Burton Leonard Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment for: Planning Application ref. 19/00068/OUTMAJ Prepared for Burton Leonard Opposition Group. February 2019 R. Mitchell, BA, DipLA , CMLI T/as The Landscape Design Company 1 Newgate, Malton, YO17 7LF P a g e | 1 Assessment in respect of: Planning Application 19/00068/OUTMAJ: Outline application for the erection of 37 dwelling houses with access considered, Flats House, Scarah Lane, Burton Leonard HG3 3RS Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Methodology 3.0 Planning Matters 3.1 Policy 3.2 Application History 3.3 Other Development factors with potential to impact the landscape 4.0 Site Proposal 5.0 Baseline Studies. Site context 5.1 Site Location, boundaries and description 5.2 Topography 5.3 Road and Footpath Links to Burton Leonard 5.4 Historical Landscape and Site Designations 5.5 Wider Landscape Character 5.6 Landscape Quality and Value 6.0 Identification and description of Landscape Effects ( Landscape Changes) 7.0 Landscape Sensitivity 8.0 Significance of landscape effects 9.0 Identification of Visual Effects ( Visual Changes) 9.1 Visual Receptors 9.2 Visual effects within the site 9.3 Visual effects from outside the site, looking towards the site 10.0 Mitigation 11.0 Conclusion 12.0 References Appendices - split for ease of transmission as follows: Appendix A included within written report Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment for 19/00068/OUTMAJ February 2019 R. Mitchell T/As The Landscape Design Company P a g e | 2 Appendix A continued: Zone of Visual Influence and photograph viewpoints HBC Character Area 48 HBC Character Area 49 Appendix B, Aerial photograph and photograph viewpoints A3 Document Appendix C Photographs 1-14 Categorisation tables for definitions of landscape quality, sensitivity, change and significance Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment for 19/00068/OUTMAJ February 2019 R. Mitchell T/As The Landscape Design Company P a g e | 3 1.0 Introduction 1.1 The Landscape Design Company was commissioned in 2019 by Arrowsmith Associates on behalf of Burton Leonard Opposition Group to assess the likely landscape effects of 19/00068/OUTMAJ: Outline application for the erection of 37 dwelling houses with access considered, Flats House, Scarah Lane, Burton Leonard HG3 3RS (PDA). 1.2 Previous LVIAs have been prepared by The Landscape Design Company,(LDC) and submitted to Harrogate Borough Council , for adjacent sites 16/01869/FUL (for the purposes of this report called Phase1) and 17/01006/OUTMAJ. These were on behalf of Burton Leonard Parish Council and Resident Group. Both these reports include impact assessments and cite the potential for cumulative effects should an application be submitted for the PDA site at a later date. Permission been obtained to utilise material taken from these reports. 2.0 Methodology In order to carry out the landscape appraisal of the proposals, The Landscape Design Company has carried out a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA). This is based on: specific techniques and good practice guidance on landscape and visual appraisal and the latest guidance on landscape character assessments, contained in Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Third Edition. As a standalone ‘appraisal’ the process is defined in the guidelines as being informal but still applies the following approach: Specifying the nature of the proposed change or development Describing the existing landscape/townscape and the views and visual amenity in the area that may be affected Predicting the significance of effects. 2.1 The approach taken is proportional to the scale of the project with some areas being briefly covered, which on a larger project would be covered in detail. The report identifies and describes the main effects that are likely to occur and whether they are adverse or beneficial. Both moderate and major categories being considered as comprising significant effects. 2.2 The site was first visited 19th April 2017. Weather was dry and overcast. The majority of hedgerow species were partially or fully in leaf. The majority of trees were starting to come into leaf. Where appropriate, judgements about likely seasonal landscape and visual effects have been made based on professional experience. Additional visits were carried out July 2018 (Appeal hearing for 16/01869/FUL) and again in December 2018 for a revised submission for 17/01006/OUTMAJ. As part of this visit, a photographic record of hedgerows surrounding both field sites was undertaken and any changes which may influence the proposals noted. Given the time scale of this previous visit and continued updates from residents, a further visit in February was agreed as not being required at this stage. 2.3 The Applicant has not submitted a LVIA for this site, so for the purposes of this assessment the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment for 19/00068/OUTMAJ February 2019 R. Mitchell T/As The Landscape Design Company P a g e | 4 extents of the study area have been based on the previous LVIAs as noted above. At a distance of some 1.25km, south east from the centre of the site, undulating topography and vegetation cover restricted further views. Whilst there may be other views outside this study area, they are likely to be limited or only seen as a small element in a wider panorama. 2.4 Mapping site visibility was done using the manual approach, to produce a map indicating the Zone of Visual Influence (ZVI). See Appendix A. Within the extent of the ZVI, it would not be practical to illustrate the visual impact on every individual receptor affected by the scheme. Therefore representative viewpoints are used to access the impacts on the different range of views towards the site. These are shown on the ZVI plan and aerial photograph in Appendix A and B. 2.5 Unless otherwise indicated, photographs were taken with an Olympus E-M10 Mark II four thirds camera with a focal length set at 25mm which equates to 50mm using 35mm film. This is similar to a normal human field of view, although this field of view is extended where separate images are joined together as a panorama. Unless stated all photographs were taken in April 2017. 2.6 The following are terms used in the appraisal and are taken from the above Guidelines unless stated. Project description: siting, layout and other characteristics and components of the development on which the landscape and visual assessment will be based. Landscape Effects: effects on the landscape as a resource in its own right Visual Effects: effects on views and visual amenity as experienced by people Visual receptors: individuals and /or defined groups of people who have the potential to be affected by a proposal. Impact: the action being taken Effect: the change resulting from the action being taken Short term: up to 5 years, long term: 15 years plus. ( Timescales are not from guidelines ) 3.0 Planning Matters 3.1 Policy 3.1.1 Relevant Planning Policy and application history are dealt with fully in Arrowsmith Associates Ltd planning Statement. 3.1.2 Those Policies within the Harrogate District Core Strategy that are considered relevant to landscape Quality include: Policy SG4 ‘Settlement Growth Design and Impact’ which advises, that the visual, residential and general amenity of the area should be protected and where possible enhanced. It further considers that development with a significant adverse effect on visual amenity will be resisted. Saved Policy HD20, which sets out design principles that are to be met by the new development. These include making a positive contribution to an areas spatial quality, respecting local distinctiveness and respecting privacy and amenity of nearby residents 3.1.3 The site forms part of a larger area BL1, which was considered by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) in the Natural and Built heritage Assessments carried out in October 2016 and assessed as follows: Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment for 19/00068/OUTMAJ February 2019 R. Mitchell T/As The Landscape Design Company P a g e | 5 Sensitivity Rating: High/medium – key distinctive characteristics are vulnerable to change; typically a high to medium valued landscape where landscape conditions is (sic) good where detracting features or major infrastructure is not present or where present has limited influence on the landscape. Orange Capacity Rating: Low – the area has very limited or no capacity to accommodate the type and scale of the development proposed and there are few if any opportunities for appropriate mitigation. Red Summary conclusion Site is of high sensitivity with some existing reference to the type of development being proposed. However the site is a major extension into the open landscape which is visually exposed and would impact on the setting of the village. The development would significantly extend the development footprint of the village to the south. Appropriate layout and mitigation measures would be difficult to achieve any meaningful reductions in landscape and visual effects. 3.1.4. BL1 was not included in the submission version of the Local Plan, for which the Examination Inspector is currently writing his report. It is outside current and proposed development limits. 3.2 Application History 3.2.1 This part of the field group, identified as BL1, was originally shown for housing development as Phase 2 (outline Application) within Application 16/01869/FULMAJ drawing ref SK15F, submitted on behalf of Loxley Homes. This plan shows the two phases of development with 40 units in phase1 and 37 in Phase 2. Phase 2 was later removed from Application 16/01869/FULMAJ and submitted as 16/01918/OUTMAJ but withdrawn in discussion with HBC. Housing density for Phase1 was subsequently reduced to 31 and the landscape buffer/ dog walking path, which borders Phase 2 retained, (reading very much as advance landscaping for a subsequent phase) but intended to provide a ‘bio security’ zone to protect the nearby SSSI from the effects of increased animal waste.