Final Report to Tynedale District Council and Northumberland National Park Authority A Landscape Character Assessment of Tynedale District and Northumberland National Park Julie Martin Associates The Round House Swale Cottage, Station Road Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 4LU 01748 826984 [email protected] with Alison Farmer Associates Countryscape Final Report to Tynedale District Council and Northumberland National Park Authority A Landscape Character Assessment of Tynedale District and Northumberland National Park June 2007 Ref 053 Julie Martin Associates The Round House Swale Cottage, Station Road Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 4LU 01748 826984 [email protected] with Alison Farmer Associates 10 Applecourt Newton Road Cambridge CB2 8AN 01223 461444 [email protected] and Countryscape 125 Ducie Street Manchester M1 2JW 0161 236 3432 [email protected] ii iii Contents 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Landscape Character Assessment .............................................................. 1 1.2 The Study Area ............................................................................................ 2 1.3 Purpose of the Landscape Character Assessment ...................................... 2 1.4 Benefits of Landscape Character Assessment ............................................ 4 1.5 Methodology ................................................................................................ 5 1.6 Content and Structure of the Report ............................................................ 6 2 THE EVOLUTION OF THE LANDSCAPE.......................................................... 7 2.1 Physical Influences ...................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 Geology ................................................................................................ 7 2.1.2 Glaciation.............................................................................................. 9 2.1.3 Landform, drainage and climate ......................................................... 10 2.2 Human Influences ...................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Prehistoric........................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Roman ................................................................................................ 14 2.2.3 Medieval ............................................................................................. 15 2.2.4 Post-medieval ..................................................................................... 16 2.2.5 Twentieth century ............................................................................... 18 2.3 The Modern Landscape ............................................................................. 19 2.3.1 Land cover .......................................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Habitats............................................................................................... 21 2.3.3 Field patterns and boundaries ............................................................ 22 2.3.4 Settlement and buildings..................................................................... 24 3 UNDERSTANDING LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND GUIDING CHANGE .. 27 3.1 The Landscape Classification .................................................................... 27 3.2 Cheviots..................................................................................................... 32 3.3 Cheviot Fringe............................................................................................ 42 3.4 Border Moors and Forests ......................................................................... 50 3.5 Northumberland Sandstone Hills ............................................................... 64 3.6 Mid Northumberland .................................................................................. 77 3.7 Tyne Gap and Hadrian’s Wall .................................................................... 81 3.8 North Pennines ........................................................................................ 109 3.9 Durham Coalfield Pennine Fringe ............................................................ 132 4 A STRATEGY FOR THE LANDSCAPE ......................................................... 141 4.1 Key Features and Qualities...................................................................... 141 4.1.1 A distinctive geology ......................................................................... 141 4.1.2 A rich natural heritage....................................................................... 143 4.1.3 A wealth of historic monuments and landscapes .............................. 143 4.1.4 Strong farming and vernacular building traditions............................. 144 4.1.5 Cultural associations......................................................................... 145 4.1.6 Tranquillity and wildness................................................................... 146 4.1.7 Outstanding recreational landscapes................................................ 146 4.2 Overview of Changes and Issues Affecting the Landscape ..................... 147 4.2.1 Landscape changes within the Countryside Character Areas........... 147 4.2.2 Principal issues affecting the landscape character types.................. 149 iv 4.3 Broad Strategy ......................................................................................... 149 4.3.1 Aims.................................................................................................. 149 4.3.2 Strategic priorities ............................................................................. 153 4.4 Sustainable Land Management Guidelines ............................................. 156 4.4.1 Forestry and woodland ..................................................................... 156 4.4.2 Farming............................................................................................. 158 4.4.3 Field boundaries ............................................................................... 160 4.4.4 Moorlands ......................................................................................... 162 4.4.5 Rivers and wetlands.......................................................................... 164 4.4.6 Historic sites and built environment .................................................. 165 4.4.7 Tourism, recreation and access........................................................ 168 4.5 Sustainable Development Guidelines ...................................................... 170 4.5.1 Housing and economic development................................................ 170 4.5.2 Military training.................................................................................. 173 4.5.3 Transport .......................................................................................... 175 4.5.4 Energy and telecommunications....................................................... 177 4.5.5 Minerals and waste........................................................................... 180 Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 183 Annex 1: Organisations That Provided Information.......................................... 187 Annex 2: Landscape Guidelines for Key Settlements....................................... 189 Annex 3: Wind Farm Landscape Sensitivity Criteria......................................... 197 v Figures Figure 1: The Study Area…………………………………………………………………..3 Figure 2: Solid Geology………………………………………………………………….....8 Figure 3: Landform and Drainage………………………………………………………..11 Figure 4: Land Cover………………………………………………………………………20 Figure 5: Historic Landscape Character Types…………………………………………23 Figure 6: Landscape Classification………………………………………………………28 Figure 7: Natural Heritage Designations……………………………………………….142 Figure 8: Cultural Heritage Designations………………………………………………142 Figure 9: Tranquillity……………………………………………………………………...142 Figure 10: Landscape Designations……………………………………………………142 Tables Table 1: Landscape Classification……………………………………………………….29 Table 2: Landscape Character Types by Administrative Area………………………..30 Table 3: Landscape Change by Countryside Character Area, 1999-2003…………147 Table 4: Principal Issues Affecting the Landscape Character Types……………….150 Back Pocket 1:100,000 map of Landscape Character Types and Landscape Character Areas vi 1 1 INTRODUCTION In December 2006, Julie Martin Associates, with Alison Farmer Associates and Countryscape, were commissioned by Tynedale District Council and Northumberland National Park Authority to prepare a comprehensive landscape character assessment of the combined area of the two authorities. The study area, which covers some 221,000 hectares, represents one of the finest landscapes in the United Kingdom, including not only the National Park but also the northern part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The assessment was commissioned in recognition of the importance of these landscapes and of the need for a detailed assessment of their character that would provide a basis for informed landscape-related decisions. 1.1 Landscape Character Assessment Landscape character is the distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements that makes one landscape different from another. Variations