Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

Sandlings Plateau with Heathland The Suffolk Coast & Heaths - Landscape Guidelines
Landscape Character
The Sandlings is the flat or gently undulating ‘upland’ plateau that
runs the full length of the Coast and Heaths. Although its natural
vegetation cover was originally woodland, the extremely sandy,
free-draining soils led to the development of extensive heathland as
farmers historically cleared the trees and ran flocks of sheep.
Although a great deal was lost in the 20th century, significant
stretches of heathland still remain and its mosaic of naturally
occurring heathers, heathy grasses, gorse and other specialised
flora bring texture and colour to the landscape and creates a wild
and evocative atmosphere.
Many of the Sandlings heaths are remote and undeveloped,
although others are found near settlements and are heavily used for
recreation, sometimes having been converted to golf courses.
Key Habitats & Species
• Heather heathland and acid grassland.
• Bell heather, common heather, heath bedstraw, heath
speedwell, sheep’s sorrel, harebell.
• Nightjar, woodlark, stonechat, tree pipit, stone-curlew,
Dartford warbler.
• Silver-studded Blue butterfly, grayling butterfly, antlion.
Common lizard and adder.
Issues & Problems
• Lack of management by grazing or mowing, allowing
bracken and scrub to invade.
• Disturbance caused by heavy recreational use, and
other human impacts such as unauthorised camping
or driving on the heaths.
• Loss of small areas to development, agriculture or
amenity uses.
Objectives
• To protect all areas of heathland, however small, as a
priority.
• To ensure long-term management, by light sheep
grazing or (failing that) mowing, to retain heather and
prevent invasion of bracken and scrub.
• To create new heathland especially in areas adjacent
to existing heath or where it will connect two isolated
areas of heathland.
Tree & Shrub Planting
• Generally avoid all tree planting on heathland or acid
grassland as trees shade out and destroy heather and
other heathland plant species.
Sandlings Plateau
with Heathland