LCA5B Middle Test Valley Floor
Landscape Strategy and Guidelines
The Middle Test Valley Floor remains strongly pastoral, undisturbed by modern development and tranquil, forming an important part of the River Test chalk stream SSSI and containing nationally significant water meadows. The overall strategy is to conserve the small scale traditional character of Middle Test Valley Floor.
Land Management
Landscape Distinctiveness
Reinforce intimate and tranquil pastoral field and woodland pattern
Maintain the contrasting pastoral character of the valley floodplain with the open valley sides
Maintain the characteristic water channels and drainage ditches, mill streams and pools
Agriculture
Encourage management of traditional water meadows and reintroduce management of farmland as seasonally wet pastures where appropriate
Resist change from pasture to arable
Discourage merging of remaining smaller fields
Hedgerows
Encourage traditional methods of hedge management
Maintain hedgerow field boundaries
Woodland and Trees
Manage the pollards and lines of poplar, which characterise some sections of the valley floor
Encourage the retention of hedgerow trees and individual specimens in the landscape
Conserve valley floor wet woodland and promote good woodland management
Encourage where appropriate new areas of woodland planting to mitigate visual distracters
Biodiversity
Conserve, enhance and manage riparian habitats
Encourage agricultural management that will protect and enhance remnant unimproved grasslands
Seek opportunities for wetland creation and ditch reinstatement
Protect the water from further damage from pollution, soil erosion and construction projects
Historic Landscapes
Protect the surviving water meadow systems including the earthworks and their structural remains
Promote the survival of the historic character of the settlements along the river Test such as Stockbridge, Wherwell and the Clatfords
Urban Fringe
Avoid deterioration in the urban fringe landscape arising from poor design and intrusive development
Improve management of the landscape around settlements
Land Use and Development
Built Developments
Limit development in order to conserve the existing settlement form and settlement-free character of the valley floor
Avoid loss of separate identity of existing settlements through coalescence and homogeneous design
Infrastructure
Avoid overhead visually intrusive power lines and individual masts
Avoid increased suburbanisation arising from introduction of highway measures which conflict with the predominant rural character
Avoid loss of landscape features due to highway improvements
Recreation, Tourism and Access
Seek opportunities for additional access to the river for the public