Solar Site, Llanwern, Newport Historic Landscape Assessment (ASIDOHL2) March 2015 GGAT report no. 2015/016 Project no.P1737 A report for Energy My Way National Grid Reference: by Rob Dunning BSc MCIfA ST 37811 84203 CONTRACTORS HEALTH & SAFETY ASSESSMENT SCHEME Accredited Contractor www.chas.gov.uk The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd Heathfield House Heathfield Swansea SA1 6EL Solar Site, Llanwern, Newport: Historic Landscape Assessment (ASIDOHL2) Contents Page Summary ............................................................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 3 Copyright Notice ................................................................................................................. 3 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 3 1 Project background ......................................................................................................... 4 2 The affected historic landscapes ..................................................................................... 7 3 Assessment methodology ............................................................................................... 11 3.1 The Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Summary of ASIDOHL2 stages .............................................................................. 11 3.3 Quantification of results ........................................................................................... 11 3.4 The ASIDOHL2 Stages ........................................................................................... 11 4 Historic Landscape Assessment .................................................................................... 17 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 17 4.2 Assessment of direct impacts on the historic landscape by the proposed development (ASIDOHL2 Stage 2) ..................................................................................... 35 4.3 Assessment of indirect impacts on the historic landscape by the proposed development (ASIDOHL2 Stage 3) ..................................................................................... 39 4.4 Evaluation of relative importance (ASIDOHL2 Stage 4) ........................................ 46 4.5 Assessment of the overall significance of the impact of the development (ASIDOHL2 Stage 5) .......................................................................................................... 60 5 ASIDOHL2 Concluding Statement .............................................................................. 65 References ........................................................................................................................ 66 Appendix I ....................................................................................................................... 67 Historic Landscape Characterisation ........................................................................... 67 Appendix II ...................................................................................................................... 68 Photographic Catalogue ............................................................................................... 68 1 Solar Site, Llanwern, Newport: Historic Landscape Assessment (ASIDOHL2) Figures Figure 1. Location of development areas (red) and the Gwent Levels Historic Landscape (blue) .........................................................................................................5 Figure 2. Location of development areas (red) and HLCAs (blue) ........................................6 Figure 3. Nash/Goldcliff Coastal Zone (HLCA001)...............................................................20 Figure 4. Christchurch/Nash/Whitson Back-Fen (HLCA002) .............................................22 Figure 5. Whitson (HLCA003).................................................................................................24 Figure 6. Porton (HLCA004) ...................................................................................................26 Figure 7. Redwick/Magor/Undy (HLCA006) .........................................................................28 Figure 8. Redwick Broadmead (HLCA007) ...........................................................................30 Figure 9. Northern Redwick (HLCA008) ...............................................................................32 Figure 10. Green Moor (HLCA009) ........................................................................................34 Figure 11. Location of development areas (red), HLCAs (blue) and Plates 1-14 (green) ........................................................................................................................75 Plates Plate 1. View to the west of Goldcliff Moated Site (MM092/307860/00273g) ......................68 Plate 2. View to the southeast of Moated site east of Grangefield Farm (MM205/406/54452/02313g) (NGR ST 38950 84960) ............................................68 Plate 3. View to the southeast of Development Area 1 ..........................................................69 Plate 4. View to the southwest of Development Area 2 .........................................................69 Plate 5. View to the east of Development Area 4 ....................................................................70 Plate 6. View to the southeast of Development Area 4 ..........................................................70 Plate 7. View to the northeast of Development Area 6 ..........................................................71 Plate 8. View to the southwest of Development Area 6 .........................................................71 Plate 9. View to the south of HLCA002 ..................................................................................72 Plate 10. View to the north of HLCA003 ................................................................................72 Plate 11. View to the east of HLCA004 ...................................................................................73 Plate 12. View to the northwest of HLCA006.........................................................................73 Plate 13. View to the southeast of HLCA008 ..........................................................................74 Plate 14. View to the northwest of HLCA009.........................................................................74 2 Solar Site, Llanwern, Newport: Historic Landscape Assessment (ASIDOHL2) Summary The proposed development consists of the construction of a solar farm on land near Chestnut Farm, Llanwern, Newport (Planning Application no. for screening 14/0419). In response to a screening opinion the archaeological advisors to the LPA (GGAT Curatorial) recommended that a desk-based assessment and ASIDOHL2 be completed for the proposed development. The ASIDOHL2, carried out to the latest guidelines issued by Cadw, forms the subject of the current report. The overall significance of the impact of the development on the Gwent Levels (HLW (Gt) 1) landscape of outstanding historic interest is considered to be ‘Severe’. There will be a direct physical impact on six Historic Landscape Character Areas and an indirect, visual impact on eight HLCAs. It is considered that the development will have no permanent indirect physical impact on any of the Character Areas within the Historic Landscape. It is considered that the overall effect of the development can be mitigated by the use of appropriate screening measures to limit the visual impact of the development. This will reduce the visual impact on both the settings and view shares of sites of national and regional importance, as well as the HLCAs themselves. It should also be noted that a number of the buildings within the Historic Landscape have existing solar panels, thereby partially reducing the inherent visual intrusion. It is also important to note that the indirect visual effect of the development will be transitory in nature, with the majority of solar sites having an economic lifetime of less than 25 years. Additionally the sympathetic placement of individual units within the development, so as to avoid unnecessary damage to inherent landscape characteristics, will reduce the direct physical impact of the development. This is in addition to the watching brief, hedgerow survey and earthwork survey recommended by the desk-based assessment (Sherman 2015). Acknowledgements This project has been managed by Richard Lewis BA MCIfA (Head of Projects) and the report was compiled by Rob Dunning BSc MCIfA (Project Manager) of GGAT Projects. The illustrations were prepared by Charlotte James-Martin BA ACIfA (Assistant Project Officer). Copyright Notice The copyright of this report is held by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd, which has granted an exclusive licence to Energy My Way and their agents to use and reproduce material it contains. Maps are based on Ordinance Survey data, License Number AL 1000320693, unless otherwise stated. Annotations are GGAT copyright. Abbreviations The following abbreviations have been used in this report: MMxxx: Schedule Ancient Monument HER: Historic Environment Record NGR: National Grid Reference