Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2842_SLVIA
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Hollesley Bay Regional Seascape Unit
Seascape Unit Boundaries
4.3.23. Orford Ness provides the northern extent of the Hollesley Bay regional
seascape unit, and the headland at East Lane near Bawdsey provides the
southern extent. These are clearly evident as the main regional headlands
which define Hollesley Bay. The River Ore and Alde and Lavergate Island are
included within the seascape unit given their close link with the sea.
Marine, Coastal & Hinterland Components
4.3.24. The marine character of the seascape unit is derived from the relatively
narrow intertidal zone along the shingle landform of Orford Ness. Much of
the coastal edge itself is formed by the low lying shingle spit at Orford Ness.
The spit is actively moving, through continual erosion and deposition of
shingle. The southern end of the spit varies rapidly in shape, with new
shingle appearing or being washed on shore at Shingle Street, with material
being retained within the banks of Orford Haven and Hollesley Bay. There
are very few physical features at the coastal edge, which is generally defined
by shingle and open sea. There are, however, a number of prominent, derelict
military and maritime defence structures and buildings set back from the
coast edge on the shingle beach south of Orford Ness lighthouse. There is
also a string of residential properties at Shingle Street and a series of Martello
Towers scattered along the coast further to the south. Beyond the shingle
spit, the coastal zone includes a matrix of 'land' and 'sea' elements, including
sandy fields, areas of woodland and heath, grazing marshes, reedbeds, shingle
structures, trapped lagoons, mudflats and areas of saltmarsh associated with
river estuaries. The further inland, the hinterland is formed by a flat, gently
rolling landform, consisting mainly of meadow and marsh, with tracts of
enclosed farmland associated with river floodplains and coastal grazing
marsh. It is a generally an open and treeless landscape, usually uncultivated,
with tracts of open land. In the hinterland, settlement is generally limited,
with the exception of the village of Orford to the west of Orford Ness.
Inter-visibility
4.3.25. The visibility splays at the edge of this unit are defined by headlands forming
the unit boundaries, with Orford Ness containing views north along the coast
and the headland at East Lane containing views south. Extensive, panoramic,
long distance sea views between Orford Ness and the Deben Estuary to the
south are mainly offered from the Shingle spit of Orford Ness. Views from
the low lying marsh areas to the west of the River Alde and River Ore are
limited by the spit, which rises above sea level. Notable features and
structures lying beyond the Hollesley Bay regional seascape unit that are