Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study: Sensitivity Assessment January 2015 Jacobs U.K. Limited This document has been prepared by a division, subsidiary or affiliate of Jacobs U.K. Limited (“Jacobs”) in its professional capacity as consultants in accordance with the terms and conditions of Jacobs’ contract with the commissioning party (the “Client”). Regard should be had to those terms and conditions when considering and/or placing any reliance on this document. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced by any means without prior written permission from Jacobs. If you have received this document in error, please destroy all copies in your possession or control and notify Jacobs. 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Nettlestead Woodlands 51 1. Bredhurst and Stockbury Downs 5 37. Nettlestead Green Farmlands 53 12. Sandling Vale 7 38. Yalding Farmlands 55 13. Boxley Vale 9 39. Laddingford Low Weald 57 14. Thurnham Vale 11 40. Beltring Grasslands 59 15. Eyhorne Vale 13 41. Linton Park and Farmlands 61 16. Harrietsham to Lenham Vale 15 42. Ulcombe Mixed Farmlands 63 17. East Lenham Vale 17 43. Headcorn Pasturelands 65 18. Barming Greensand Fruit Belt 19 44. Staplehurst Low Weald 67 19. Barming Heath Arable Land 21 45. Sherenden Wooded Hills 69 20. Oaken Wood 23 46. Knoxbridge Arable Lowlands 71 21. Teston Valley Side 25 47. Waterman Quarter Low Weald 73 22. Nettlestead Wooded Farmlands 27 48. Medway Valley Allington 75 23. Nettlestead Valley Side 29 49. Leeds Castle Parklands 77 24. East Barming Orchards (locally know as 31 50. Harrietsham Vale 79 Medway Valley Orchards) 51. Chilston Parklands 81 27. Farleigh Greensand Fruit Belt 33 52. Medway Valley – Maidstone to Wateringbury 83 28. Coxheath Plateau 35 53. Medway Valley Yalding 85 29. Boughton Monchelsea to Chart Sutton Plateau 37 57. Teise Valley 87 30. Langley Heath Undulating Farmlands 39 58. Beult Valley 89 31. Kingswood Plateau 41 Summary of Overall Landscape Character 91 32. Broomfield Undulating Farmlands 43 Sensitivity 33. Lenham Heath Farmlands 45 Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study 92 34. Linton Greensand Ridge 47 35. Sutton Valence Greensand Ridge 49 Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study: Sensitivity Assessment - January 2015 Introduction Maidstone Borough Council has commissioned Jacobs to therefore the former approach has been adopted. Topic Paper 6 undertake a report to determine the broad comparative sensitivity defines overall landscape sensitivity as follows: of landscape character areas within the borough to possible development. ‘This term should be used to refer primarily to the inherent The report will form part of a robust evidence base to the Local sensitivity of the landscape itself, irrespective of the type of Plan and will be used to inform the Sustainability Appraisal of any change that may be under consideration. land allocation proposals, assisting the Council in meeting the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Relating it to the definitions used in Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, landscape sensitivity can be defined as Objective embracing a combination of: The objective is to assess the comparative sensitivity of the • the sensitivity of the landscape resource (in terms of borough’s landscapes to development. The study excludes the both its character as a whole and the individual general urban area of Maidstone and the nationally designated elements contributing to character); Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as these • the visual sensitivity of the landscape, assessed in are afforded protection through other policies, but includes the terms of a combination of factors such as views, fringe landscapes of both areas. visibility, the number and nature of people perceiving the landscape and the scope to mitigate visual impact.’ The landscape character areas used in this assessment are as defined in the published Maidstone Landscape Character Topic Paper 6 further defines this as a combination of landscape Assessment 2012 (excluding the Kent Downs AONB and urban character sensitivity and visual sensitivity: area of Maidstone). • Judging the sensitivity of the landscape as a whole, in Methodology terms of its overall character, its quality and condition, The methodology used to undertake this study is derived from the the aesthetic aspects of its character, and also the Landscape Character Assessment Guidance for England and sensitivity of individual elements contributing to the Scotland: Topic Paper 6 Techniques and Criteria for Judging landscape. This can be usefully referred to as landscape Capacity and Sensitivity (The Countryside Agency and Scottish character sensitivity; Natural Heritage). • Judging the visual sensitivity of the landscape, in terms of its general visibility and the potential scope to Topic Paper 6 outlines alternative approaches describing how to mitigate the visual effects of any change that might assess the overall landscape sensitivity of the landscape and/or take place. Visibility will be a function particularly of the the landscape sensitivity to particular types of change or landform of a particular type of landscape and of the development. For this study the type of development is undefined presence of potentially screening land cover, especially trees and woodland. It will also be a reflection of the numbers of people who are likely to perceive the Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study: Sensitivity Assessment - January 2015 1 Introduction landscape and any changes that occur in it, whether they are residents or visitors. Landscape character sensitivity defined within this assessment differs to landscape sensitivity defined with the Maidstone The meanings of these terms and the types of factors that need Landscape Character Assessment (Jacobs, March 2012 amended July 2013) because the methodologies are different for the two to be considered in each case are summarised in Figure 1 below. assessment types. Overall Landscape Sensitivity Matrix igh Moderate High High H Low Moderate High Moderate Low Low Moderate Low Sensitivity Character Landscape Figure 1: Topic Paper 6 Figure 1(a) Low Moderate High The assessment draws upon data in the Maidstone Landscape Visual Sensitivity Character Assessment 2012, supported by a desktop study and field verification to provide a description of the factors that contribute to landscape character sensitivity and visual sensitivity for each landscape character area within study area. A value of high, moderate or low landscape character sensitivity and visual sensitivity is assigned to each character area and combined in the matrix below to provide a value for overall landscape sensitivity. Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study: Sensitivity Assessment - January 2015 2 Introduction The combination of landscape character sensitivity and visual sensitivity assessments identifies each landscape character area’s capacity to tolerate change which is categorised into three main groups: • High overall landscape sensitivity/landscapes sensitive to change • Moderate overall landscape sensitivity/landscapes with scope for change with certain constraints • Low overall landscape sensitivity/landscapes tolerant of change Although conclusions have been reached for each of the character areas enabling them to be grouped into these categories it is not the purpose of this study to rank one character area against another. For example those landscapes that fall in the ‘sensitive to change’ category are sensitive in