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Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

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2842_SLVIA<br />

38<br />

Felixstowe/Deben Estuary Regional Seascape Unit<br />

Seascape Unit Boundaries<br />

4.3.29. The headland at East Lane near Bawdsey provides the northern extent of the<br />

Felixstowe regional seascape unit, and Landguard point provides the<br />

southern extent. These are clearly evident as the main regional headlands<br />

which define the Felixstowe / Deben Estuary regional seascape unit.<br />

Marine, Coastal & Hinterland Components<br />

4.3.30. The marine character of the seascape unit is strongly influenced by heavy<br />

commercial and ferry passenger shipping traffic bound for Felixstowe and<br />

Harwich. The coastal character of this seascape unit is derived from two<br />

main influences: the settlement of Felixstowe to the south; and the less<br />

developed area at the mouth of the Deben Estuary to the north. Felixstowe is<br />

Britain's biggest and busiest container terminal and the southern extent of<br />

the seascape unit is characterised by widespread urban and industrial<br />

development along an engineered coastal edge with large cranes and<br />

floodlights at Felixstowe docks forming prominent vertical features within<br />

the seascape. In contrast, the Deben estuary forms a natural inlet between<br />

Old Felixstowe and the headland at East Lane. Much of the land next to the<br />

estuary has been reclaimed with flood embankments and the estuary and<br />

reclaimed floodplains support numerous features of nature conservation<br />

interest as well as activities associated with tourism, recreation and<br />

agriculture. Between the Deben Estuary and Felixstowe, natural physical<br />

features tend to be limited with man-made jetties, pipes, groynes, sea<br />

defences and piers predominating. To the south of Felixstowe lies Landguard<br />

Point, a windswept, shingle spit sandwiched between the North Sea and the<br />

multitude of multi-coloured containers stacked in dockside parks. It is<br />

Suffolk's southernmost point and is a popular visitor destination. The<br />

hinterland of the seascape unit is formed mainly by the open, gently rolling<br />

land of the River Deben Marshes, containing meadow and marsh, with tracts<br />

of enclosed farmland associated with river floodplains and coastal grazing<br />

marsh. Human habitation is virtually absent in this part of the hinterland<br />

landscape, although to the south, the urban area of Felixstowe forms the<br />

hinterland to the seascape unit.<br />

Inter-visibility<br />

4.3.31. The visibility splays at the edge of this unit are defined by its boundaries,<br />

with the headland at East Lane providing some containment of views north<br />

along the coast and Landguard Point, providing some containment of views<br />

south. The widespread urban development along the coastal edge at<br />

Felixstowe often limits inter-visibility of the sea to the coastal edge.

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