Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment For Single Detached Dwelling , Finings Road, Bolter End, Buckinghamshire Document 756 LVIA Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Introduction This assessment will not follow in detail the Landscape and Visual Guidelines (3rd Edition) as the content is not relevant in its entirety for a development of this size. It will review the potential impact of the proposed development visually and in terms of the landscape character. Whilst assessing the landscape and visual impact, the study will not make any assessments on scale, magnitude of effect, reversibility and other factors concerned with the degree of these effects. It will, however, set out the Zone of Visual Influence which indicates the limits of the area over which there is a visual or landscape impact on people, living, working, walking or driving within the local area from the proposed development. The assessment was undertaken by the applicants who are retired landscape architects, former members of the Landscape Institute and with more than thirty years’ experience of undertaking such assessments. Methodology The site was surveyed on the weekend of 10/11th October 2020 in bright, clear conditions. The survey assessed the visibility of the site and the dwelling which might be observable from the road and footpath network and from adjacent dwellings and commercial enterprises. It seeks to assess the landscape character based on the broad characteristics set out in the ‘Wycombe Landscape Character Assessment’ 2011 prepared by Land Use Consultants. Local Landscape Character The Wycombe Landscape Character Assessment placed the landscape which surrounds the proposed development into LCA 16.1 Stokenchurch Settled Plateau. The main Key Characteristics are: “A mosaic of arable fields, rough grazing and pasture are defined by the hedgerows and wooden fencing and interlocked with areas of woodland which create a landscape of both openness and enclosure….” “views are often confined by woodland….” The Land Use and Settlement Pattern include: “….settlement is often spread linearly along roads, comprising small rural hamlets and isolated properties/farmsteads” Perceptual / Experiential Landscape include: “The mix of farmland and woodland results in varying degrees of enclosure across the landscape. Dense woodlands and hedgerows provide a sense of seclusion….” 1 Document 756 LVIA - Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment “Views are often changing between large vistas from the edge of an area, and across open fields, to enclosed views within woodland along hedged lanes....” Evaluation The relevant landscape and visual sensitivities include: “The open character contrasted with enclosed and intimate areas (particularly woodland)” Landscape Guidelines Include “Conserve areas of woodland which provide enclosure in the landscape and form an important landscape pattern and feature….” “Maintain existing green spaces between settlements to avoid coalescence” The Immediate Landscape Character The local landscape character is one dominated by trees and deciduous woodland. To the south east of the proposed development lies Finings wood, and to the north east a further un-named woodland. In addition, most of the properties in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development have large mature trees and often tall hedgerows within and around their curtilages. There are a number of large properties in the locality, particularly on the north side of the B482 Finings Road. On the south side of the B482 is the complex of farm buildings that is Lacey’s Farm. These are a dominant set of buildings clearly visible from the road at its entrance. Beyond the core of woodland, hedges and wooded gardens lies a predominantly arable, low relief agricultural landscape of varied field sizes and shapes truncated to the north by the dominance of the M40. This is an enclosed landscape with no long-distance views and accords with the enclosed character which partially typifies the “Stokenchurch Settled Plateau” described in the Wycombe landscape Character Assessment. The linearity of the of the settlement of Bolter End observed locally also matches that described characteristic, the only views seen from the settlement being medium distance to the north east of the B482 Finings Road of fields between trees and hedgerows, and glimpsed medium distance views east through roadside hedgerows and trees from Bolter End Lane to the same fields. There are no long distance views from the locality of the proposed development due to the surrounding woodland and garden trees and hedgerows. Taken as a whole, the development pattern of Bolter End village is varied and includes regularly aligned rectangular dwelling plots of 20th Century detached, semi and bungalow dwellings on Bolter End Lane and New Road. Building materials are a mix of brick, cream render, red and brown clay and grey slate tiles. On the south eastern side of Bolter End Lane occasional single detached dwellings are set back behind roadside native hedges and trees. From the crossroads along the south/ south west side of the B482 Finings Road and the short length of Fingest Road to the south, the settlement pattern changes to largely hidden dispersed groups of dwellings accessed by stoned tracks set within loose woodland. At the south eastern end of the village the Bolter End Farm complex of black timber or profiled metal barns with black profiled metal roofs and farm shop are visible from the farm entrance and abut the enclosing hedgerow and 2 Document 756 LVIA - Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment woodland. The adjacent stoned track leads to dwellings partially hidden by trees, hedgerows and rising topography. The settlement pattern again changes along the north/ north eastern side of the B482 Finings Road into two distinct enclosed groups separated by a central more open area with medium distance views through hedgerows and trees to fields beyond. The group close to the crossroads is one of irregular, closely grouped dwellings of varying age with tall intervening hedges and mature trees, bounded by hedgerows, trees and walls. Dwellings are generally hidden with only glimpses seen from the road. Glimpses show red brick, render, red and brown clay tiles as building materials. The central open area has three single dwellings of varying age loosely connected to the two groups but more visible and facing the road from the ends of stoned tracks over the wide grass verge. Boundaries are fences, hedges, small trees and brick walls. Building materials are brick, render, clay tiles and grey slate. Two very visible brick dwellings close to the road have modern versions of decorative flint panels and low brick walled boundaries to the road and footpath. The group of dwellings closest to the woodland blocks between Bolter End and Lane End are set back from the road by a 4-5m grass verge backed by a 1.8m timber fence. Just as the group beside the crossroads, this forms a close and irregular mix of dwellings, mature trees and tall hedgerows bounded by hedgerows, trees and brick walls. Dwellings are red brick, render, red and brown clay and grey slate tiles and are generally hidden behind tall hedgerows with mainly roofs visible from the B482 Finings Road. Access to the dwellings is from a stoned track leading from the B482 Finings Road which leads to a farm stable complex, Here, just as the Bolter End Farm complex across the road, are black timber stables and barns at the end of the track. The proposed development is part of this group of dwellings. Photo 1 Storm House and Cottage Photo 2 Moorside and Benwell House Photo 3 Bolter End Farm 3 Document 756 LVIA - Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Scheduled Monuments, Sites of Historical, Archaeological, Architectural Importance There are no archaeological sites, ancient earthworks, historic buildings or landscapes within close proximity to the proposed development. The nearest SSSI is Bolter End Sand Pit, a geological SSSI some 210m to the south east of the proposed development site. There are two Grade II listed buildings within 100m of the proposed development site: The Finings – 50m north east Little Finings – 90m north east There is no visual connection between the proposed development site and dwelling and the two listed buildings, and thus there is no visual impact on their setting. The Development Proposal and Character of the Proposed Development Site The development proposal is for a simple rectangular pitched roofed single storey contemporary dwelling of 15m x 8.3m (including a single story flat/green roofed rectangular porch). It is proposed to be timber clad in vertical timber cedar or larch lats, with a raised seam medium grey metal roof. A separate pitched roofed garage of 5m x 5m is proposed to match the construction of the dwelling. The dwelling is to be located on the southern boundary of the site approximately 12-14m from the northern kerb of the B482 Finings Road; 30m from the neighbouring dwelling Moorside to the west and 50m to Finings Cottage to the north east. The site is bounded on the southern boundary by a 1.8m close board timber fence and a mix of deciduous and evergreen large shrubs and occasional trees. The eastern boundary is a 3-3.5m high beech hedge, the western boundary comprises a wire fence and line of trees and overgrown shrubs and the northern boundary is presently undefined being part of The Finings’ garden. Photo 4 View internally of the southern boundary Photo 5 View internally of the eastern boundary 4 Document 756 LVIA - Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment When standing within the proposed development plot there are no extensive views from a 1.8m eye-line to the south and east and only views of the remaining kitchen garden of The Finings and the gable of Moorside which is substantially obscured by a line of trees on the proposed western boundary. It is clear from this visual analysis that the site is very enclosed by the existing boundary vegetation.