JCA No. 134 - Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase
Overall comments (note 1)
A rolling chalk landscape with dramatic scarps and intricate steep-sided sheltered combes and valleys. About The landscape is nationally important with much of the area lying within the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) or the Dorset AONB.
Energy crops would be very visible and would fragment the open rolling landscape of the downland. SRC, in particular, may be appropriate at the field scale within the varied farm landscape of Cranborne Chase and on lower valley slopes.
| Generic landscape characteristics (note 2) | Key landscape characteristics (note 3) | Potential effects (PA, N, PB) (note 4) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRC | Miscanthus | ||
| Topography (note 5) | A rolling chalk landscape with dramatic scarps and intricate steep-sided sheltered combes and valleys. |
N – Impractical on steep scarp slopes. |
N – Impractical on steep scarp slopes. |
| Woodland (note 6) | Cranbourne Chase has extensive woodland cover: ancient woodlands, plantations, shelterbelts, clumps and copses containing ancient hazel coppice. |
Impractical to plant on steep valley sides but potential for plantations on the lower hillside slopes. |
N – Impractical to plant on steep valley sides but potential for plantations on the lower hillside slopes in mixed farmland areas. |
The dip slope is generally devoid of trees, hedges are low and sparse with few hedgerow trees. Shelterbelts and small plantations of beech, ash, oak and sycamore near farms. Also hill top beech copses. |
PA - Would be very visible and alter the appearance of the open rolling arable landscape. |
PA – Would alter the appearance and be very visible in this very open rolling arable landscape. |
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| Boundary features (note 7) | Low, sparse and narrow, straight hawthorn Parliamentary enclosure hedges on the dip-slope. |
PA – Large plantations would overlie and obscure field patterns, especially where weakly defined by sparse hedgerows or fences. |
PA - Large plantations would overlie and obscure field patterns, especially where weakly defined by sparse hedgerows or fences. |
Hedgebanks enclose ancient routes up the scarp. |
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Small scale patchwork of fields with thick hedgerows with hedgerow trees in the valleys. |
PA – Large plantations would overlie the small scale fields in the valleys. |
PA - Large plantations would overlie the small scale fields in the valleys. |
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| Agriculture (note 8) | Open, large-scale patchwork of mainly arable downland on the dip-slope. |
PA – Would change the character of an intensely arable with limited woodland. |
N/PA - Accommodate at the field scale into the arable landscape although care would be needed not to fragment this landscape and the ideal is to restore the downland to large-scale rolling chalk grassland . |
Rough grazing on steeper scarp and valley slopes with improved pasture and arable crops on less steep land. |
PB - Accommodate at the field scale into the mixed farming landscape in the Chase and on lower valley slopes. |
N – Accommodate at the field scale into the varied farming landscape in the Chase and on lower valley slopes. |
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Small scale patchwork of pasture fields on the valley floor. |
PA – Would change the character of the valleys. |
PA – Would change the character of the valleys. |
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| Settlement and development (note 9) | Isolated farmsteads are linked by ancient lanes on the Downs. |
PA - Movement of harvesting equipment could be difficult on narrow lanes. |
PA – Movement of harvesting equipment could be difficult on narrow lanes. |
Linear villages are found in the sheltered valleys and ancient settlements cluster at the foot of the scarp along the spring line. |
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Blandford Forum and Dorchester are the only towns in this area. |
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| Semi-natural habitats (note 10) | Unimproved chalk grassland on scarp slopes. |
PA – Where it would result in the loss of semi-natural habitat or visually impact on the character of the existing woodland in the landscape. |
PA – Where it would result in the loss of semi-natural habitat or visually impact on the character of the existing woodland in the landscape. |
Ancient deciduous woodland of Cranbourne Chase. |
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| Historic features (note 11) | Features on the scarp include hill forts and round barrows; chalk cut figures such as the Cerne Abbas Giant; ditch and bank earthworks; cross-ridge dykes; and strip lynchets close to medieval villages. |
PA - Avoid these and other known historic features and retain their setting in the landscape. |
PA - Avoid these and other known historic features and retain their setting in the landscape. |
Parklands with parkland trees and avenues occur in the valleys. |
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The dip slope includes remnants of medieval hunting ground and wood pasture at Cranborne Chase; parkland trees and avenues of limes and chestnuts; and the roman road between Old Sarum and Badbury Rings. |
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| Rivers and coasts (note 12) | Clear fast flowing chalk rivers and streams cut through the scarp in steep valleys. |
PA - Would change the pastoral character of the valley floors. |
PA - Would change the pastoral character of the valley floors. |
The three rivers vary in character; the enclosed deeply incised valleys of the Frome, V-shaped valley of the Piddle and wide flood plain of the Stour. |
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Water meadows, cress beds and wet pastures are found in the wider valleys where willows and poplars are common. |
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| Views and inter-visibity (note 13) | Spectacular views over the chalk landscape from the top of the scarp slopes and its outliers such as Win Green and Fontmell Down. |
N/PB - On the lower hillside slopes and within the more enclosed and varied Chase landscape. |
N – Accommodate at the field scale into the varied farming landscape in the Chase and on lower valley slopes. |
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: 11 May 2007
Page published: 11 May 2007