Aberdour – Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan ASH design + assessment Aberdour Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan Appendix 1: Summary of Conclusions 1 Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this statement is to propose the allocation of land owned by Aberdour Trust to the east of Aberdour to be included in the Dunfermline and West Local Plan for greenfield housing development (See Figure 1). 1.2 ASH design + assessment were commissioned by Aberdour Estate Trust C/O Strutt & Parker to investigate whether the area in question has the capacity to accommodate housing development on landscape and visual grounds. A full assessment of the Landscape and Visual Assessment is contained in Appendix 2. 1.3 It is our view that a case can be made to justify the release of this site for housing as part of the Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan. 2 Baseline 2.1 Aberdour is a village located on the north bank of the Firth of Forth approximately two kilometres to the north east of Dalgety Bay. It is a village that has been enlarged by recent house building although it still retains its village feel. In the centre of the village the ruins of the 13TH Century Aberdour Castle can be found along with St Fillans Church. Surrounding the core of the village is a large area of low to medium density 1 and 2 storey housing from various periods. The A921 coastal road and the Fife Circle train route pass through the centre of the village which also lies on the Fife Coastal Path and Sustrans National Cycle Route Number 76 (St Andrews – Stirling). Aberdour is a popular seaside town and to the south east lie the popular Silver Sands beach which has won a number of awards and to the south Aberdour’s second beach the Black Sands. To the south also lies Aberdour Harbour, a natural harbour which was used to ship out locally mined coal but nowadays it is used by leisure craft. 3 Site Description 3.1 The proposed development site to be included in the Dunfermline and West Fife Local Plan is located on the eastern side of the village and is separated into two areas by the A921 (See Figure 1), Area A lies to the north of the A921 and Area B to the south. Current land use is predominantly agriculture with Area A being limited to pasture due to the undulating topography, and Area B being capable of growing a variety of crops due to the relative flatness of the topography. However, a large proportion of the area is currently under close cropped improved pasture which combined with the school playing fields, reinforces the suburban feel of this area. Both sites are rectangular in shape; Area A slopes in a south easterly direction which is relatively steep in a number of places and is constrained between the eastern edge S:/110013/12/Aberdour/Appendix 1- Summary of Conclusions_Final/012.04.10 Aberdour – Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan ASH design + assessment of Aberdour and the unclassified road from the A921 to Humbie in the east and the A921 road to the south. Field boundaries consist of established field hedging, stone walls and post and wire fencing. Area B is generally level and is contained between the eastern edge of Aberdour in the west and The Heughs woodland to the east of which the boundaries consist of post and wire fencing. To the north is the A921 road which is slightly elevated and is divided from the field by a stone boundary wall. The southern boundary of the site lies alongside the railway embankment which is separated from the field by a standard railway post and wire fencing. The nearest housing is to the west of both areas and consists of a number of one to two storey houses from mixed periods which are mainly orientated towards the Firth of Forth in a south-south easterly direction. Due to the location of the proposed development site and nature of the study area and its immediate context, receptors are mainly found along the eastern edge of the village and the immediate vicinity of Aberdour. 4 Methodology 4.1 The assessment has been prepared with reference to the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA), published by the Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Assessment, 2nd Edition 2002 (See Section 5 of Appendix 2). 5 Landscape Character 5.1 Scottish Natural Heritage, in conjunction with partner Councils, has undertaken a detailed review and classification of various landscape areas and types of Scotland. The proposed study area, as illustrated in Figure 2, is covered by the Fife Landscape Character Assessment (Scottish Natural Heritage Review no. 113, dated 1999). 5.2 This Landscape Character Assessment divides the areas of Fife into seventeen Landscape Character Types (LCTs). They provide a description of the specific characteristics and sensitivities relevant to each landscape type and outline the key forces for change acting upon these characteristics, providing guidance related to the potential impact of the forces for change on the key landscape characteristics. 5.3 The study area for the proposed development would fall within four of these LCT’s as follows (see Figure 2): • Coastal Braes; • Coastal Hills; • Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs; and • Urban. 5.4 The proposed development area would fall within two of the above LCT’s, Area A would fall within the Coastal Hills LCT and Area B would fall within the Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs LCT. S:/110013/12/Aberdour/Appendix 1- Summary of Conclusions_Final/012.04.10 Aberdour – Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan ASH design + assessment 5.5 In the Dunfermline and West Fife Local Plan Strategic Environmental Assessment, February 2009, The Compendium for Baseline Data states for the Coastal Hills LCT that capacity for development within this LCT would have “Some capacity for absorbing development, but focus on existing settlements”, and for the Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs LCT “Some capacity on lower slopes, generally limited to extensions of existing settlements.” 5.6 We would agree with both statements for the proposed development areas. We feel that Area A would have the capacity for the development provided that the development was limited to lower land immediately adjacent to existing settlement. Area B as stated in Appendix 2 Landscape Character has an open suburban character already and would be capable of absorbing residential development which is in keeping with, and physically related to, the adjacent existing housing. 5.7 A study was commissioned by Fife Council to review the landscape in order to identify and justify areas that warrant local designation. This study resulted in the publishing of ‘The Fife Local Landscape Designation Review’ in November 2009. The assessment analysed the current status of the landscape although it did not assess any future potential development impacts. The main aim of the study was to identify areas as candidate Special Landscape Areas (SLA) which will inform on the nature and scale of the development and replace existing AGLV’s. 5.8 The study identifies the Cullaloe Hills and surrounding area as a candidate SLA. The Cullaloe Hills forms an area of low hills often interlocked and rolling farmland with occasional craggy outcrops and distinctive summits in the higher areas. Mixed agriculture is the main land use which is intermixed with the occasional policy woodland. The remnants of small industry such as mining and quarrying can be found throughout the area. The candidate SLA forms an important backdrop to local settlements such as Burntisland and Aberdour and views from Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth. A description of the SLA can be found in Section 6.19 of Appendix 2. 5.9 Within the Cullaloe Hills SLA are two Landscape Character Units (LCU’s) as follows: • UV29 - Cullaloe Hills; and • CH74 – Aberdour Hills. 5.10 Landscape Character Unit CH74 – Aberdour Hills falls entirely within the study area for the proposed development area. This LCU is characterised by rolling coastal hills found above steeper coastal braes. The LCU is diverse and contains woodland, forestry plantation and both arable and pasture farmland. S:/110013/12/Aberdour/Appendix 1- Summary of Conclusions_Final/012.04.10 Aberdour – Dunfermline & West Fife Local Plan ASH design + assessment 6 Summary 6.1 Whilst we would not disagree with the identification of regional LCT’s and the LCU’s, these do not always relate well to the more local context and scale of the study area. Set within the broad pattern of principal landscape types there are a number of more Local Character Zones (LCZ’s) where combinations of landform, landcover, water bodies, watercourses and settlement frame scenes of distinct form and sense. The study area has been assessed in detail and a number of LCZ’s have been identified which have a closer relationship to the local character of the study area. LCZ’s are identified in Section 6.13 of Appendix 2 and on Figure 2, along with representative photographs. 6.2 The assessment findings showed that not all of Area A or B could potentially be developed due to landscape and visual reasons. Area A lies on hilly farmland to the east of Aberdour which also forms part of an important local ridgeline. Due to the topography and visibility of this area it was felt that the area could accommodate housing as long as it was restricted to the lower sections of the area in particular adjacent to the A921 road. Area B lies on flattish land to the east of Aberdour, the assessment indicated that the area was capable of accommodating housing in the northern half of the area which would reduce any potential visual impacts to housing located adjacent to Hawkcraig Road to the south of Aberdour.