Post on 27-Jun-2020
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall
CONTENTS
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall1
1 Contents2 Consultation3 Aims4 Introduction5 Map6 Geology and History7-9 High Hills and Slopes10 -12 Principal Wooded Hills13 -16 Principal Timbered Farmland16 Bibliography17-18 Landscape Pictures
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall2
consultationThe Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall has been produced by a group of residents using Herefordshire Council Landscape Character Assessment Supplementary Planning Document for guidance.
ConsultationwithintheParishincludedthepublicationofarticlesintheParishCouncilNewsletterandParishMagazine.Questionnaireswereproduced for both locals and visitors attendingtheannualVillageFete.AweeklongexhibitionwasheldattheVillageLibraryandawebsitecreatedtoincludedocumentation,photosandquestionnairescreatedforthisproject.
ParishLandownersandVillageSocietiesreceived1stDraftCopiesforconsultationandtheirwrittencomments,togetherwiththefollowing:
- Colwall Parish Council
- Herefordshire Council Community Led Planning Landscape and Biodiversity Planning Policy Team
- Natural England
- CouncilforthePreservationofRuralEngland[CPRE]
- Malvern Hills Conservators
- Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty[AONB]
- Bird Survey Group
- Local Councillors of Herefordshire Council
- Local Member of Parliament
Theconsultationtookplaceduring2010/2011.
The land elements of this document were endorsed by Herefordshire Council in September 2012.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall3
aims
Toinfluencepotentialchangesin landuseinaconstructiveway.
To prevent erosion of the character of the area.
Toenforcethedistinctivelocal character.
TocomplementtheVillageDesignStatement and Parish PlanAll three documents to be at the heart of local planning.
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Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall4
INTRODUCTIONThe Parish of Colwall is on the eastern fringeofHerefordshire,sittingunderthe slopes of the Malvern Hills. Its populationmakesitoneofthelargestvillagesinHerefordshire,yetitscharacter ensures that the density of itspopulationislow.Thehousesaremainlyscatteredalongandradiateoutfromthemainroad-WalwynRoad,whichrunsfromtheWycheCuttingthrough the Malvern Hills in a south-westerndirection.Surroundingthebuiltupareasistheagriculturallandscape,which is both pastoral and arable. This land is crossed by approximately 50
kilometresoffootpaths,whilethemainHereford to Worcester railway line cuts diagonally through the Parish roughly followingWalwynRoad.
The Herefordshire Council Landscape Character Assessment has divided the landscape of the Parish of Colwall into 3distinctlandscapetypes-HighHillsandSlopes,PrincipalWoodedHillsandPrincipal Timbered Farmlands. This documentaimstogivealocalflavourtothesedesignations.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall5
map
Key
High Hills and Slopes
Principal Wooded Hills
Principal Timbered Farmland
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall6
geologyColwall’sdramaticlandscapeisshapedby geology. The igneous pre-Cambrian rocks of the Malvern ridge form the eastern boundary of the parish and the Silurian limestone of Oyster Hill forms the western boundary. In between other Silurian ridges run North-South. Pressure from the South-East forced Colwall’smostprominentfeature,theHerefordshireBeacon,outofthemainridge and caused one of the Silurian ridges,Chance’sPitch,torunEast-West.The pressure was also responsible fortheColwallfault,whichrunsNorth-WestfromGardiner’sQuarry,disruptingtheNorth-Southlinesofthe
ridges. The red-brown and dark green pre-Cambrianstones,aswellasthegreylimestone,areevidentintheolderbuildings in the parish.
Another feature is the broad Mathon river valley formed by the river that drained the West Midlands before thelastIceAge,whentheicebroughtdown the sand and gravel not found elsewhere in Colwall.
The various hills and ridges give the parish of Colwall many excellent view linesand,consequently,adistinctiveand unique character greatly valued by parishioners and visitors alike.
historyThemajorIronAgesettlementonBritishCampledtotheintensiveexploitationofsouthernColwallforovertwothousandyears.Incontrast,northern Colwall has been developed much more recently. South Colwall had four medieval manors and their settlements,apoly-nuclearpatterntypicalofbordercounties.Thepatternisstillevidenttoday.Twosettlementsdisappeared with the Black Death andwerereplacedinTudortimesbysettlementsinEvendineandColwallGreen.Bytheseventeenthcentury,larger estates began to form and their parklandsstillformanimportantpartofthelandscape.Alittlelater,hopsandfruitweregrown,especiallyinthe West around the Mathon river
valley. The arrival of the railway saw thedevelopmentofleisurefacilities(cricket,tennis,golf,horseracing,especially,walking)whichconsiderablymodifiedthelandscape;eventuallythecentreofpopulationmovedtothevicinityofthestationinNorth-EastColwall. The built areas expanded and otherhouseswerebuilt,ofteninstyleswhichjarredwithwhatwasalreadythere,anexceptionbeingtheArtsandCraftsstylebuildingsontheWestfacingslope of the Malvern ridge. The hops have disappeared and the orchards havedeclined.Thetwentiethcenturythen saw a brief spell of dairy farming before we arrived at the agricultural mix of today.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall7
HIGH HILLS AND SLOPESKey Characteristics
Primary - prominent area of highland topography with notable steep slopes - unsettledlandscapewithonlyafewsignsofhabitation - extensive area of acid grassland - openandexposed,withpanoramicviews - an unenclosed landscape
Secondary - rough grazing - sparsely wooded
character descriptionThese are areas of unenclosed high land,characterisedbysteeplyslopingtopography and extensive tracts of roughgrassland.InColwall,ontheeasternBoundaryofHerefordshire,thisdistinctiveLandscapeTypeisrestrictedto the summits and upper slopes of the Malvern Hills. The landscape’s unique qualitiesembraceaninvigoratingopenandexposedspatialcharacterwith large scale views and provides a contrast with the surrounding more gentle enclosed agricultural landscapes to the West.
This area is owned and managed by the corporate body of Malvern HillsConservators,whoarechargedand constrained by various Acts of Parliamentto“preserveforthebenefitof the public all the natural aspects andfeaturesoftheMalvernHills,topreventencroachment,tokeepthelandopenandnotbuiltupon,toproviderecreationalfacilitiesinthe
interests of social welfare for the public benefitandtoprotecttherightsofthe commoners.” The whole area is designated an Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty(AONB)and90%oftheareaisaSiteofSpecialScientificInterest(SSSI).
The landscape owes its character primarilytoacombinationofitsphysical structure and its past management. Historically the areas have been largely open expanses of unenclosed common used for rough grazing.Today,thereductioningrazinghas resulted in a much greater diversity ofvegetation,suchasbracken,scruband secondary woodland that are gradually encroaching on the lower slopes. (Although the bracken provides anidealenvironmentforbluebells,whosedramaticdisplayattractsvisitorsfarandwideeachSpring.)Thesteeptopography has discouraged road buildingandsettlement.Consequently,
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall8
thisareaisborderedbyroads,ratherthan crossed by them. The sparse settlementthatdoesexistisassociatedwith the occasional road and is a site
settlement patternThisisamainlyunsettledlandscapein which any further development would be inappropriate. The coherent character of this landscape should be conserved by refusing new build
development and other urban influencessuchasstreetfurnitureandlighting.(RefertoMHAONBGuidanceonHighwayDesign)
ENCLOSURE PATTERN
Thisisanunenclosedlandscape,traditionallyanareaofopencommonland.Fences,hedgesorothermethodsof enclosure are not appropriate here
although temporary fencing may occasionally be necessary to control grazing.
WOODLAND OR TREE COVER PATTERN
The character of this landscape depends on its open grassland. Trees arenotamajorpartofthischaracterandtheintroductionofmorewoodland
would therefore be contrary to the inherent landscape character and are likely to restrict the large scale views currentlyenjoyedbyvisitors.
FORCES FOR LANDSCAPE CHANGE
The landscape character of High Hills and Slopes is dependent on the management of open grazing. Traditionally,thestockinglevelswouldhavebeensufficienttokeepextensive scrub encroachment at bay,somaintainingthedistinctiveexposed character and producing a close,botanicallyvaluableswardintheprocess.Inrecentyearsasignificantreductioninstockinglevelshasresultedinthedramaticincreaseofscrub,bracken and secondary woodland and the consequent decrease of open grassland. The approach adopted by
the Malvern Hills Conservators has been to accept a degree of scrub and woodlandcover,particularlyonthelowerslopes,butmaintainrigorousbracken and scrub control on the higher land.
Since the landscape character is dependent on open rough grassland,thiscouldrapidlybecomecompromised by erosion from increasing visitor pressure and the effectsofclimatechangeontheecology. Future management should recognize the impact that these will have on the landscape character.
specificfeatureratherthanacharacterattributethataffectsthelandscapeasawhole.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall9
MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION
The overall management strategy should primarily be one of Protect,togetherwithan element of Manage and Plan.
Protect and Manage Plan
Protect all remaining areas of semi-natural grassland.
Manage areas of former grassland whilst acknowledging the need to retain other habitats of importance for endangered species.Tothisend,maintaintheupperslopes as grassland and allow a mosaic of grassland dominant scrub habitats to establish the lower slopes together with areas of English Bluebells.
Manageexistingfootpathsbyusingvisuallysensitive,appropriatemethodsin order to control visitor pressure and protectadjacentgrassland.
Protect and Manage the coherent landscape character for its own sake and improve degraded areas.
Enhancethenatureconservationofthe whole area through appropriate sustainablemanagement,withparticularemphasis placed on restoring grazing at thenecessarystockingdensities.
RefertoMalvernHillsConservatorsManagement Plan 2009/12.
RefertoMalvernHillsAONBGuidanceon Highway Design.
RefertoMalvernHillsAONBLandscapeCharacter Assessment SPG 2004 – updated 2009 and Malvern Hills AONB Landscape Strategy and Guidelines.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall10
PRINCIPAL WOODED HILLSKey Characteristics
Primary - Variedoftensteeplyslopingtopography - Woodedcharactermadeupofpredominatelybroadleavedwoodlands,oftenofancientorigin
Secondary - Wooded land use with occasional pasture - Hedgesdefinefieldboundaries - Linkedwoodlandpattern - Medium-framed views - Scatteredsettlementpattern
character descriptionThe parts of the Colwall parish that fall into this landscape category have the typicalslopingorsteeplyundulatingtopography between higher hill tops andlowersettlementfarmland.Thisresults in a strong sense that the village is encased by the Malvern Hills to the North and East and Oyster Hill to the West. The woodlands are large and irregularly shaped and typically of long standingcharacter.Incombinationwith wooded streamlines they form aninterlockingpatternoftreecover.The steepness of slopes has tended toinhibitsignificantclearanceforagricultural use in the past.
AnexceptionisintheextremeSouthof the parish where the slope is less severe and clearance has resulted in morepastoralfields.Thepresenceof strong hedge lines with a good representationofhedgerowtreescontributes to the visual integrity of the landscape. Both the wooded hill landscapes on the Malvern and OysterHillsaresparselysettledwiththeexceptionoftheareaaroundtheWycheCutting.Woodlandremainsthedominantlandcover,theancientsemi-natural status of the woodlands rendering them to be a very important natureconservationasset.
settlement patternThis is mostly a landscape with a scatteredsettlementpatternofoccasional dwellings which were traditionallysmallforestryworkerscottages.Therearealsoanumberlargehousesstandinginextensivegrounds,
particularlyalongJubileeDriveonthewestern slopes of the Malvern Hills and also on the eastern slopes of Oyster Hill.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall11
enclosure pattern
Theenclosurepatternisacompositionofirregularlyshapedpastoralfields
WOODLAND OR TREE COVER PATTERN
It is assessed that more than half of this landscape type is under tree cover.Thewoodlands,oftenofsemi-naturalcharacter,areofnative
deciduous species with a mixed age structure linked to each other and the surrounding landscape by well treed hedgerows.
FORCES FOR LANDSCAPE CHANGE
Thedistinctivecharacterofthesurrounding wooded hills is highly visible from most of the village of Colwall and its visible integrity is of paramountimportance.Riskstothislandscape are any further inappropriate developments within privately owned landandsignificantchangestoforestry
oragriculturalpractices.Anychangesto woodland cover should respect thehistoricalsignificanceoftheoldpatternsofwoodlandclearanceandensuretheconservationofthesepatternsalongwithoriginalfieldboundary hedges.
MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION
The aim of future management of the Principal Wooded Hills in Colwall parish should be to retain the proportionofwoodlandandirregularlyshapedpastoralfields.Emphasisshould be placed on restoring the ancient semi-natural character of the woodland cover. It is also important thattheoverallinterlockingpatternofwoodlandandfieldscontinuesto be supported by hedgerows and streamside trees. It is recommended that new large roofed buildings and
alsoinfillingofopenspaceswithinthevillageshouldbediscouraged,asspecifiedintheBuildingGuidelinesandPatternofDevelopmentinColwallVillageDesignStatement.Thiswillavoidadverselyaffectingtheopengreenspacesandprotectingthedistinctiveviewsintoandoutofthevillage.ThethreeaspectsofProtect,Manage and Plan are therefore applicable to the Principal Wooded Hills of Colwall.
boundedbyhedgesandoftenclearedfromtheadjoiningwoodland.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall12
Protect and Manage Plan
Protect and manage the ancient broadleavedwoodlandandexistingopen grazing areas.
Protectthehistoric,irregularpatternoffields.
Inareaswheretheinterlockingpatternofwoodlandisnolongerevident,seekto restore the woodland character and providehabitatconnectivityforthemovementofwildlifethroughadditionalwoodlandplantingandhedgerows.
It is recommended that proposals for new large roofed buildings and also infillingofopenspaceswithinthevillagetakeaccountoftheVillageDesignStatementtoavoidadverselyaffectingthe foreground and framing of long distance views.
Encourage landowners to enhance the wooded character of hedgerows andstreamsbyadditionalspeciesrichplantingand/orregeneration.
Wherepracticable,forestrypracticesshould respect the character of thelandscape,promotetraditionalmanagement techniques (e.g. short rotationcoppicing)andtakeparticularcare when assessing the visual impact of newplantingandfelling.
RefertoMalvernHillsAONBLandscapeCharacter Assessment SPG 2004 – updated2009andtheColwallVillageDesign Statement.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall13
PRINCIPAL TIMBERED FARMLANDS
Key Characteristics
Primary - Hedgerowsdefinefieldboundaries. - Woodedcharacterportrayedbyhedgerowtrees,woodlandandorchards. - Denselyscatteredhedgerowtrees,inparticularoak. - Filtered views between hedgerow trees.
Secondary - Organicenclosurepattern. - Small scale landscapes.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONColwall’s Principal Timbered Farmlands are rolling lowland landscapes fringed by steep-sided hills. They have a small scale,wooded,agriculturalappearancecharacterised in the medium distance byfilteredviewsthroughhedgerowtreesand,inthelongdistance,viewstothesurroundinghills.Thepatternof mainly small and medium sized irregularshapedfieldsandwoodlandscombined with hedgerows and winding lanes contributes to the overall organic character of this landscape. This is particularlynoticeableinColwall,where the outlines are visible from the surrounding hills. A key element of this landscape is the strong unifying presence of tree cover as foundinwoodlands,orchards,fields,hedgerows,andthelineartreecoverassociated with the numerous streams thatflowfromthesurroundinghills.The woodlands are a mixture of ancient semi-natural character and more modernplantings,comprisingmixed
nativebroadleavedspecies,withoakbeingdominant.Visuallydominantmatureoaksareaparticularfeatureofthehedgerows,whicharespeciesrich,complexhabitatssupportingawiderangeoffloraandfaunaaswellas trees. The scale and shape of the woodlandsisalsoimportant,ranginginsizefromsmallfieldcornercopsesto those of about 2 hectares. There is a mixture of arable and permanent pasture,withlargerfieldsonthegraveldeposits along the Cradley brook towards the West of this area. In some areasthefieldsarepartofa“designedlandscape” and are bounded by iron railings.Themainsettlementareaswithin this landscape are Colwall Stone andColwallGreen.Outsidetheseareas,thereisadispersedpatternoflargefarmsandsignificantbuildingsinavariety of local materials.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall14
FORCES FOR LANDSCAPE CHANGEThedistinctivecharacteroftheselandscapesisdeteriorating.Thisisdue primarily to the decline and fragmentationofthetreecoverelements,particularlythehedgerowandfieldtrees.Theagedistributionof hedgerow trees is markedly unbalanced,withthemajorityofspecimensbeingmatureandlittlenewstockornaturalregenerationbeingencouraged to replenish them. Arable land use and the use of wire stock fencingareresultinginlossoffunctionof many hedgerows. In the absence of appropriate management the
hedgerow structure is being eroded. Ploughingclosetofieldtreesisalsoresultingintheirgradualloss.Changesinagriculturalpractice(e.g.largerfields,newcrops,polytunnels)couldalsohaveanoticeablevisualimpact,especially when viewed from the surrounding hills. The older orchards withtheirrichhabitats,whicharenolongercommerciallyproductive,arein danger of being neglected and lost. Development pressure has resulted in new dwellings which do not respect the characteristicsettlementpatternandimpact on the views from the hills.
SETTLEMENT PATTERN
Themainsettlementareaswithinthis landscape are the well populated Colwall Stone and the more rural Colwall Green. These areas are covered inmoredetailintheColwallVillageDesign Statement and the guidelines contained within that document should be followed. Outside the settlementboundariesofColwallStoneandColwallGreen,thelandscape
hasadispersedsettlementpatternof frequent roadside dwellings and farmsteads,setamongstwindinglanes. Development proposals which incorporate groups or clusters of new houses must take account of both theVillageDesignStatementandtheLandscape Character Assessment in order to ensure they are in keeping withtheexistingsettlementpattern.
ENCLOSURE PATTERN
Theexistingenclosurepatternindicatesan unplanned landscape arising from the previous enclosure of both former woodlandandopenfields.Itisvitalfortheretentionoflandscapecharacter
thatthecurrentpatternofenclosureispreservedandthatageometricpatternis not superimposed by subdividing or enlargingfieldsandemployingstraightfence lines.
WOODLAND OR TREE COVER PATTERN
The scale and shape of the woodlands isveryvaried,rangingfromsmallfieldcorner copses to those of about 2
hectares.Thereisscopeforadditionalsmall-scalewoodlandplanting.However,largescaleplantingorlinking
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall15
upexistingfragmentedwoodlands,otherthanbyhedgerows,wouldnotbeappropriate. The prominent hedgerows and lines of hedgerow trees provide the visual and ecological linkages
betweenwoods.Inaddition,therearebotholdandneworchardplantings.The orchards provide a rich habitat for bothfloraandfauna.
MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION
Protect and Manage Plan
Protectandrestorethepatternandcompositionofthehedgerowmatrixthrough appropriate management and replanting.
Protect and restore tree cover along watercourses and streamlines.
Protectallnativebroadleavedwoodsand copses and restock with locally occurringnativespecies.
Protectexistingorchardhabitats.
Protecttheorganicpatternandcharacter of the lane networks and considervergecuttingregimetoprotectwildflowers.
Protectthehistoricdispersedsettlementpatternoutsidethesettlementboundaries.
Encouragereplantingofhedgerows,which should be species rich.
Retainthedistinctivehedgerowtreesand enhance their age structure through newplantingorencouragingthegrowthofexistingplantstotreesize.
Seekopportunitiestoenhancetreecover along roadsides and in other non-farmedlocationswhilstretainingviewlines.
Encouragetheplantingofneworchards
Encouragetheplantingofnewsmallwoods,reflectingthescale,shapeandcompositionoftheexistingwoodlandcharacter.
New signage should be limited and in a styleappropriatetoaruralsettingandshould conform to Malvern Hills AONB Guidance on Highway Design.
EnhancethemainsettlementareasasdescribedintheVillageDesignStatement.
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall16
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. HerefordshireCouncilLandscapeCharacterAssessment2004(updated2009)
2. Herefordshire Council I.T. Department Colwall LCA Map - 2011
3. ColwallVillageDesignStatement–HCendorsed2001
4. Colwall Hedgerow Survey
5. Colwall Parish Council Footpath Map - 2005
6. MalvernHillsAONBLandscapeCharacterAssessmentSPG2004(updated2009) Landscape(Sheet1)and BuiltDevelopmentGuidingPrinciples(Sheet7)
7. The Malvern Hills AONB Guidance on Highway Design - 02.20118.
8. Malvern Hills Conservators Management Plan – 2009-2012
March 2012
annotated photograph showing Principal timbered farmland key characteristics
Small-scale landscape
Copses
Organic fieldpattern
Field Trees
Winding LanesHedges with
hedgerow trees
Stream
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall17
Landscape Character Statement for the Parish of Colwall18
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