plans to treat HDC and furrow will be sites with ridge protected for the and furrow as lifetime of the non-designated agreement. heritage assets No new public rights (e.g. access) are conferred Policy ENV x View Non-statutory Identified in Recognition, and Policy ENV x inventory, notification to through HDC