WINCHESTER DISTRICT Volume 2 Appendices Landscape Character Assessment WINCHESTER DISTRICT Landscape Character Assessment Volume 2 Volume Appendices JANUARY 2004 Appendix One METHODOLOGY Landscape Character Assessment Appendix One Winchester City Council Appendix One METHODOLOGY Introduction G The East Hampshire AONB Integrated The Landscape Character Assessment follows the Management Guidelines (HCC, 1998) methodology set out by the Countryside Agency & G Winchester District Landscape Assessment (WCC, Scottish Natural Heritage in 1999 (Interim Guidance 1995) on Landscape Character Assessment) and 2002 G (Landscape Character Assessment Guidance for The Character of England Map (Countryside England and Scotland, CAX 84/F). This consists of four Agency, 1998) key stages: G The Forest of Bere Strategy (Forest of Bere 1. Desk study Partnership, 2000) 2. Field Survey Once prepared, the overlays were combined to suggest clear correlations between different factors 3. Making Judgements and allow areas of potentially similar character to be 4. Stakeholder Participation identified. These used the Hampshire County Council Landscape Types (HCC, 1994) as a basis for assessing The work was led by the Winchester City Council’s cross-county conformity. The Desk Study therefore Landscape Team, with input from ecological enabled a draft set of Landscape Types and Landscape consultants and archaeological consultants during the Character Areas to be drafted for the Winchester first three stages. The archaeological consultants also District. produced the Historic Landscape Character Assessment in parallel with this process. At the time that this desk study was being undertaken, the archaeological and ecological consultants had also Stage 1. Desk Study been instructed to commence their (predominantly The desk study involved the preparation of 1:25,000 desk-based) work, which would feed into the final map overlays of different landscape factors. These analysis (Stage Three) formed the basis for defining areas of common Stage 2. Field Survey character which were then checked in the field as part of the Field Assessment. The field survey involved a detailed assessment of the landscape and settlements of the District to gather The information and overlays used included: information that could not be provided by the desk G Geology and Soils (British Geological Survey Data, study, including perceptual qualities such as important MAFF Agricultural Land Classification) views, tranquillity, building materials, standards of habitat management and agricultural trends, G Landform and Drainage (Ordnance Survey Data) including hedgerow loss. G Vegetation (Natural Area Profiles, BAPs) 2.1 Landscape Types G Trees/woodland (Ordnance Survey Data, Ancient Every draft area of a given Landscape Type was visited, Woodland inventories, aerial photos) to check for conformity of character. In particular, G Land Use and enclosure/field patterns (Ordnance boundaries were checked and areas, which did not Survey Data, Hampshire Historic Landscape appear to easily fit into a particular Landscape Type Assessment, Historical maps, Aerial Photos, during the Desk Study, were examined. The scope of Hampshire Register of Historic Parks and Gardens) this survey meant that virtually every road in the District was driven, with frequent stops to complete G Settlement Patterns (Ordnance Survey Data, Landscape Type Survey Sheets. This part of the Field Hampshire Historic Landscape Assessment, Survey was undertaken by two Landscape Architects, Historical maps, Scheduled Ancient Monuments, as recommended by the Countryside Agency (2002), Conservation Area Assessments) providing the practical benefits of assistance with Previous landscape and townscape assessments were navigating and recording, as well as enabling a also used and prepared as overlays: consensus to be reached on a broad overview of the landscape. G The Hampshire Landscape (HCC, 1994) At least one Landscape Type Survey Sheet was G The Hampshire Landscape: A Strategy for the completed for each of the Landscape Types falling Future (HCC, 2000) within every draft Landscape Character Area. A G Winchester City and its Setting (HCC et al, 1998) different template had been drawn up for each Landscape Type Survey Sheet (see Appendix Two) to Landscape Character Assessment Appendix One 1 Winchester City Council focus the surveyor on the particular features that write Landscape and Built Form Strategies for each could be expected to be present in these areas. In area. By this stage, the Historical Landscape Character part, these were also based on the features defined Assessment and Ecological Mapping were complete for each Landscape Type in The Hampshire Landscape and could be fed into the final analyses. Once each of (HCC, 1994). These Survey Sheets ensured that the 23 Landscape Character Area descriptions and aspects such as landform, field patterns, geology and strategies had been drafted, they were read by the species were recorded, as well as features and trends ecological consultants, who provided amendments that appeared to be threatening the landscape. A and additions. digital photograph accompanied each survey sheet. The results of Stage 3 are shown in Chapter Four of These surveys also prompted ideas about how the the main document. landscape and built form could be improved, and thus provided input into the ultimate Landscape Strategies Stage 4. Stakeholder Participation and Built Form Strategies for each Landscape Following the drafting of the Landscape Type and Character Area. Landscape Character Area boundaries and the writing By the end of this stage, the boundaries of the draft of the Key Characteristics and Strategies, a period of Landscape Types had been finalised (subject to consultation commenced. This aimed to test the stakeholder consultation) and the draft Landscape professional judgements made in formulating the Character Area boundaries had been confirmed with character assessment; to provide additional more conviction. information that is more readily available from local people and to raise public awareness of the 2.2 Landscape Character Areas assessment and landscape. A second stage to the Site Survey was carried out, The process began with an evening workshop held in once the Landscape Types had been finalised. By Winchester with invited parish councils, councillors, using the boundaries of the proposed Landscape amenity groups, residents groups, adjacent district Types and revisiting the desk study findings, the councils, government agencies and Winchester City boundaries of the draft Landscape Character Areas Council officers. This provided a central location for all were then refined. Where possible, these boundaries interested parties to meet. By just holding one coincided with those of the Landscape Types although meeting, it also meant that there was a good in some instances, for example where the visual concentration of attendees to debate the issues, with envelope of a river valley formed its Landscape over 35 people attending in total. The workshop Character Area boundary, this was not always enabled Winchester City Council to provide a possible. presentation of the work that had been carried out to A second round of site surveys was then undertaken date and explain why the assessment was being to finalise the Landscape Character Area Boundaries. carried out. This work was divided between two landscape architects, who undertook the survey work on half of the 23 Landscape Character Areas each. This part of the survey involved driving through each selected Landscape Character Area, stopping at least 3 times to record its perceptual qualities and characteristic features (Survey Sheet is shown in Appendix 2). In particular, patterns in settlement distribution and form were noted, and the accuracy of proposed boundaries checked. 2.3 Integrated Field Survey In conjunction with these field surveys, the landscape architects spent two days with the ecological and Stakeholder Workshop, Winchester, July 2002 archaeological consultants, who had commenced Participants were then divided into five groups, each their own desk studies. This enabled them to be given with a facilitator. Each group discussed four or five of a guided tour of the district, highlighting the draft the different Landscape Character Areas, which were Landscape Types and Landscape Character Areas. It relevant to their area. This enabled the stakeholders also enabled all of the professionals to discuss and to consider the names and boundaries of the clarify important issues. For further details on the Landscape Character Areas and Landscape Types that archaeologist’s methodology see Appendix Four. had been proposed, as well as the providing their own thoughts on the character of the landscape and its Stage 3. Making Judgements future. For each character area, the groups were Once the draft Landscape Types and Landscape asked: Character Areas had been finalised (prior to G What features do you think are distinctive of the stakeholder consultation) it was possible to define area? what the Key Characteristics of each area were and to Landscape Character Assessment Appendix One 2 Winchester City Council G What features of the area need shown in the previous Winchester Landscape improving/protecting? Assessment. However given that the whole of the AONB area was excluded from that document, the G How would you like to see the landscape improved remaining assessment was generally more detailed. over the next 20 years? Given the scope of this