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Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

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2842_SLVIA<br />

23<br />

Coastal Levels<br />

4.2.17. The key characteristics of this landscape character type include areas of lowlying,<br />

flat marshland adjacent to the coast or estuaries comprising marine<br />

alluvium soils. The landscape is incised with both sinuous and complex<br />

medieval dyke networks as well as 19th Century uniform dyke networks.<br />

There are some areas of cattle grazed wet grassland as well as widespread<br />

modifications for arable production. The rising ground on the inland side is<br />

often wooded and small plantations and woodland are common. Despite this<br />

containment, however, the views are generally open and wide, invoking a<br />

profound sense of exposure. This landscape type is largely unsettled, with<br />

views towards domestic buildings on the fringes and derelict wind pumps<br />

forming notable features. This landscape character type lies at a distance of<br />

29.9km from the nearest WTG.<br />

Sensitivity to Change<br />

4.2.18. Many areas of marshland and wet grassland have been converted to arable<br />

production within this landscape character type. Elsewhere, smaller units of<br />

the Coastal Levels are influenced by the features of the landscape that<br />

surrounds them. There are some areas, however, that remain in excellent<br />

condition.<br />

4.2.19. The low-lying, open character of this landscape character type increases its<br />

sensitivity to the type of change proposed. The diversity of land-uses and the<br />

complexity of the landscape structure, however, combine with the screening<br />

effects of vegetation to moderate this sensitivity. However, views of the sea<br />

or the role of the sea in forming part of the setting of the landscape character<br />

type are not referred to in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment<br />

description, and it is not described as being sensitive to offshore<br />

development. It is considered, therefore, that the sensitivity of this<br />

landscape character type to the type of change proposed by the offshore wind<br />

farm, outwith its area, is Low.<br />

Estate Sandlands<br />

4.2.20. The Estate Sandlands landscape character type comprises a flat, or very gently<br />

rolling, plateaux of freely-draining sandy soils, overlying drift deposits of<br />

either glacial or fluvial origin. There are extensive areas of heathland and<br />

acid grassland and a distinct absence of watercourses. The landscape is<br />

strongly structured by geometric fields enclosed in the 18th and 19th<br />

Centuries. Large continuous blocks of commercial forestry combine with the<br />

widespread planting of tree belts and occasional isolated pockets of ancient<br />

woodland to give a wooded feel to the landscape. The wooded horizon lines,<br />

however, often give way to long and distant views. There is a high incidence

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