GGiilllliinngghhaamm LLaannddssccaappeess aanndd OOppeenn SSppaacceess AAsssseessssmmeenntt Report for North Dorset District Council by Richard F Burden Chartered Landscape Architect November 2003 Richard F Burden BSc DipCons MSc MCIPD MCMI PPLI 6 Milborne Wood Dorchester Dorset DT2 7NQ Tel / Fax: 01 258 837643 Contents CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 0 CONTENTS OF PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME........................................................................ 3 PROJECT TEAM...................................................................................................................................................... 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................................................... 5 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ................................................................................................................................. 5 BRIEF / TERMS OF REFERENCE.................................................................................................................... 6 APPROACH............................................................................................................................................................. 7 LANDSCAPES AND LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT........................................................................................ 9 LANDSCAPES ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT................................................................................................................................... 10 THE LANDSCAPES OF GILLINGHAM ........................................................................................................ 12 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................................... 12 LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 GROWTH.............................................................................................................................................................. 12 TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, AND RIVERS .............................................................................................................. 12 LANDSCAPE SETTING .......................................................................................................................................... 13 LOCAL AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNATIONS ................................................................................ 14 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES........................................................................................................................... 15 CURRENT LOCAL PLAN POLICIES RELATING TO LANDSCAPE AND OPEN SPACE MATTERS ............................... 15 Landscape Character Areas........................................................................................................................... 16 Important Open or Wooded Areas................................................................................................................. 16 Recreation and Sports .................................................................................................................................... 16 Riverside Amenity Areas; footpath/cycleway links........................................................................................ 16 Community Hall/Leisure Facilities................................................................................................................ 16 Gillingham Royal Forest................................................................................................................................ 17 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER............................................................................................................................. 17 RIDGES AND RIVER VALLEYS ............................................................................................................................. 17 TREES, HEDGES, AND BOUNDARIES.................................................................................................................... 18 CULTURAL HERITAGE ......................................................................................................................................... 18 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................................... 19 AMENITY ASPECTS.............................................................................................................................................. 20 DETRACTORS....................................................................................................................................................... 21 SUMMARY OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS................................................................................................... 22 OPEN SPACE – CURRENT PROVISION AND FUTURE REQUIREMENTS......................................... 24 SCOPE OF THE STUDY.......................................................................................................................................... 24 DEFINITION OF OPEN SPACE ............................................................................................................................... 24 TYPES AND LOCATIONS OF SPACE IN URBAN AREAS ......................................................................................... 24 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SITUATION IN GILLINGHAM ......................................................................................... 25 Locations and Types of Facilities .................................................................................................................. 25 Use and Accessibility ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Local Plan Policies ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Local Levels of Provision............................................................................................................................... 29 HIERARCHY OF PROVISION: APPLYING NATIONAL ADVICE TO GILLINGHAM.................................................... 30 DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION AGE GROUPS WITHIN THE TOWN. ...................................................................... 30 POTENTIAL LOCATION OF DEMAND.................................................................................................................... 32 ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................ 34 THE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENTS AND PROPOSALS FOR THE FORMER BUFFER ZONES.................................................................................................................................................. 37 Richard F Burden Chartered Landscape Architect 1 MILTON AND COLESBROOK........................................................................................................................ 37 DESCRIPTION....................................................................................................................................................... 37 LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS.......................................................................................................................... 41 ASSESSMENT AND COMMENT ............................................................................................................................. 42 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................................................... 46 BAY AND LODBOURNE................................................................................................................................... 48 DESCRIPTION....................................................................................................................................................... 48 LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS.......................................................................................................................... 49 ASSESSMENT AND COMMENT ............................................................................................................................. 50 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................................................... 52 HAM....................................................................................................................................................................... 54 DESCRIPTION....................................................................................................................................................... 54 LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS.......................................................................................................................... 57 ASSESSMENT AND COMMENT ............................................................................................................................