CA36: Delabole Plateau Key Landscape Characteristics1 • Elevated, gently undulating plateau underlain by slates, shales and limestone forming backcloth to the coast. • Exposed and open landscape strongly influenced by coastal winds, restricting tree growth and making hedgerow trees adopt sculptured forms. • Cornish hedges with local stone, turf banks and beech hedges. • Pastoral landscape including predominantly improved grassland and limited arable with small areas of • "Culm grassland" (wetland on the Culm measures with Purple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture and Fens) • Areas of Lowland Heathland in the east part of the area. • Settlement thinly dispersed with exception of some small clusters and larger linear settlements of • Camelford and Delabole to the south. • Proliferation of vertical elements in places including windfarms, pylons and masts. • Concentration of commercial development on A39.The western edge of the LCA is with the Pentire Point to Widemouth section of the Cornwall AONB. • The south-western is in the Camel and Allen Valleys AGLV. • The south-eastern tip is within the North Petherwin AGLV. (see map overleaf) 1 Taken from Cornwall Council (2007) Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Landscape Character Study http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20139 (accessed January 2011) Land Use Consultants CA36: Delabole Plateau Land Use Consultants CA36: Delabole Plateau Landscape Sensitivity Assessment for Wind Turbines Criteria Lower sensitivity Higher sensitivity Landform and scale An open, large-scale gently undulating plateau. Valleys are occasional and generally shallow, but narrow. Land cover pattern Mostly simple land cover pattern of large scale fields of improved grassland, pasture and presence of and arable land, coniferous plantations with some lowland heath. The field pattern human scale varies across this LCA, with patches of more ancient long narrow fields with sinuous features boundaries on lower ground, whilst the overall field pattern is more modern, large- scale rectilinear fields. Human scale features include hedgerows and settlements (including farmsteads and churches), and some larger settlements. There is a good transport network across this LCA, including a number of major Tracks/transport roads, particularly in the north. Major routes include the A39, which runs from NE pattern to SW and the A396, which runs through southern parts of the LCA. Other major roads include the B3266, B3314 and the B3263. There are also numerous smaller country roads and farm tracks, including on higher ground - broad verges with a variety of lush wild grasses and wildflowers are characteristic of this area. The LCA description indicates that this area forms an important back drop to the coast (it refers to ‘sweeping skylines forming a backcloth to the coast)’. However, skylines are generally large scale and simple – with some existing built features such Skylines as two wind farms, pylons and the factory at Davidstow/Starapark. Important landmark features include groups of Bronze Age barrows (crowning high ground at Starapark, on the south side of Hendraburnick Downs, Tichbarrow and Otterham Downs, and the ridge overlooking the coastal slope at Tresparrett Downs and Condolden Beacon) and Warbstow Bury Iron Age hillfort and, although not mentioned in the LCA description, Helsbury Castle. The LCA is a landscape with considerable human influence, much of it recent. This Perceptual includes the farmed nature of the landscape, extensive road network, a factory, qualities pylons and two wind farms. There is a general tendency for the western/northern stretches of the LCA (closer to the coast) to be more tranquil than the south- eastern stretches, where there are larger settlements and other associated development. Some parts of the LCA retain a historic rural character. Cornwall Council’s HLC Sensitivity Mapping for wind turbines assesses the HLC types of ‘Medieval Farmland’ which make up over half of the LCA, as of moderate- high vulnerability to wind turbines. Other HLC types which cover large tracts of the Historic landscape LCA are ‘Post-Medieval Farmland’, which is moderately vulnerable to wind character development, and ‘20th Century Farmland (Intakes)’, which has low vulnerability to wind development. There are also some patches of ‘Upland Rough Ground’, which are assessed as having high vulnerability to wind development and small patches of ‘Plantation and Scrub’, which were considered unsuitable for wind energy development and therefore not assessed. Distinctive The LCA description notes the small to medium sized field pattern with Cornish landscape features hedges using local stone, wind turbines, barrows and tumuli, and sculpted beech hedging as distinctive features of the landscape. Most of these would not be affected be wind energy development. Land Use Consultants CA36: Delabole Plateau Criteria Lower sensitivity Higher sensitivity Part of the LCA (northwest edge) is designated as part of the ‘Pentire Point to Widemouth’ section of the Cornwall AONB (38% of the LCA). The scenic qualities of this part of the AONB, which may particularly be affected by wind energy development include the ‘unspoilt’ nature of the cliffs, and the network of narrow lanes and hedges. Bodmin Moor is also located close by. Scenic quality The south-western tips of the LCA are within the Camel and Allen Valleys AGLV. The scenic qualities of this part of the landscape include the ancient woodland, small meadows and wetlands of the Camel and Allen Valleys, parkland landscape around Pencarrow. The south-eastern tip of the LCA is within the North Petherwin AGLV - scenic qualities include the heavily wooded and enclosed character of the valleys. Other parts of the plateau are not designated. Although the coastal part of the ridge forms an important setting to the coast and the LCA contains some historic skyline features (Bronze Age barrows, Warbstow Bury Iron Age hillfort and Helsbury Castle) which could indicate a higher sensitivity to wind energy development, the large scale plateau landform, simple skyline across much of the LCA, large scale simple land cover pattern and presence of human influence lower sensitivity to wind energy development to the extent that overall, this LCA is considered to have low-moderate sensitivity to wind development on Overall sensitivity the plateau (which generally lies outside the AONB) and moderate-high for areas assessment of the plateau closer to the coast and within the AONB. An exception to this is the western branch of the plateau around Delabole which, although within the AONB, is of equivalent sensitivity to the area south-east of the road [NB this is not shown on the mapping because only LCA and AONB boundaries have been using for mapping purposes]. The north-western edge of the ridge directly above Beeny and Rusey Cliffs would be particularly sensitive to wind energy development. Sensitivities to turbine heights Although the scale of the landscape is relatively large, this LCA would be particularly Very small: 18-25m sensitive to turbines at the larger end of the ‘large’ category. Small: 26-60m Medium: 61-99m Large: 100-150m Sensitivities to cluster sizes and Although the landform is relatively large scale, the scale of the undulations and distribution extent of medieval farmland and associated field patterns and human scale features means that this LCA would be particularly sensitive to ‘large’ and ‘very large’ Single turbine clusters of turbines. Small (<5 turbines) Medium (6-10) Large (11-25) Very large (>25) Land Use Consultants CA36: Delabole Plateau Landscape strategy and Guidance for Wind Turbines The landscape strategy is for a landscape with wind energy development on the ridge comprising small or medium clusters of turbines up to the smaller end of the ‘large’ category (including the western branch of the plateau around Delabole within the AONB). Within the remainder of the AONB a landscape without Landscape strategy wind energy development (except for occasional very small scale single turbines linked to existing buildings eg farm buildings).. There may be several wind energy developments in the LCA and the ridge may be perceived as having wind farms visible in different directions that collectively have a strong influence on the character of the landscape. See Annex 2 of the technical report for generic siting and design guidance. In addition, the following siting and design guidance should apply to any wind energy developments within this LCA: • Avoid locating turbines on the undeveloped cliff edge (around Beeny and Rusey Cliffs) and site development back from the plateau edge along the coast to minimise views of turbines from the coastal slopes (CA35). • Ensure wind energy development does not dominate, or prevent the understanding and appreciation of, visible historic landmarks on the skyline, such as Helsbury Castle and Warbstow Bury Camp. • Avoid siting wind turbines within the HLC Type ‘Upland Rough Ground’ - assessed by Cornwall Council as being highly vulnerable. • Consider views from local viewpoints and popular routes (e.g. the South West Coastal Path and Bodmin Moor) when considering the siting and design of wind energy development in the landscape – if development will be visible, aim for a balanced composition. Siting Guidance • Ensure wind energy development does not adversely affect the medium sized field pattern, Cornish hedges using local stone, barrows and tumuli, or sculpted beech hedging as distinctive features of the landscape. • There is AONB on either side of this LCA – it will be particularly important to protect the factors which contribute to the scenic quality of these parts of the Cornwall AONB, particularly the ‘unspoilt’ nature of the cliffs, and the network of narrow lanes and hedges on the coast and the sense of remoteness of Bodmin Moor – ensure choice of site and scale of development does not detract from these. • Protect the ancient woodland, small meadows, wetlands and parkland landscape around Pencarrow in the Camel and Allen Valleys AGLV. • Protect the heavily wooded and enclosed character of the valleys of the North Petherwin AGLV. • Considering the cumulative impact of further development will be a key issues in this LCA.