Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2842_SLVIA
28
Valley Meadowlands
4.2.44. The Valley Meadowlands landscape character type comprises a series of flat
landscapes of alluvium or peat extending along valley floors. It is a generally
unsettled landscape and includes a combination of cattle grazed fields and
fields converted to arable production. The grassland areas are divided by a
network of wet ditches. There are also occasional occurrences of small reedbeds,
areas of carr woodland and plantations of poplar.
4.2.45. This landscape character type lies at a minimum distance of 35.1km from the
nearest WTG.
Sensitivity to Change
4.2.46. Whilst some areas are in excellent condition, other areas are affected by
arable production, horse grazing and under grazing. The rural qualities of
this landscape are also impinged upon in places by the development of the
adjacent rolling valley landscapes.
4.2.47. The unsettled, pastoral character of this landscape character type increases its
sensitivity to the type of change proposed by the offshore wind farm. The
containment of adjacent valley slopes, however, combines with boundary,
woodland and plantation vegetation to limit views into the wider landscape
beyond it. Views of the sea or the role of the sea in forming part of the setting
of the landscape character type are not referred to in the Suffolk Landscape
Character Assessment description, and it is not described as being sensitive to
offshore development. It is considered, therefore, that the sensitivity of the
Valley Meadowlands to the type of change proposed by the offshore wind
farm, outwith its area, is Low.
Valley Meadows and Fens
4.2.48. The key characteristics of the Valley Meadow and Fens landscape character
type include flat, narrow, river valley bottoms comprised of deep peat or
mixtures of peat and sandy deposits. There are ancient meres within the
valley bottoms as well as important fen sites. Elsewhere, there are small
grassland fields bounded by dykes, running at right angles to the main river.
There are also sparse scatterings of small alder carr and plantation
woodlands. Cattle-grazing is often peripheral to commercial agriculture,
with drier fields turned over to the production of arable crops. This
landscape character type forms part of a wider estate type landscape and is
largely unsettled, except for the occasional farmstead.
4.2.49. This landscape character type lies at a minimum distance of 38.4km from the
nearest WTG.