NOVEMBER 2019 | JWA | P17-2919 | FINAL LAND SOUTH OF HOLLY LANE, GREAT WYRLEY PRELIMINARY LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL APPRAISAL ON BEHALF OF WALLACE LAND INVESTMENTS AND JAMES GEORGE WALLACE 5 The Priory, Old London Road, Canwell, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SH T 0121 308 9570 www.pegasusgroup.co.uk Birmingham | Bracknell | Bristol | Cambridge | Cirencester | East Midlands | Leeds | Liverpool | London | Manchester | Newcastle | Peterborough Pegasus Group is a trading name of Pegasus Planning Group Limited (07277000) registered in England and Wales Registered Office: Pegasus House, Querns Business Centre, Whitworth Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1RT Land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. APPROACH 5 3. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL BASELINE 7 4. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ANALYSIS 18 5. PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT AND LANDSCAPE STRATEGY 22 6. GREEN BELT APPRAISAL 25 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 33 FIGURES Figure 1 Topography Figure 2 Landscape Character Figure 3 Viewpoint Locations and PROW Figure 4 Viewpoint Photographs 1 to 8 Figure 5 Landscape and Visual Analysis Figure 6 Preliminary Development and Landscape Strategy P17-2919 | FINAL 2 27.11.19 Land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 1. INTRODUCTION Terms of reference 1.1. Pegasus Group have been instructed by Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace (“Wallace”) to undertake a preliminary appraisal of landscape and visual matters in relation to land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley, South Staffordshire, in support of representations being made to the South Staffordshire Local Plan ‘Spatial Housing Strategy & Infrastructure Delivery’ consultation. 1.2. This preliminary landscape and visual appraisal (PLVA) has been undertaken to determine the various landscape and visual constraints and opportunities regarding the wider site area and its context, how these might serve to influence the potential for development in respect of a strategic masterplan, and to influence an inherent landscape strategy as part of that masterplan. 1.3. The PLVA also considers matters related to Green Belt in respect of the influence of landscape and visual aspects on informing appropriate boundaries to potential Green Belt release. 1.4. Additional information and a more detailed description on the physical components, landscape character and visual amenity of the site and study area are set out in later sections of this PLVA. Site overview 1.5. The site is located on the southern edge of Great Wyrley and Landywood and comprises ca. 25ha of agricultural land that is divided broadly down its centre by the north to south alignment of the ‘Chase Line’ railway. The overall site area is contained by the existing settlement edge of Landywood and Great Wyrley to the west, north and east, but is more open to the south, where the boundary of the site is defined by a local watercourse. 1.6. The northern edge of the wider site is defined by the existing settlement edge, including the interface associated with Holly Lane which incorporates both residential areas and smaller scale industrial/commercial units. 1.7. The eastern boundary of the wider site is defined by the grounds of Landywood Primary School (including playing fields) with other parts of the eastern edge, staggered, abutting a pocket of landscape between the site and the route of the A34 and including off site blocks of mature tree and woodland planting. P17-2919 | FINAL 3 27.11.19 Land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 1.8. The southern boundary to the site is defined by the route of a local water course which is coincidental with a shallow valley formation that is broadly aligned from west to east. This physical boundary is further reinforced by the sinuous pattern of tree and woodlands that line the corridor of the watercourse. 1.9. The western edge of the wider site is irregular in plan form as it is defined broadly by the route of the local road network (at Strawberry Lane) and is consequently aligned along a south-west to north-east aspect, before merging with the existing settlement pattern of Landywood at Holly Lane. This edge of the wider site is further reinforced by existing hedgerows and tree and woodland belts that tend to line the local road network. 1.10. The wider site is sub-divided into a series of enclosures, with the existing railway and hedgerow field boundaries compartmentalising different parts of the site. 1.11. The wider landscape context surrounding the site is characterised by the interface between the settlement edge of Great Wyrley, the surrounding landscape context, and where this extends to meet the closest area of settlement to the south at Bloxwich (which forms the fringe of the wider West Midlands conurbation at this point). This includes the transition between agricultural landscapes and areas of restored mineral and coal workings and how these interact with the scattered settlement pattern, and extensive transport infrastructure (including utilities, highways and railways) that cross the area. 1.12. Additional information and a more detailed description on the physical components, landscape character and visual amenity of the site and study area are set out in later sections of this PLVA. P17-2919 | FINAL 4 27.11.19 Land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 2. APPROACH Overview 2.1. The approach and methodology used for this PLVA has been developed using best practice guidance, as set out in the following documents: • Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (2013) Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, 3rd Edition; • Natural England (2014) An Approach to Landscape Character Assessment; • Landscape Institute Advice Note 1/11 Photography and Photomontages Guidance; and • Landscape Institute Technical Guidance Note 06/19 (September 2019) Visual Representation of Development Proposals. 2.2. Reference has also been made to additional sources of data and information; these are referred to in the relevant sections of the baseline information. Supporting drawings have also been produced as part of this PLVA and are included as Figures 1 to 6. Level of assessment 2.3. Principles and good practice for undertaking landscape and visual impact assessment are set out in the Landscape Institute (LI) and the Institute of Environmental Management (IEMA) Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Third Edition (2013). 2.4. The third edition of the Guidelines for Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA3) acknowledges that landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) can be carried out either as a standalone assessment or as part of a broader EIA. The GLVIA3 note that the overall principles and core steps in the process are the same but that there are specific procedures in EIA with which an LVIA must comply. 2.5. This report has been prepared as a preliminary appraisal of landscape and visual constraints and opportunities. The report addresses matters of individual landscape resources, landscape character areas/types and representative viewpoints. The PLVA draws on professional judgement in relation to sensitivity of receptors (both landscape and visual), the nature of impacts and consequential likely effects. This process informs judgements on a landscape mitigation strategy which will avoid, reduce or remedy adverse impacts. P17-2919 | FINAL 5 27.11.19 Land south of Holly Lane, Great Wyrley Wallace Land Investments and James George Wallace Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal 2.6. Landscape features and elements provide the physical environment for flora and fauna and the associated importance of biodiversity assets. This PLVA does not consider the value, susceptibility or importance on ecology and biodiversity, nor does it consider impacts from an ecological stance. 2.7. Heritage assets such as Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas all contribute to the overall present-day landscape character, context and setting of an area. These aspects have been given consideration in the PLVA in terms of physical landscape resources (for example trees and hedgerows) and landscape character. However, this PLVA does not address the historic significance, importance or potential impacts on heritage assets and designations; these assets are assessed in the context of landscape and visual matters only. Collating baseline information 2.8. To capture a comprehensive description of the baseline position for landscape and visual receptors, information has been collated using a process of desk study and field survey work. 2.9. The desk study includes reference to published landscape character studies and other published policy documents relevant to landscape and visual matters. 2.10. Field survey work was completed during November 2019. A series of representative photographs were taken with a digital camera with a 50mm lens (equivalent focal length) at approximately 1.8 metres in height. These are presented as a series of representative viewpoints and have been used to inform both the landscape and, separately, visual assessment (included as Figure 4, Viewpoint Photographs 1 to 8). Consideration of effects 2.11. Having established the relevant baseline position, the appraisal process