Contextual map of LCT 14 - View map full screen

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Component Landscape Character Areas

• LCA 14A: Farmoor Reservoir Lower Valley
• LCA 14B: Eynsham to Oxford Thames River Valley
• LCA 14C: Botley to Kennington Thames River Valley
• LCA 14D: Abingdon to Kennington Thames Lower Valley
• LCA 14E: River Thame Lower Valley
• LCA 14F: Moulsford to Caversham Thames Lower Valley
• LCA 14G: Caversham to Henley Thames Lower Valley

LCA 14D riparian vegetation along the Thames with electricity pylon route

LCA 14F Dramatic views from Hartslock over the Thames valley

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Assessment of landscape sensitivity to renewable energy development

Landscape sensitivity assessment

Landform and scale (including sense of openness/ enclosure)

• Generally flat and low-lying river valley landscapes, with gently rising valley sides. Between Goring and Caversham (LCA 14F) the valley sides are very steep, with a more complex topography.
• Heights range from 30-55 metres AOD in the flat floodplain to 80 metres AOD on the valley sides. The valley sides between Goring and Caversham rise to 135 metres AOD.
• The sense of openness is varied. Riparian vegetation provides framing for views along the river corridor. The rising valley sides, which have some small woodland blocks also provide enclosure from wider views. The floodplain area is often open.
• Pasture fields immediately adjacent to the river corridor are small to medium in scale, although areas have been subdivided for horse paddocks, bounded by fences. Large-scale arable fields bounded by drainage ditches or post and wire fences lie away from the river channel.
• Human scale features include the rivers themselves, riparian vegetation and small woodland blocks, and small villages and farm buildings.

Landcover (including field and settlement patterns)

• Supports a diverse array of wetland and woodland habitats, including considerable areas of priority habitats; floodplain grazing marsh, lowland meadow and small areas of deciduous woodland. Small areas of woodland are recorded as ancient, while areas of wetland habitat are nationally designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
• Farming is mixed, with pasture fields closest to the river channel and arable fields on the valley sides. Fields on the valley floor are often open, divided by drainage ditches, post and wire or post and rail fences. Fields on the valley sides are often bounded by species-rich hedgerows, some in poor condition. Some areas of pasture have been sub-divided for horse paddocks.
• The landscape has been heavily exploited for gravel extraction, and the former pits are now flooded to form large lakes. Although these are not natural features, recolonisation by semi-natural vegetation integrates them into the landscape. Farmoor Reservoir (LCA 14A) is a man-made reservoir, which creates a slightly urban character.
• Limited settlement pattern due to the floodplain, with small historic villages sited on the valley sides.

Historic landscape character

• Riversides have been a favoured area of settlement since prehistoric times, and many of the riverside towns and settlements have Roman or Saxon origins as strategic river crossings or staging posts. LCA 14D contains a number of Scheduled Monuments of former settlements. Historic buildings relating to the river include the Grade I listed stone bridge at Henley-on-Thames and varied styles of boat houses.
• The floodplain provides a setting for historic villages, which contain a number of listed buildings and are designated as Conservation Areas, such as Sonning Eye, Goring and Little Milton.
• Large manors and villas with associated parkland line the rivers. These include Registered Parks and Gardens at Nuneham Courtenay (Grade I in LCA 14D) and Fawley Court (Grade II* in LCA 14G). These parklands have characteristic features such as avenues and free-standing mature trees in pasture.
• Previous gravel extraction has removed much of the historic field systems in LCAs 14D and 14G.

Visual character (including skylines)

• Riparian vegetation and sloping valley sides often create an intimate and enclosed character. Woodland blocks on the valley sides provide some features on the skyline. Electricity pylon routes and occasional telecommunications towers are vertical features on the skyline.
• In more open and less vegetated areas (e.g. LCA 14A) views are more expansive and open.
• Adjacent landscapes provide much of the skyline, including the Chilterns National Landscape and Ridge Hilltops (LCT 7). Some views are available from ridges into valleys but the landform and strong structure of woods and hedgerows generally restrict longer-range views.

Perceptual and scenic qualities

• A generally rural and sometimes remote landscape, due to relative inaccessibility, creating an intimate character with restricted long-distance views.
• Past and active gravel workings, busy road and rail transport routes, and proximity to large urban and employment areas including Caversham, Reading and Oxford, and Wheatley services intrude on the rural landscape qualities.
• The open river corridors and enclosed floodplain create a pleasing visual contrast. Views to wooded valley sides, often outside of the LCT, are also distinctive.
• Recreational routes include the Thames Path National Trail, Chilterns Way and Oxfordshire Greenbelt Way, which provide access from nearby urban settlements. The River Thames offers water-based recreation.

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Overall assessment of landscape sensitivity to solar PV developments

Summary of overall statement on landscape sensitivity of River Valley LCT 14

A flat landscape, centred on the River Thames, River Thame, associated tributaries and their valleys. Flat lowland landscapes are generally less sensitive, as solar PV arrays would be less easily perceived. Riparian vegetation and existing small woodlands and hedgerows create an enclosed character, which could be used to provide screening. Areas of larger-scale arable fields are less sensitive in terms of land use than the small to medium pasture fields along the river corridor, as solar PV development could dilute or mask the field pattern. Extensive areas of wetland habitats are more sensitive. Numerous historic features including parklands and historic villages have a higher level of sensitivity, although these are not found across all of the River Valleys LCT. Although the landscape has limited long-distance views and does not have prominent skylines, it is often visible from higher areas of land including the Chilterns National Landscape, which increases sensitivity, as solar PV development may be seen from the higher ground. The LCT is crossed by popular promoted routes including the Thames National Path, Chiltern Way and Oxfordshire Greenbelt Way, as well as water-based recreation on the River Thames, all of whom are sensitive receptors to solar PV development. The landscapes are often rural and remote, forming attractive valley landscapes with visual contrasts. There is some intrusion from human activities including road noise and quarrying, and being in close proximity to settlement fringes, which reduces sensitivity.

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 sites ‘very small’, ‘small’ and ‘medium’ scale solar PV development scenarios in some areas of the River Valleys LCT. Areas of lower sensitivity include larger-scale arable fields, where hedgerows could be used to provide screening. Land in close proximity to the urban edges of settlements, or impacted by extraction works (where regeneration has not already occurred), may also be suitable for solar PV development scenarios.

Landscape sensitivity of River Valley Landscape Character Areas

LCA 14A: Features which lower sensitivity to solar PV development include the Farmoor Reservoir, a large man-made structure which dominates this landscape. Although the landscape is flat, it is prominent in views from surrounding higher ground and from public rights of way, which increases sensitivity. The landscape also reads as part of a continuous landscape rising to the valley edge to the south, which increases sensitivity.

LCA 14B: Features which reduce sensitivity to solar PV development include the reduced tranquillity and rurality due to noise from the A34 and proximity to Botley. However, features which increase sensitivity include the important wetland habitats, historic settlement at Wytham, and the prominence of the landscape in views from surrounding higher ground.

LCA 14C: Features which increase sensitivity are the important wetland habitats designated as SSSI at Iffley Meadows, historic villages of South Hinksey and Sanford-on-Thames, and its visible from surrounding higher ground. Features which reduce sensitivity are the area’s proximity to Botley, Oxford and Kennington, which limit the experience of tranquillity, and a number of electricity pylon routes on the skyline.

LCA 14D: Features which reduce sensitivity are the on-going quarrying, which limits the experience of tranquillity and impacts land cover, and proximity to Abingdon-on-Thames which reduces tranquillity. Features which increase sensitivity include the historic interest at Nuneham Courtenay Registered Park and Garden, and the re-naturalising flooded former gravel pits at Radley Lakes.

LCA 14E: Features which decrease sensitivity are generally located in the north where the rural characteristics are affected by proximity to the M40 and Wheatley Services. Features which increase sensitivity further south are the more complex landform, open fields with limited enclosure, historic villages at Cuddesdon and Little Milton, and open views across the valley.

LCA 14F: The sensitivity of the landscape is increased as the majority of this LCA lies within the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes. The special qualities present include chalk landform, yew woodlands and chalk grasslands, arable habitats with strong hedgerow network, historic attractive villages at Moulsford and Whitchurch on Thames, extensive public rights of way and medieval and post-medieval settlements with historic buildings, extensive public rights of way and panoramic views towards the chalk escarpment. The valley sides within are also very steep and contain internationally and nationally designated woodland habitats at Hartslock Wood SAC and SSSI.

LCA 14G: Features which increase sensitivity are the inclusion of a small area in the north within the Chilterns National Landscape, with special qualities present including arable habitats with a strong hedgerow network. However, the rural characteristics are affected by proximity to Caversham, Reading and Henley, and tranquillity and land cover is impacted by on-going quarrying, which decreases sensitivity.

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Overall assessment of landscape sensitivity to wind energy developments

Summary of overall landscape sensitivity of River Valley LCT 14

A flat, low-lying landscape, with a mixture of large-scale arable fields on the valley slopes and small-scale valley bottom pasture fields. The frequent human-scale features within the landscape, including riparian vegetation, woodland blocks, hedgerows and small settlements, increase sensitivity to wind energy development. The mixed field size and variety in landcover including floodplain grazing marsh and lowland meadows, rivers and riparian vegetation are sensitive to wind energy development. The landscape provides a setting to heritage features including Registered Parks and Gardens, historic villages and listed buildings, and there is a variety of time depths, which also increases sensitivity. The low-lying landscape has limited prominent skylines, which some affected by electricity pylons. The landscape is visible from adjacent higher ground, including from the Chilterns National Landscape, which increases sensitivity. The landscape is often in proximity to large urban centres such as Oxford, Abingdon, Caversham and Reading, which all decrease sensitivity to wind energy development. However, away from the settlement edges, the landscape remains rural and relatively tranquil, which increases sensitivity.

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

Sensitivity of River Valley Landscape Character Areas

LCA 14A: Features which decrease sensitivity are the flat topography, the large-scale man-made Farmoor Reservoir and limited time-depth. However, this is a relatively rural area, with strong intervisibility with surrounding higher ground, and highly visible from promoted routes, which increases sensitivity.

LCA 14B: Features which decrease sensitivity include the proximity to the A34 and urban edge of Botley, as well as the low-lying landform. Features which increase sensitivity are the important wetland habitats, and visibility from the surrounding higher ground and national Thames Path trail.

LCA 14C: Features which decrease sensitivity are the impact on the skyline of electricity pylon routes, and the of proximity to transport corridors and the edges of Botley, Oxford and Kennington which impact on tranquillity. Features which increase sensitivity are the important wetland habitats designated as SSSI, woodland and historic villages at South Hinksey and Sandford on Thames, which form frequent human-scale features, as well as its visibility from the surrounding higher ground.

LCA 14D: Features which reduce landscape sensitivity are the impact of current gravel extraction on tranquillity and land cover, and proximity to Abingdon-on-Thames which reduces tranquillity. Features which increase sensitivity are the steep eastern valley sides, wildlife interest at Radley Lakes, and historic interest and time-depth at Nuneham Courtenay Registered Park and Garden.

LCA 14E: Features which reduce landscape sensitivity are proximity in the north to the M40 and Wheatley Services, which impact the tranquillity and rural character of the landscape. Features which increase sensitivity are the steep valley sides, and intervisibility with the surrounding higher ground.

LCA 14F: The majority of this LCA lies within the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes, which increases its sensitivity to all scales of wind energy development. The special qualities present include chalk landform, yew woodlands and chalk grasslands, arable habitats with strong hedgerow network, historic attractive villages at Moulsford and Whitchurch on Thames, extensive public rights of way and medieval and post-medieval settlements with historic buildings, extensive public rights of way and panoramic views towards the chalk escarpment.

LCA 14G: Features which reduce sensitivity are proximity to industrial development on the edges of Caversham and Reading, which impacts on tranquillity, and the skyline, and former and current gravel extraction, which impacts on tranquillity and land cover. Features which increase sensitivity are its intervisibility with the Chilterns National Landscape, and the inclusion of a small area in the north-east within the National Landscape. The special qualities present include arable habitats with a strong hedgerow network.