EIA Scoping Report Appendix E Interrelationship of Regional Landscape Character Areas, Local Aspect Areas (all five aspects) and existing SLAs 1.1.5 The following table explains the spatial relationship between relevant regional landscape character areas and local Landmap aspect areas (generally to Level 3) covering all five aspects. The table also identifies the relationship of these areas to existing and proposed SLA designations. Analysis of this information has informed the identification of preliminary project landscape character areas. 16 EIA Scoping Report Interrelationship of Landscape Areas within Scoping Study Area Regional Sensory and Visual Geological LANDMAP Landscape Habitat Historical LANDMAP Cultural LANDMAP Special Landscape Landscape LANDMAP Aspect Aspect Areas LANDMAP Aspect Aspect Areas Aspect Area Areas Character Areas Areas Area Cambrian Llanpumsaint Basin Mynydd Rhos‐wen ‐ Frenni Fawr‐Moelfre Mynydd Llanllwni Brechfa Forest Mountains Brechfa Forest Banc Melen Brechfa Forest Trelech Rural Carmarthenshire Cothi Valley (rLCA21) Gwernogle Brechfa Forest cwms Brechfa Valleys Mynydd Tre‐Beddau Mid Cothi Valley Maesygroes‐ Cothi South of Brechfa Brechfa Mynydd Figyn Gwernogle cwms Llanfynydd Common Banc‐Y‐Daren Lower Cothi Valley Afon Gorlech cwms Abergwili‐Llanegwad Llanllawddog Valley Lan Ddu Cilwenau Parish Afon Twrch ‐ Morais Llanfynydd – Cothi Banc Maes‐Yr‐Haidd Gilfachgoch Allt Bwlch‐Y‐Rhyd Allt Llystyn Fforest Brechfa Banc‐y‐Darren Rhos Blaen‐Gorlech Cothi cwms (S) Nant Hafren cwms Gwendraeth LLansaint Coastal Iscoed – Ferryside Llansaint North Croesyceilog‐ Rural Carmarthenshire Towy Valley Vales Hills Llanddarog – Nantycaws Cwmffrwd (rLCA33) Gwendraeth Fach Banycoed Morlais Valley Middleton Hills Capel Dewi (1) Llandyfaelog, Bwlchymynydd Llangyndeyrn Mynydd Cyfor, Pant‐ Y‐Parchell Tywi Valley Middleton Hills Bwlchymynydd Llansaint North Croesyceilog‐ Tywi Valley RHL Towy Valley (rLCA41) Dyffryn Tywi Valley Cwmffrwd Nantycaws Cwmffrwd Rural Carmarthenshire sides south Nant Pibr CRMRTLH048 Mynydd Cyfor, Pant‐ Dyffryn Tywi flood Pen‐sorn Y‐Parchell plain Llangunnor Llangunnor Carmarthen Lower Towy Morfa Melyn 17 EIA Scoping Report Dyffryn Tyrwi valley River Towy Ystrad Tywi: sides north Afon Gwili ‐ Afon Carmarthen‐ Duad Llandeilo Afon Gwili Pembroke Dyffryn Tyrwi valley Afon Gwili ‐ Afon Carmarthen West Afon Gwili Rural Carmarthenshire Cothi Valley and sides north Duad Llanpumsaint Abergwili‐Llanegwad Carmarthen Tywi slopes northern Nant Pencnwc Frenni Fawr‐Moelfre Parish Foothills Llanpumsaint hills Rhydargaeau – Brechfa Forest Trelech (rLCA42) Llanpumsaint Basin Peniel Cothi South of Brechfa Pant‐Y‐Llyn Lower Cothi Valley Llanpumsaint Llanfynydd North Llanfynydd Mynydd Figyn Bwlch Bychann ‐ Pe ‐ Llanfynydd Common Banc Maes‐Yr‐Haidd Mid Cothi Valley hill Pen y Garn Brechfa Lower Gwili valley Brechfa Forest Brechfa Valleys Nant‐y‐boncath Mynydd Rhos‐wen ‐ Banc Melen Cothi cwms (S) Darren‐fawr Afon Twrch ‐ Morais – Cothi Upton Hall Graig‐ddu Pen‐y‐garn Taf, Tywi LLansaint Coastal Llanddarog – Llansaint North Croesyceilog‐ Tywi Valley RHL Towy Valley and Hills Banycoed Cwmffrwd Rural Carmarthenshire Gwendraeth Middleton Hills Cwmffrwd Llandyfaelog, Esturies Llangyndeyrn (rLCA45) Mynydd Cyfor, Pant‐ Y‐Parchell 18 EIA Scoping Report Appendix F Proposed Special Landscape Areas Special Landscape Areas 1.1.6 The proposed Development is likely to pass through a number of existing and proposed Special Landscape Areas (SLAs). 1.1.7 Carmarthenshire County Council is currently in the process of preparing a Local Development Plan (LDP) in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Local Development Plan Regulations 2005. Once adopted, the LDP will supersede the existing Unitary Development Plan (UDP). A review of the existing Special Landscape Areas (SLAs) identified within the UDP has been undertaken as part of the preparation of the Local Development Plan in line with completed Landmap survey data sets and guidance notes for the designation of SLAs. As a result of the review process, amendments to the existing SLAs have been recommended. These were submitted as part of Carmarthenshire’s Local Development Plan to the Welsh Government for Public Examination in 2013. 1.1.8 In order to provide a rigorous investigation into the likely effects of the proposals, this scoping report takes into consideration both the adopted SLAs outlined within the UDP and the as yet un-adopted SLAs outlined within the proposed LDP. 1.1.9 It is acknowledged that should the LDP be adopted during the landscape and visual impact assessment process, it will no longer be appropriate to consider the impact upon SLAs outlined within the UDP. 1.1.10 CCC’s review of its SLAs (2011 – not, to date, formally adopted) provides a description of the proposed new SLAs and a statement of their value. Some difficulty has been encountered in identifying the precise boundaries of the areas described (text is available but supporting plans have not been identified). Of nineteen proposed SLAs the following are understood to be those that may 20 EIA Scoping Report potentially be affected by the proposed Development: . TYWI VALLEY – this consists of three distinct landscapes: CRMRTVS311 Tywi Valley Flood Plain; CRMRTVS970 Northern Slopes of the Tywi valley flood plain and CRMRTVS Southern Slopes of the Tywi valley flood plain. The statement of value for the whole area reads: The entire Tywi valley from the source of the river to its mouth lies within a contiguous series of SLAs. While the valley consists of several different landscapes, all share a strong sense of integrity and there is little disruption to this. Many of these landscapes are of outstanding scenic quality and very varied, from the rugged upland river valley in the north east to the estuary south of Carmarthen. The valley is also unique in a Carmarthenshire context as it includes the planned historic parkland landscapes located mostly between Llandovery and Carmarthen, as well as the castles of Dryslwyn and Dinefwr. These landscapes are identified within the ICOMOS/CCW/CADW Register of Landscapes of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales 1998 (namely the Twyi Valley and the Tywi and Taf Estuaries). In addition some of the parklands are registered in the CADW Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales 2002. There are the historic lines of communication within the valley, highlighting further its importance in terms of its historic environment, and it is a landscape that has been painted and written about, and as such is of considerable cultural importance. The river itself is designated as an SSSI and SAC. CRMRTVS737 Mid Cothi Valley: A river valley in its middle reaches, with high and steep wooded slopes, some of which are in adjoining aspect areas. The valley appears as a mosaic of woodland and pasture with significant tree cover. There remain some pockets of unimproved land which add texture to the landscape – e.g. marshy grassland. There are few views of the river itself as its banks are frequently tree lined. The B road runs through the area and it includes the small settlements of Abergorlech and Brechfa. Abergorlech is designated as a Conservation Area. See statement of value for combined Cothi valley below. 21 EIA Scoping Report . CRMRTVS 153 Lower Cothi valley: Although this is the lower course of the Cothi Valley, this section of the valley is narrower and more V shaped than the Mid Cothi valley as the river changed its course, having previously followed what is now the Gwili valley to the west of Brechfa. The Cothi valley rises steeply, and dramatically, to the hills on either side. The valley slopes are a mix of woodland and farmland with bracken areas. There are views of the river along its length at a number of places, particularly where the road runs close to it. Farmland and woodland dominate the lower lying land. This area provides a clear contrast with the Mid Cothi valley to the north and the Dyffryn Tywi to the south, in that it is on a smaller scale and is more secluded. It is sparsely settled with narrow hedges lanes. The course of the river is varied, and includes open and shallow areas as well as cuttings through dark rocks. The statement of value for the whole Cothi Valley area reads: Together with the Twyi, Teifi, Taf and Lwchwr, the Cothi is one of Carmarthenshire’s longer rivers, and it passes through a sequence of extremely varied landscapes of high and outstanding scenic quality as it flows from its head waters in the North Eastern Uplands SLA to its mouth in the Tywi Valley SLA. The upper reaches of the river are considered to be outstanding for their geological landscapes, and also for their historic environment, largely due to the presence of the Romans in this area. The valley has strong cultural associations from the arrival of the Celtic saints in the 6th century and the well documented Medieval forests of Glyn Cothi, to the Basque Camps in the valley established following the Spanish Civil War. The valley supports a variety of habitats and species associated with agricultural and wooded landscapes and displays an attractive balance between these two land uses. Historic Landscapes 1.1.11 The Towy Valley is designated as a Historic Landscape. The valley is considered to be of significance as the setting for a group of planned parks and gardens, along with its historic and