Natural Beauty and Special Qualities Planning in a Designated - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Natural Beauty and Special Qualities Planning in a Designated Landscape 25 January 2019

AONB

Presentation Structure • Natural Beauty and Special Qualities • How to ensure appropriate change • Pitfalls and checklist

Definitions Image: Mike Page

Natural Beauty • No statutory definition • Inc. scenery, flora, fauna, geological /physiographical features and cultural heritage • Natural England Guidance March 2011

Factors which Contribute to NB • Landscape Quality • Scenic Quality • Relative Wildness • Relative Tranquillity • Natural Heritage Features • Cultural Heritage Features

Special Qualities Definition ‘aspects which make an area distinctive/valuable particularly at a national scale ’ (NE Guidance para 8.13)

Special Qualities of DV • Iconic lowland river valley associated with Constable ; • Historic villages – vernacular & prominent churches ; • Valley bottom grazing marshes , ditches and wildlife; • Stour with associated tributaries, meres and river features; • Semi natural ancient woodlands on valley sides; • Traditional field boundaries intact and well managed; • Apparent and buried archaeology ; • A sense of relative tranquillity ; • Long distance views from higher ground & large skies .

Special Qualities of SC&H • Repetitive pattern of east-west rivers and estuaries ; • Uncluttered simple coastline ; • Sandling hinterland of forest, heath and farmland; • Juxtaposition of elements, colours and textures ; • Geomorphological features and dynamic processes; • Contrasts of openness and enclosure ; • Large scale built elements forming isolated landmarks ; • A sense of relative tranquillity ; • Large open skies and extensive views.

Special Qualities of SC&H • Health and Wellbeing • Community • Economy • Eco-system Goods and Services

Assessing Effects

Assessing Effects • Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) or Landscape Visual Appraisal (LVAs)

LVIA and Scale ‘Degree to which criteria and factors used to support designation are represented in a study area’ (GLVIA para 5.23) ‘Value of a local area many be different from formal designation’ (GLVIA para 5.24)

Information on SQ • Management Plans and supporting docs • LCAs • Sensitivity assessments • Neighbourhood Plans

Dedham Vale LCAs

Suffolk LCA/Guidance

SC&H LCAs

SC&H LCAs

SC&H LCAs

Sensitivity Studies

Neighbourhood Plan

Conserving Special Qualities

Considerations • Design iteration • Appropriate mitigation • Compensation • Net environmental gain

Good Design and Fit • Scale, mass, colour, materials • Location and extent • Juxtaposition and composition • Perceptions • Secondary effects – erosion, tranquillity, signage

Change and SQ

Change and SQ • Lowland River Valley - legibility • Conversion of pasture to arable • Planting on valley floor • New woodland blocking key views • Visually conspicuous development onto valley floor • Decline in heath and acid grassland

Change and SQ • Intact Settlement Pattern/Historic Villages • Loss of village form / relationship to landscape • Incremental development along lanes • Replacement dwellings • Valued views into and out of settlement • Alterations to gateways • Building orientation and position

Issues • Subtlety of character • Detailing • Patterns • Experiential qualities

Enhancing Special Qualities

Enhancement • Good design (responding to place) • Onsite mitigation (appropriate to character) • Off site mitigation (working at landscape scale) • Enabling conservation benefits • Access and enjoyment • Removal of incongruous features

Pitfalls and Checklist

Pitfalls • Special qualities are unaffected • Small part of AONB, character area, settlement is changed and does not matter • Existing detracting features increase acceptability of scheme • Characteristic elements have been added - but are they in the right place?

Checklist • Conserve and Enhance • Special qualities at different scales • Pattern and relationship • Reflecting subtle details • Cumulative changes

af@alisonfarmer.co.uk 01223 461444