LCA7B Broughton Downs

Landscape Strategy and Guidelines

The Broughton Downs is noted for its woodland and nationally important unimproved calcareous grasslands. It is also an open landscape, which retains a tranquil remote character. The overall strategy is therefore to conserve the pattern of woodland and grassland habitats whilst enhancing the hedgerow structure of Broughton Downs.

Land Management

Landscape Distinctiveness

Maintain the present sense of remoteness and tranquillity

Maintain contrast of varied enclosed and open views

Agriculture

Discourage further amalgamation of fields and loss of hedgerows

Hedgerows

Maintain existing thick hedgerows linking woodland

Seek opportunities to provide further hedgerow links with adjacent woodland and replace former hedgerow boundaries

Woodland and Trees

Reinforce pattern of small copses, spinneys and shelter belts especially on steeper slopes

Biodiversity

Conserve, manage and restore chalk grassland

Introduce buffer strips at the edge of arable fields

Land Use and Development

Built Developments

Limit development in order to conserve the sense of remoteness and tranquillity

Infrastructure

Development to be small in scale and well sited, taking advantage of vegetation cover, to conserve the sense of remoteness and tranquillity

Wider impact of tall structures to be considered in view of openness of this landscape

Volume 1: LCA7B Landscape Character Types and Areas