LCA9A North Andover Plateau

Landscape Strategy and Guidelines

The proximity of North Andover Plateau to Andover and the openness of the landscape make this character area particularly vulnerable to visual intrusion from any urban expansion or new urban fringe development. The overall strategy is to enhance the varied landscape structure and rural character of North Andover Plateau and seek opportunities to create a stronger edge treatment to the settlements through appropriate planting.

Land Management

Landscape Distinctiveness

• Protect the distinctive form and character of separate settlements

• Maintain the existing complexity and variety of the landscape

• Maintain existing levels of tranquillity and minimise the impact of development on the quiet enjoyment of this area

Agriculture

• Seek opportunities to retain and restore remaining small areas of pasture

• Discourage further amalgamation of fields and loss of hedgerows

• Encourage sustainable farming practices with a view to minimising the impact of new farming infrastructure and methods including spraying and fertiliser applications

• Encourage new farm buildings to be well sited and integrated into the landscape

Hedgerows

• Restore lost and fragmented hedgerows on former hedgerow lines

• Maintain existing intricate pattern of hedgerows

• Seek opportunities mitigate impact from existing and future development through new hedgerow planting

Woodland and Trees

• Promote good management of woodlands including greater use of coppicing

• Seek opportunities for new woodland planting to link existing wooded areas and integrate modern development into the landscape

• Maintain shelter belts on higher groundBiodiversity

• Introduce buffer strips and uncultivated margins around arable farmland and manage woodland edges

Historic Landscapes

• Maintain the close relationship between the settlement pattern, late medieval/early post-medieval landscape and adjacent parkland

• Avoid further erosion of historic landscapes and particularly later medieval and early post-medieval field systems due to modern agricultural methods

• Conserve and enhance parkland and other historic features

Urban Fringe

• Reinforce the edge of Andover through careful design and appropriate landscape planting

• Avoid deterioration in the urban fringe landscape arising from poor design and intrusive development

• Improve management of the landscape around settlements

• Seek improved management and maintenance of farmsteads and farms in the urban fringe

Land Use and Development

Built Developments

• Opportunities to be sought to restore local landscape features and create a stronger landscape structure within the settlement edge of Andover

• Maintain the historic integrity of the existing settlement pattern

• Minimise visual intrusion into the adjacent countryside

• Seek opportunities to enhance linear development along the main roads

Infrastructure

• Seek opportunities to enhance roadside planting and minimise visual and noise intrusion

• Avoid intrusive development of tall and large structures except where they can be successfully integrated into the landscape

• Seek to minimise the visual intrusion and suburbanising effect arising from highway infrastructure

Recreation, Tourism and Access

• Consider possibility of introducing small country parks or similar recreational focal points

• Volume 1: LCA9A Landscape Character Types and Areas