LCA5I Upper River Anton Valley Floor

Landscape Strategy and Guidelines

The Upper River Anton Valley Floor is important, not only for its wetland habitats including a water meadow, but also for its function as a linear green space through Andover. The overall strategy is therefore to enhance the river character and seek opportunities to create new riverside landscapes within the Upper River Anton Valley Floor.

Land Management

Landscape Distinctiveness

Enhance and restore the landscape setting of valley floodplain

Retain and link existing open areas

Restore levels of tranquillity

Reinforce existing local features and enhance sense of place of river crossings

Agriculture

Encourage management of farmland as seasonally wet pastures where appropriate

Encourage restoration of watercress beds

Hedgerows

Restore hedgerows and encourage replanting of former hedgerow lines

Woodland and Trees

Restore areas of valley floor wet woodland and promote good woodland management

Encourage wet woodland planting to minimise the impact of intrusive development, whilst retaining the essential open wetland character

Biodiversity

Encourage agricultural management that will protect and enhance remnant unimproved grasslands

Protect the water from further damage from pollution, soil erosion and construction projects

Seek opportunities for wetland creation and ditch reinstatement

Historic Landscapes

Protect the surviving water cress beds and associated features

Land Use and Development

Built Developments

Maintain open landscape spaces adjacent to the river

Enhance urban edge, adjacent to open areas

Encourage new planting of predominantly willow, alder and poplar to screen existing industry and built development

Infrastructure

Encourage measures to reduce the impact of the existing roads on adjacent open areas

Avoid use of valley floor for intrusive new infrastructure development

Recreation, Tourism and Access

Improve existing access to river and seek opportunities for additional facilities for the public

Volume 1: LCA5I Landscape Character Types and Areas