Chapter 6 – Findings
Interpreting the Maps
This section focuses on the tranquillity assessment at both districts level rather than the urban analysis.
By analysing the spatial distribution of the positive and negative scores it is possible to determine which areas of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts are dominated by negative indicators, as well as areas where positive indicators of tranquillity dominate (can be explored in more details in the Results interactive web map).
Five zones of relative tranquillity have been identified to help the use and interpretation of the assessment results:
- Zone 1: Areas of high tranquillity. These areas have high tranquillity (positive score >=10), and positive indicators of tranquillity dominate over negative ones. The negative visual and/or noise intrusion is relatively low (negative score <10)
- Zone 2: Areas of some tranquillity. These areas have high tranquillity (positive score >=10), and positive indicators of tranquillity dominate over negative ones. However there is also negative intrusion (negative score >=10)
- Zone 3: Areas of mixed tranquillity. These areas have some level of tranquillity (positive score <20), but there is also some level of negative visual and/or noise intrusion (negative score <20)
- Zone 4: Areas of low tranquillity. These areas have a high level of visual and/or noise intrusion and negative indicators dominate over positive ones (negative score >=20), however there is also high tranquillity (positive score >=10)
- Zone 5: Areas of very low/no tranquillity. These areas have high level of negative visual and/or noise intrusion (negative score >=20), with low level of relative tranquillity (positive score <10).
The Tranquillity zones map in the Results interactive web map shows the spatial distribution of the tranquillity zones in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts and a breakdown of the area and coverage of each zone in the districts is available in Table 6-1.
Table 6-1: Total area (ha) of the tranquillity zones in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts
| Zone of relative tranquillity | Area (ha) | Percent coverage (%) |
| Zone 1: Area of high tranquillity | 28,636.25 | 22.8 |
| Zone 2: Area of some tranquillity | 83,591.25 | 66.5 |
| Zone 3: Area of mixed tranquillity | 2,653 | 2.1 |
| Zone 4: Area of low tranquillity | 10,149.75 | 8.1 |
| Zone 5: Area of very low/no tranquillity | 686 | 0.5 |