JCA No. 108 - Upper Thames Clay Vales
Overall comments (note 1)
The area consists of two distinct parallel broad belts of gently undulating farmland & valley floodplains that starts west of Swindon through to Aylesbury in the east, drained by a dense network of rivers & streams. The area contains a variety of open landscapes, providing long sometimes uninterrupted views. The nature of Miscanthus & Short Rotation Coppice(SRC) would introduce a vertical element into an otherwise relatively open landscape which has only 3% woodland cover. This could potentially result in high visual impacts. SRC would be more appropriately located near existing woodland in the vales, situated on higher ground or adjacent to settlements or otherwise alongside willow stands & river courses on the floodplains. Miscanthus is more suitable for replacing annual arable crops in the lowland vales.
| Generic landscape characteristics (note 2) | Key landscape characteristics (note 3) | Potential effects (PA, N, PB) (note 4) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRC | Miscanthus | ||
| Topography (note 5) | Broad belt of open, flat to gently undulating lowland farmland & major river valley floodplains. All on clay soils bounded by limestone to north & south. Flatter vales in west, rising in east to vales, ridges & minor hills. |
PA – Avoid planting on open upper vales, particularly in north. PB – Opportunities on higher ground & alongside river courses on the floodplains. |
PA – Avoid planting on open upper vales, particularly in north. PB – Opportunities on lower ground in vales & floodplains. |
| Woodland (note 6) | Generally scarce, limited to higher/drier gravel terraces around settlements. Occasional shelterbelts & small blocks of woodland contain conifers. In south, mature field oaks provide a parkland feel. |
N/PA – Limited potential due to low woodland cover. PB – Limited SRC may be introduced around existing woodland in vales on higher ground, around settlements or adjacent to river courses. Avoid historic parkland areas. |
N/PA – Limited potential due to low woodland cover. PB – Limited Miscanthus may be introduced around small woodland blocks & willow stands in lower vales & floodplains. Avoid historic parkland areas. |
| Boundary features (note 7) | Regular, geometric & well-ordered medium to large field pattern in valley bottoms creates the ‘planned’ countryside of 18thC enclosure of the vales. Field sizes are smaller around villages. Overall |
PB – Mature hedged areas will help to assimilate SRC into landscape. Maintain regular field patterns with new planting. Avoid boundary removal, field enlargement & historic small field patterns around villages. |
PB – Mature hedged areas will help to assimilate Miscanthus into landscape. Maintain regular field patterns with new planting. Avoid boundary removal, field enlargement & historic small field patterns around villages. |
| Agriculture (note 8) | Northern vales are pastoral (improved grassland) with stock rearing. In south, mixed farming with some dairying & arable. Arable farmland increasing on open, higher gravel terraces & in south-east of vales. Orchards characteristic of east on rising ground. |
PB – Potential to be integrated at appropriate scale to replace improved grassland. PA - Avoid open vales & orchards. |
PB – Potential to be integrated at appropriate scale into mixed farming, particularly arable areas. PA - Avoid open vales & orchards. |
| Settlement and development (note 9) | Mainly brick-built buildings with plain tile roofs from local clay quarries & brickworks. Localised stone buildings with use of ‘wichert’ & ‘clunch’ in southern vales. Settlements, villages & scattered farmsteads on rising land at edge of vales, on gravel terraces & along spring line north of Chilterns escarpment. |
PB – Limited SRC may be introduced adjacent to existing woodland around settlements. Avoid planting where the setting of locally distinct settlements would be adversely affected. |
PA - Avoid planting where the setting of locally distinct settlements would be adversely affected. |
| Semi-natural habitats (note 10) | Unimproved hay meadows on drier areas & wet meadows along river terraces. Network of rivers & streams including Upper Thames tributaries and significant open water areas in west with willow fringes & willow pollards. |
PA – Avoid planting on semi-natural habitats particularly unimproved grassland, wet meadows & adjacent to wetlands. |
PA – Avoid planting on semi-natural habitats particularly unimproved grassland, wet meadows & adjacent to wetlands. |
| Historic features (note 11) | Historic landscape of Otmoor with chequerboard patchwork of small fields(pasture & arable) bounded by bushy hedges & devoid of settlement. |
PA – Avoid archaeological sites, designed landscapes & their settings. Respect historic landscape character. |
PA – Avoid archaeological sites, designed landscapes & their settings. Respect historic landscape character. |
| Rivers and coasts (note 12) | Gravel workings & flooded pits provide water features in floodplain & valley bottoms. Mature willow stands, willow pollards, black poplar trees & reedbeds mark lines of watercourses. |
PB – Opportunities exist alongside river courses & in valley floodplains. |
PB – Opportunities exist alongside river courses & in valley floodplains. |
| Views and inter-visibity (note 13) | Long views within vales, contained by limestone ridges to north, south & mid-vale. Predominantly open, interrupted by man-made features such as power stations & transmission lines. |
N – Respect visual landscape character & link to new development/ man-made features. PA – Avoid planting to interrupt long views & around known viewpoints. |
N – Respect visual landscape character & link to new development/ man-made features. PA – Avoid planting to interrupt long views & around known viewpoints. |
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:
19 March, 2007
Page published: 10 December, 2002