environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...

Widespread evidence of industrial activity including mine buildings,
former spoil tips and iron and steel plants;
Complex mix of built-up areas, industrial land, dereliction and farmed
open country;
Many areas affected by urban fringe pressures creating fragmented
and downgraded landscapes;
Substantial areas of intact agricultural land in both arable and pastoral
use;
Small, fragmented remnants of pre-industrial landscape and seminatural
vegetation, including many areas of woodland, river valley
habitats, subsidence flashes and other relict habitats;
Ever-present urban influences from major cities, smaller industrial
towns and mining villages;
Widespread influence of transport routes, including canal, road (M1,
M62) and rail, with ribbon developments emphasising the urban
influence in the landscape;
Rolling landforms with hills, escarpments and broad valleys;
Local variation in landscape character reflecting variations in
underlying geology; and
Strong cultural identity arising from history of coal mining and other
heavy industry.
DISTRICT LEVEL LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES/AREAS
6.154 Unlike several of the neighbouring local authorities which lie within the
20km study area Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council has not
undertaken a district level landscape character assessment. Therefore
there have been no more detailed studies of landscape character within
the study area.
SENSITIVITY OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTER IMMEDIATELY
SURROUNDING THE SITE
6.155 The Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside (GOYH) Planning
for Renewable Energy Targets in Yorkshire and Humber Final Report
assessed the region for its sensitivity to wind farm development in general
terms.
6.156 As part of this study it commissioned independent landscape consultants
to undertake a landscape capacity study for wind energy in the Yorkshire
and Humber Region. The study used the JCAs identified by the (former)
79
Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement