JCA No. 35 - Lancashire Valleys
Overall comments (note 1)
There are some opportunities to accommodate biomass crops in lower-lying and more westerly, flatter and less built-up parts of this urbanised and complex character area, particularly where it grades into the Lancashire and Amounderness Plain.
| Generic landscape characteristics (note 2) | Key landscape characteristics (note 3) | Potential effects (PA, N, PB) (note 4) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRC | Miscanthus | ||
| Topography (note 5) | The visually contained valleys of the River Calder and its tributaries is mainly urban in character. It lies within a broad trough underlain by coal measures, which provided the basis of for early industrialisation. |
PB/N - Low-lying non-built areas of the broad valley are potentially able to accommodate some SRC, but steeper valley slopes should be avoided. |
N – Opportunities for Miscanthus are likely to be very limited in more sloping upper parts of the valley, but lower broader and more rural areas to the west may have some potential. |
| Woodland (note 6) | Small, often ancient, woodlands of oak, alder and sycamore extend along narrow, steep-sided cloughs on the valley sides, for example at Priestley Clough and Spurn Clough and in the Darwen valley. |
PA - SRC monoculture would be unsuitable for the terrain and would be of a very different scale and texture to small clough woodlands |
PA - Miscanthus would be unsuitable for the terrain, and there would be no benefit |
There are also small areas of woodland and scrub associated with abandoned industrial land. New tree planting is increasing through the Elwood initiative. |
PB - SRC has some potential to be accommodated into the fragmented and complex land use patterns associated with regenerated woodland. Some unused industrial land may also be suitable for SRC. |
N – Disturbed former industrial land is likely to be unsuitable for Miscanthus |
|
| Boundary features (note 7) | Field boundaries are regular to the west and irregular to the east, but are generally degraded around urban areas. |
N - Lower-lying western areas with regular fields and hedges have most potential for SRC, with opportunities for enhancement and mitigation through hedge restoration and tree planting. Avoid higher areas with stone walls. |
N - Lower-lying western areas with regular fields and hedges have most potential for Miscanthus, with opportunities for enhancement and mitigation through hedge restoration and tree planting. Avoid higher areas with stone walls. |
| Agriculture (note 8) | There are remnants of agricultural land, fragmented by industry and scattered development. Most agricultural land is pasture. |
N/PB - SRC has some potential to be absorbed into urban fringe farmland with complex land use patterns and remnant hedges, but would be out of place in wider open pastoral landscape. |
N - Introduction of Miscanthus into areas of open pastoral landscape would result in some change of character. |
| Settlement and development (note 9) | The area has an intensely urban character, and numerous communication routes, including the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the M65 motorway, run along the valleys. Areas of former quarrying and mining have largely been reclaimed . |
PB - The degraded and fragmented land use patterns could accommodate some SRC planting, with some benefits from intermittent screening. |
N – The degraded and fragmented land use patterns could accommodate some Miscanthus planting, with some benefits from intermittent screening. |
| Semi-natural habitats (note 10) | There are areas of acid and neutral grassland, flushes and mires. |
PA - Avoid semi-natural habitats |
PA - Avoid semi-natural habitats |
| Historic features (note 11) | Numerous large country houses with associated parklands occur, particularly on the northern valley sides. There is a strong industrial heritage associated with the textile industry, and mill buildings, mill lodges and ponds are common |
PA - Biomass crops should not be planted where they would have an adverse impact on historic landscape character. |
PA - Biomass crops should not be planted where they would have an adverse impact on historic landscape character. |
| Rivers and coasts (note 12) | The broad valley of the river Calder and its tributaries runs north-east to south-west between the backdrops of Pendle Hill and the southern Pennines. |
N/PB - Where not built-up there could be opportunities for SRC |
N/PB - Where not built-up there could be limited opportunities for Miscanthus |
| Views and inter-visibity (note 13) | There are views across valleys and to and from hills, but interrupted views and enclosure in towns are also common. |
N – Views from major transport routes would need to be considered. |
N – Views from major transport routes would need to be considered. |
The information contained in the above table and accompanying footnotes has been produced by Natural England, on behalf of Defra, to assess opportunities and optimum sitings of energy crops
1. Overall comments
This section summarises the key characteristics of the JCA and the potential impacts and issues concerned with energy crop planting. It aims to provide an overall indication of the suitability for biomass crop establishment. In JCAs where the physical characteristics are so extreme that it is unlikely that land managers will want to plant biomass crops this is generally noted.
2. Generic landscape characteristics
The headings are based on those used in Natural England’s Countryside Quality Counts (CQC) project, with the addition of ‘topography’ and ‘views and inter-visibility’. They provide a way of breaking down the physical and visual qualities that help to make up the landscape. The potential impacts of energy crops have been assessed against this common framework.
3. Key landscape characteristics
This section aims to highlight for each of the generic categories, the specific landscape features and characteristics within each JCA that may be relevant to the growing of energy crops
4. Potential effects
This section summarises the main potential effects of SRC and miscanthus on each of the key landscape characteristics and features. In making the assessment we considered both the presence or absence of crops, and the the effects of scale and pattern in the landscape. Where the impacts are likely to differ between SRC and miscanthus this has been noted. Although it is very difficult to estimate impacts at such a general level we have attempted to assess whether the landscape impact could be beneficial, neutral or adverse, as follows:
- PB - Potentially beneficial
- N - Neutral
- PA - Potentially adverse
5. Topography
Topography, or landform, is often one of the main influences on landscape character, particularly in hilly or upland areas. We have summarised the overall topography of each area, together with an explanation of any specific or exceptional areas or major landform types. Topography will influence how obtrusive energy crops might be in some areas, or how they might fit in well in others.
6. Woodland
This covers all types of woodland, from ancient and semi-natural woodlands to commercial plantations, and includes broadleaved, conifer and mixed woodlands. As well as woodland type, we are interested in the pattern and scale of woodlands and how woodland cover varies across the JCA. In some areas there are close associations between specific types of woodland and particular landforms. Issues of concern include how biomass crops might contribute to or impact on local patterns of woodland cover, and what layouts or scale might be appropriate.
7. Boundary features
These include all forms of traditional boundaries, including hedgerows, stone walls and ditches. We are also interested in field patterns, particularly where these are of historic importance or are distinctive to the area. Issues considered included whether the establishment, growth or harvesting of energy crops could have an impact on traditional and valuable boundaries, either through direct damage (eg to allow access for farm machinery) or by obscuring or affecting the integrity of existing field patterns.
8. Agriculture
Agriculture includes arable, pasture (livestock), horticulture and mixed farming. In areas that are already intensively cropped, energy crops are likely to be less of an issue, and the impacts could be beneficial or neutral depending on scale. Adverse impacts are more likely in pastoral areas, particularly in low intensity, unimproved grassland areas. In areas where there is an existing underlying trend from grass to arable, the assessment has taken account of any existing landscape and land management priorities that may exist.
9. Settlement and development.
This covers population centres, roads, other infrastructure and mineral workings. In most cases energy crops are unlikely to have a significant impacts. However, in some cases there may be issues concerning the scale or pattern of planting where this would impact on the character of the local road network, or significantly affect the setting of towns or villages.
10. Semi-natural habitats
In this section we are concerned with the presence or absence, scale, and pattern of semi-natural habitats, other than woodland which is covered under 6. In general, many impacts will only be apparent at the detailed site level, which is outside the scope of this exercise. We have only commented where it is likely that biomass crops would impact on semi-natural habitats that are an integral part of the landscape.
11. Historic features.
Historic features refer not just to visible monuments and remains, but also historic areas such as parks and battlefields. As well as the presence or absence of features, we are interested in their density and pattern of distribution, and whether they are above or below ground. Specific, extensive archaeological or historic landscapes are noted. Issues considered included whether planting would obscure or damage historic sites, or whether it would affect the setting or integrity of a historic site. It is important to note that historic remains are extremely widespread and many have not been fully recorded. At this scale we have only referred to obvious sites and concentrations of sites. More detailed site assessment will normally be necessary.
12. Rivers and coasts
Water plays a key role in determining landform and defining landscape character. Issues of concern include whether energy crops could obscure watercourses or disrupt drainage patterns, and any hydrological and coastal management issues.
13. Views and inter-visibility
In some JCAs, views in, out or across an area are a key characteristic of the landscape. These may be broad, sweeping views or local, intimate ones. A key concern will be whether biomass crops would obscure or otherwise have an impact on the nature of these views.
Page last modified:
15 March, 2007
Page published: 10 December, 2002