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