Ý¿³¾®·¼¹» Ù®»»² Þ»´¬ λª·»© Ù®±•ª»²±® Û•¬¿¬»• Ì»®»²½» юα«®µ» Ô¬¼ ½®»¿¬·²¹ •«½½»••º«´ »²ª·®±²³»²¬• Trumpington Green Belt Appraisal -Final Contents TRUMPINGTON GREEN BELT APPRAISAL 3 Introduction 3 Methodology 3 SECTION ONE: BASELINE 5 Legislation and policy 5 National 5 NPPF – Green belts 5 Regional 6 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan, adopted October 2003 6 East of England Plan, adopted May 2008 6 East of England Plan, draft revision March 2010 7 Local 7 Cambridgeshire Local Plan, adopted July 2006 (saved policies) 7 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Core Strategy, adopted January 2007 8 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework – Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan (AAP) adopted February 2008 8 Landscape resource 10 Topography 10 Access 10 Vegetation 11 Land use 12 Settlement and built form 12 Landscape character 13 Previous landscape assessments 13 Green belt studies and landscape character 14 Landscape character of the site and its setting 15 Landscape character of the site 17 Landscape value of the area of search 18 Site visibility 18 Zone of visual influence 18 Local zone 19 Intermediate zone 22 Distant zone 25 SECTION TWO: GREEN BELT ANALYSIS 28 Conclusions of previous green belt studies 28 Effect of future development on landscape and visual resources 30 Effect of development on character areas and viewpoints surrounding the area of search 30 Landscape character area 3C - Newton Chalk Hills representative viewpoint 12 – St Margaret’s Mount 30 Terence O’Rourke Ltd 1 of 43 July 2012 Trumpington Green Belt Appraisal -Final Landscape character area 3D – Wimpole Ridge Chalk Hills and representative viewpoint 13 – Chapel Hill 31 Landscape character area 4B – Granta Valley and representative viewpoint 8 – Westfield Road 31 Landscape character area 5A – Western Claylands and representative viewpoint 14 – North Barton & 15 – Coton Countryside Reserve 32 Effect of development on the character areas of the site and area of search 32 Landscape character area 4C – Rhee and Bourn Valley 32 Landscape character area 4Ai – Trumpington River Corridor 33 Potential effect on the green belt from intermediate viewpoints 34 Potential effects on the green belt on local viewpoints 34 Local viewpoints 1 & 2 34 Local viewpoint 3 – New site access off the Hauxton Road 35 Local viewpoint 4 – Hauxton Road and 35 Local viewpoint 5 – From M11 over bridge 36 Summary of the green belt appraisal 36 SECTION THREE: CONCLUSIONS 39 Qualities and special character to be retained 42 Future objectives 42 Figures Figure 01 Landscape designations Figure 02 Topography Figure 03 Public rights of way Figure 04 Landscape character areas Figure 05 Local landscape character areas Figure 06 Visual envelope Figure 07 Zone of visual influence (ZVI) Figure 08 Representative viewpoint locations – Local Figure 09 Viewpoint 1 Figure 10 Viewpoint 2 Figure 11 Viewpoint 3 Figure 12 Viewpoint 4 Figure 13 Viewpoint 5 Figure 14 Viewpoint 6 Figure 15 Representative viewpoint locations – Intermediate and distant Figure 16 Viewpoints 7 & 8 Figure 17 Viewpoints 9 & 10 Figure 18 Viewpoints 11 & 12 Figure 19 Viewpoints 13 & 14 Figure 20 Viewpoints 15 Terence O’Rourke Ltd 2 of 43 July 2012 Trumpington Green Belt Appraisal -Final TRUMPINGTON GREEN BELT APPRAISAL Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this report is to consider the extent to which the site at Trumpington Meadows contributes to the identified purposes and objectives of the Cambridge green belt, as redefined by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 and incorporated into the Cambridge City Local Plan 2006 and the South Cambridgeshire Core Strategy 2007. These purposes and objectives are: To preserve the unique character of Cambridge as a compact, dynamic city with a thriving historic core To maintain and enhance the quality of its setting To prevent communities in the environs of Cambridge from merging into one another and with the city 1.2 Having cognisance of the above, this report also considers whether areas of the site could be developed without significant detriment to those purposes. Methodology 1.3 The methodology used is based on the Cambridge Green Belt Study, 2002 (commissioned by South Cambridgeshire District Council). The area of search (defined on figure 1) refers to the zone of potential new development within the green belt considered as part of the appraisal. The term site when used (also shown on figure 1) refers to the wider Trumpington Meadows scheme north of the M11. 1.4 This comprises an evaluation of the site against these purposes and objectives and of its capacity to accept change and an assessment of the potential effects on the landscape resources of the site and the potential effects of development on the character of Cambridge and its setting. 1.5 It is important to note that while green belts often contain areas of attractive landscape, the quality of the landscape is not relevant to the inclusion of land or its continued protection. 1.6 The methodology involves three sections. Section one provides baseline studies that set out factual baseline data and includes topography, landscape and cultural policy designations and an overall assessment of the landscape character. 1.7 Section two is the analysis of the purposes and objectives of the Cambridge green belt as set out above. The assessment of the character of the site and the surrounding area is based on the character areas as defined in the Cambridge Green Belt Study, 2002. 1.8 The third section identifies those qualities of the setting and special character that need to be safeguarded and what areas, if any, that do not meet the purposes and objectives of the green belt and therefore could accept change, Terence O’Rourke Ltd 3 of 43 July 2012 Trumpington Green Belt Appraisal -Final or could accommodate development without significant detriment to the purposes of the green belt. 1.9 In order to assist with this evaluation process and gain an understanding of what areas of the surrounding landscape/townscape, including the site area, will be affected by any further development at Tumpington Meadows, GIS technology and Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Landform Profile digital information were used to create a digital terrain model of the landscape within the study area. This was defined as 5 km from the centre of the site. The site was defined as the area to the north of the M11 as indicated on figure 01. This took into account both the existing vegetation set at 12m and broad areas of existing settlement at a height of 8 m (based upon 2 storey). The height of the approved development set at 14.5m above ground level was used to indicate the ‘worst-case’ scenario. Using this initial data a visual envelope was prepared indicating areas within the surrounding study area from which the consented development and the remaining undeveloped site can be seen as viewed at 1.8m above ground level. 1.10 In order to compare any changes in the extent of visibility that future development will create in the study area the height of the proposed development set between 11 and 14.5m was added to this model in order to provide a zone of visual influence (ZVI) of the development within the study area. 1.11 It should be noted that all woodland blocks within the model where given an average height of 12m above ground level and all broad areas of existing settlement a height of 8m above ground level. This model does not however, take account of individual trees, tree belts, copses, hedgerows, isolated built development, agricultural buildings or isolated landforms/structure such as motorway and railway embankments, cuttings, ditches and bridges, etc. 1.12 Using the ZVI the site and surrounding area was visited over a number days during the winter to obtain familiarity with the landscape and prepare a photographic record from viewpoints generally confined to the highway network and public rights of way at locations that have an inter-visual relationship with the area of search. 1.13 As a starting point the viewpoint locations were based on the 2006 landscape and visual chapter of the Tumpington Meadows environmental statement. Following site visits and using the ZVI a number of these views have been discarded, as they afforded no view of the area of search from their particular locations. New viewpoint locations have been added and include land within the site boundary and the country park south of the M11 that will become open to the public in the future. 1.14 All photographs unless otherwise indicated were taken with a 50 mm lens by employees of Terence O’Rourke Ltd. from areas of public access. These photographs have been included as they were processed without any modifications or enhancement using computer imagery. GPS reference points for all viewpoint locations have been included. All Ordnance Survey plan maps have been reproduced under licence held by Terence O’Rourke Ltd. Terence O’Rourke Ltd 4 of 43 July 2012 Trumpington Green Belt Appraisal -Final Section one: Baseline Legislation and policy 2.1 The appraisal of the site and the surrounding area has been undertaken by Terence O’Rourke Ltd, with reference to a number of documents (table 2.1). A qualified Landscape Architect, who is a member of the Landscape Institute, has carried out the green belt appraisal work. Landscape designations are shown on figure 01. Countryside Agency, 2002, Landscape Character Assessment Guidance for England and Scotland Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, 2002, Guidelines for