Contextual map of LCT 11 - View map full screen

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Component Landscape Character Areas

• LCA 11A Thames Upper Vale
• LCA 11B Western Upper Vale
• LCA 11C Eastern Upper Vale

LCA 11B: Flat, large-scale arable fields with the North Wessex Downs on the horizon

LCA 11C: Hedgerows with occasional mature trees bound arable fields

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Assessment of landscape sensitivity to renewable energy development

Landscape sensitivity assessment

Landform and scale (including sense of openness/ enclosure)

• A gently undulating landform that forms a transitional area between the low-lying valleys of the River Thames and River Cole, and the more elevated limestone ridge. In the east, undulating clay farmland lies to the west of the Chiltern Chalk Escarpment Footslopes. Small watercourses cross the landscape.
• Heights range from 80 metres AOD to 110 metres AOD, with localised areas of higher elevation, often associated with rising ground in adjacent LCAs.
• The sense of openness is varied and strongly influenced by the presence or absence of woodland and hedgerows. Some areas have a relatively open character with large fields and low, gappy or absent hedgerows, enabling long views across the undulating landscape. These contrast with more enclosed areas created by small woodland blocks including copses and tree belts.
• Human-scale features include blocks of woodland, in-field and roadside trees, hedgerows, and frequent hamlets and farm buildings.

Landcover (including field and settlement patterns)

• Predominately medium-scale arable fields, with some pasture on lower ground and along watercourses such as along the River Ock. Occasional smaller parcels of land include rough grass paddocks.
• A varying network of hedgerows enclose fields, with mature hedgerow trees in places, and gappy or removed hedgerows elsewhere.
• Woodland predominantly occurs in scattered small blocks/copses and linear belts, with extensive areas of ancient woodland.
• Many grassland habitats are nationally designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) including wet meadows at Grafton Lock Meadows SSSI and neutral grassland and fen habitat at Fernham Meadows SSSI.
• Lightly settled, with an even spread of scattered settlements often focused on small greens of common land with larger settlement at Uffington. Views to the edges of Shrivenham and Wantage on the edge of the LCT impart a localised urban character.

Historic landscape character

• Small historic settlements centred on village greens provide historic character and time-depth. Conservation Areas are located at Buscot, Bourton, Baulking, Uffington, Great Milton, Great Haseley, and Sydenham.
• Many of the farmsteads and agricultural buildings are Listed Buildings, reflecting the long history of agricultural activity in the area. Fieldscapes are predominantly identified as post-medieval origin.
• Historic parkland at Ryecote comprises a historic house with mature woodland, specimen trees, and formal designed gardens, which provide historic character and time-depth.

Visual character (including skylines)

• Views are relatively open and wide-ranging due to the large-scale fields, low hedges, and gently undulating landform. The floodplains are generally more enclosed by mature riparian vegetation.
• Scattered woodland blocks and tree belts (including riparian trees) restrict views in places, particularly along watercourses.
• There are frequent views to rising ground to the north and south, including to the Corallian Limestone Ridge and the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes.
• Parts of the LCT contribute to the wider setting of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and the Chilterns National Landscape with a strong visual relationship between the designated landscapes and the LCT.
• Overhead electrification infrastructure associated with the Great Western Mainline railway line is a prominent vertical feature across the landscape and contributes to the perception of human influence in the landscape.

Perceptual and scenic qualities

• A rural, agricultural landscape, with a sense of peace and tranquillity, particularly experienced on the river corridors and floodplains, and from public rights of way. Traffic on main roads including the M40 and A417 is locally disruptive.
• The landscape provides a rural setting to settlements within the area, including historic villages. It also provides a rural setting to larger settlements on the edge of the LCT including Shrivenham, Wantage and Chinnor.
• A network of public rights of way cross the landscape, including the D’Arcy Dalton Way, Oxfordshire Way, and Vale Way long distance footpaths. Small pockets of open access land (e.g. at Tetsworth Common) provide further recreational access.

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Overall assessment of landscape sensitivity to solar PV developments

Summary of overall statement on landscape sensitivity of Upper Vales LCT 11

The gently undulating landform decreases sensitivity to solar PV development as there are opportunities to use undulations to visually screen development. Small areas of localised higher elevation increase sensitivity. The sense of openness varies across the LCT, with enclosure provided by hedgerows and small woodland blocks, contrasting with fields where hedgerows have been lost. Areas of enclosure generally have lower sensitivity, as more screening could be provided for solar PV installations. The LCT has a mixture of large-scale modern fields and smaller historic enclosures. Areas of semi-natural habitat including woodlands and grasslands, some designated as SSSI, increase sensitivity. The historic settlement pattern and listed buildings provide some visible historic features important to landscape character and some time-depth. Open and wide ranging views, with views to higher ground including the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes increases sensitivity. In contrast, woodland blocks and riparian vegetation restrict views in places, reducing landscape sensitivity. Skylines are not particularly distinctive, although are generally undeveloped. The landscape is largely rural, which a sense of peace and tranquillity, which increases sensitivity. The combination of small watercourses, woodland blocks and small settlements forms a largely attractive character. Promoted public rights of way including the Oxfordshire Way and Vale Way are sensitive receptors which run through the LCT. Noise from main roads locally reduces tranquillity, while proximity to the urban edges of larger settlements locally reduces rural character.

This LCT generally has ‘high’ landscape sensitivity to solar energy development greater than the ‘medium-scale’ development scenario. There may be opportunities to accommodate carefully sited scale solar PV development scenarios (of up to ‘medium’ scale), using existing hedgerows, woodland blocks, tree belts, and riparian woodland to screen installations of medium scale and reduce their landscape and visual impact. Solar PV development should be avoided in areas with intervisibility with, or which form part of the setting to, the Chilterns National Landscape and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.

Landscape sensitivity of Upper Vale Landscape Character Areas

LCA 11A: Features which increase sensitivity to solar PV development include the open floodplain, which reduces the potential for screening, and the nationally designated grassland habitat at Grafton Lock SSSI. Features which decrease sensitivity to solar PV development include the flat, low lying landform and large-scale fields, except where it is overlooked from higher land, especially from Coleshill to the south of the LCA.

LCA 11B: Features which increase sensitivity to solar PV development include the intervisibility with the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, and role the landscape plays as a rural setting to historic settlements. The presence of SSSI-designated grassland and fen habitat at Fernham Meadows also increases sensitivity. Features which decrease sensitivity are the busy roads and railways, which locally reduce tranquillity, and views to the urban edges of Wantage and Shrivenham, which locally reduce the rural character.

LCA 11C: Features which increase sensitivity to solar PV development include the intervisibility with the Chilterns National Landscape and small local hills including Prospect Hill and Horsenden Hill. Features which decrease sensitivity to solar PV development include the busy roads such as the M40, which locally reduce tranquillity, and Oxfordshire gold club which is locally reduces the rural character.

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Overall assessment of landscape sensitivity to wind energy developments

Summary of overall landscape sensitivity of Upper Vale LCT 11

A gently undulating landscape incised by small watercourses, with frequent human-scale features including blocks of woodland, in-field and roadside trees, hedgerows, hamlets, and farm buildings, which increases sensitivity to wind energy development. The mix of modern and historic enclosures, and some variety in land cover from riparian vegetation lining watercourses, woodland blocks and small settlements increase sensitivity. Frequent areas of semi-natural habitat also increase sensitivity. The urban influence from adjacent larger settlements locally decreases sensitivity. Historic villages and listed buildings provide historic features important to character, and some time-depth. The LCT has some intervisibility with the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes, which increases sensitivity to wind energy development. Skylines are not particularly distinctive, although generally undeveloped. A number of popular public rights of way cross the LCT, and are sensitive receptors. This is a rural, tranquil landscape with a pleasing combination of woodland, small watercourses and settlements, which increases sensitivity. Busy transport corridors locally reduce tranquillity, and proximity to larger urban areas locally reduces rurality. These both reduce sensitivity to wind energy development.

This LCT generally has ‘high’ landscape sensitivity to wind energy development greater than the ‘small-scale’ development scenario.

Sensitivity of Upper Vale Landscape Character Areas

LCA 11A: Features which increase sensitivity to wind energy development are the frequent human-scale features of woodland blocks, hedgerows and small settlements at Buscot and Eaton Hastings, areas of ancient woodland and important grassland at Grafton Lock SSSI. Features which decrease sensitivity to wind energy development include the gently undulating topography, medium to large-scale field pattern, and busy A417 which reduces tranquillity.

LCA 11B: Features which increase sensitivity to wind energy development include intervisibility with the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, areas of ancient woodland and grassland and fen at Fernham Meadows SSSI, historic settlement pattern, and the frequent human-scale features. Features which locally decrease sensitivity to wind energy development are the urban edges of Shrivenham and Wantage, which reduce the rural character, and busy transport corridors, which reduce tranquillity.

LCA 11C: Features which increase sensitivity to wind energy development include intervisibility with the Chilterns National Landscape, frequent human-scale features including ancient woodland at Fernhill Wood and small historic villages. Features which decrease sensitivity to wind energy development include the busy transport corridor of the M40 which locally reduces tranquillity, and Oxfordshire golf club which reduces the rural character.