HARLOW AREA LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT STUDY Volumes 1 - 3 February 2005 CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES Environment Landscape Planning HARLOW AREA LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT STUDY Volume 1 : Strategic Sensitivity Analysis of the Harlow Area Volume 2 : Detailed Analysis of Harlow’s Fringes Volume 3 : Framework for Sustainable Future Landscapes in the Harlow Area Overview of the Harlow Area Landscape and Environment Study Outputs STRATEGIC SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF HARLOW AREA (Volume 1) Purpose: provides a strategic understanding of variations in landscape character/environmental features and sensitivity to change across the Harlow Area as a whole. Use: a broad-based strategic input to evaluation of the major constraints and opportunities for development as a guide to the overall direction of growth. DETAILED ANALYSIS OF HARLOW’S FRINGES (Volume 2) Purpose: develops a more detailed understanding of sensitive landscape and environmental features around the immediate fringes of the town that are desirable to safeguard. Use: to guide evaluation of the location and shape of future development options for urban expansion around the fringes of Harlow. FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES IN THE HARLOW AREA (Volume 3) Purpose: develops an over-arching strategic vision for the future and establishes landscape planning/management principles. Use: framework for developing an integrated approach to landscape protection, ‘green infrastructure’ improvements and urban development. THE HARLOW AREA GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION LIBRARY (Digital Data Output) Purpose: a consistent/up to date GIS-based digital ‘library’/database of landscape and environmental baseline data. Use: spatial planning tool for use by all stakeholder partners Harlow District Council and Partners HARLOW AREA LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT STUDY Volume 1 : Strategic Sensitivity Analysis of the Harlow Area Final Report February 2005 CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES Environment Landscape Planning Harlow District Council and Partners HARLOW AREA LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT STUDY Volume 1 : Strategic Sensitivity Analysis of the Harlow Area Final Report February 2005 Approved By: Dominic Watkins Signed: Position: Associate Technical Director Date: February 2005 CHRIS BLANDFORD ASSOCIATES Environment Landscape Planning 11094601R PLA_Vol 1_DW_02-05 CONTENTS PREFACE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 General 1.2 Overall Approach 1.3 The Harlow Area Geographical Information Library 2.0 LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE CONDITIONS 2.1 Physical Influences on Landscape Character 2.2 Historical Influences on Landscape Character 2.3 Development of Harlow New Town in the Landscape 2.4 Landscape Character Areas in the Harlow Area 2.5 Environmental Designations 3.0 EVALUATION OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTER SENSITIVITY 3.1 Approach 3.2 Evaluation Methodology 3.3 Sensitivity of Specific Landscape Attributes 3.4 Sensitivity of Landscape Character Areas 4.0 SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS 4.1 General 4.2 Critical Constraints on Growth 4.3 Strategic Opportunities for Accommodating Growth 4.4 Detailed Analysis of Harlow’s Fringes 4.5 Framework for Sustainable Future Landscapes in the Harlow Area BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX A – LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA PROFILES IN THE HARLOW AREA 11094601R PLA_Vol 1_DW_02-05 FIGURES 1.1 Study Area 2.1 Topography and Drainage 2.2 Surface Geology 2.3 Soils 2.4 Surviving pre-18th Century Landscape Features 2.5 Surviving 18th and 19th Century Landscape Features 2.6 Former Historic Landscape Features 2.7 20th Century Landscape Features 2.8 Landscape Character Types 2.9 Landscape Character Areas 2.10 Environmental Designations: Nature Conservation 2.11 Environmental Designations: Historic Environment 2.12 Environmental Designations: Other 3.1 Relative Visibility of the Underlying Landform 3.2 Tranquil Areas 3.3 Historic Time-Depth and Stability 3.4 Relative Sensitivity to Change of Landscape Character Areas 4.1 Major Environmental Constraints 11094601R PLA_Vol 1_DW_02-05 PREFACE Chris Blandford Associates were commissioned in January 2004 by a Steering Group of key stakeholders to undertake the Harlow Area Landscape and Environment Study to provide a key evidence base for informing input to the review of Regional Planning Guidance for the East of England (RPG14). The Harlow Area, which is identified by ODPM as a priority area for growth within the designated London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area, comprises the entire administrative area of Harlow District Council and part of Epping Forest District within Essex, and includes part of East Hertfordshire District within Hertfordshire. The Study is one of a number being undertaken in the Harlow Area funded by the ODPM from the Government’s Growth Areas fund. The key aim of the Study set by the Steering Group’s brief is to “identify the constraints on and opportunities for growth in the areas in and around Harlow, to inform the location and shape of future developments” and to provide “robust arguments for and against development in environmentally sensitive areas in order to inform RPG when strategic decisions are to be made on the location of future growth around Harlow and its possible future extensions”. Specific objectives of the Study contained in the brief include: · to identify and draw together a consistent baseline of landscape and environmental information based on existing data, supplemented by new additional information where necessary; · to define and record the landscape and environmental information on a GIS; · to identify and assess Sir Frederick Gibberd’s approach to landscape in his original masterplan for Harlow and determine if this is appropriate for future growth of the town; · to prepare a Landscape Framework to inform possible urban extensions around Harlow. The main outputs of the Study include: · Strategic Sensitivity Analysis of Harlow Area (Volume 1) · Detailed Analysis of Harlow’s Fringes (Volume 2) · Framework for Future Sustainable Landscapes in the Harlow Area (Volume 3) · The Harlow Area Geographical Information Library (Digital Data Output) The opinions and conclusions set out in the Study reports are entirely those of the consultants, and do not necessarily reflect the formal views of the Steering Group. The reports are made available solely for information purposes and have the status of background technical documents. The Steering Group, chaired by Harlow District Council, comprised: · Dianne Cooper (Forward Planning & Regeneration Planning Manager, Harlow District Council) · Vernon Herbert (Programme Director, Harlow District Council) · Martin Wakelin (Landscape & Ecology Manager, Essex County Council) · Ian White (Planning Officer, Epping Forest District Council · Chris Neilan (Landscape Officer, Epping Forest District Council) · Simon Odell (Head of Landscape, Hertfordshire County Council) · Simon Andrews (East Hertfordshire District Council) · Catherine Cairns (Senior Countryside Officer, Countryside Agency) · Dearbhla Lawson (Planner, Government Office East) Overview of the Harlow Area Landscape and Environment Study Outputs STRATEGIC SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF HARLOW AREA (Volume 1) Purpose: provides a strategic understanding of variations in landscape character/environmental features and sensitivity to change across the Harlow Area as a whole. Use: a broad-based strategic input to evaluation of the major constraints and opportunities for development as a guide to the overall direction of growth. DETAILED ANALYSIS OF HARLOW’S FRINGES (Volume 2) Purpose: develops a more detailed understanding of sensitive landscape and environmental features around the immediate fringes of the town that are desirable to safeguard. Use: to guide evaluation of the location and shape of future development options for urban expansion around the fringes of Harlow. FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES IN THE HARLOW AREA (Volume 3) Purpose: develops an over-arching strategic vision for the future and establishes landscape planning/management principles. Use: framework for developing an integrated approach to landscape protection, ‘green infrastructure’ improvements and urban development. THE HARLOW AREA GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION LIBRARY (Digital Data Output) Purpose: a consistent/up to date GIS-based digital ‘library’/database of landscape and environmental baseline data. Use: spatial planning tool for use by all stakeholder partners. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 General Purpose of Report 1.1.1 This report sets out a Strategic Sensitivity Analysis of the Harlow Area, and is Volume 1 of the Harlow Area Landscape and Environment Study. It is supported by a wide range of datasets held within the Harlow Area Geographical Information Library developed specifically for this Study. 1.1.2 The main purpose of the report is to provide a strategic understanding of variations in landscape character, environmental features and their inherent sensitivity to change across the Harlow Area as a whole. Its main use is as a broad-based strategic input to evaluation of the major constraints and opportunities for development as a guide to the overall direction of growth. A more detailed analysis of the sensitive landscape and environmental features around the immediate fringes of the town that are desirable to safeguard is provided in Volume 2, which is intended to be used to guide evaluation of the location and shape of future development options for urban expansion around the fringes of Harlow. 1.1.3 These reports do not contain an assessment of the landscape or environmental impact of specific development options. 1.1.4