Landscape Character Assessment - Chelmsford Borough Council

152B15 PLESHEY FARMLAND PLATEAU (shared with Uttlesford District)Key Characteristics Irregular field pattern ofmainly medium sizearable fields, marked bysinuous hedgerows andditches. Small woods and copsesprovide structure andedges in the landscape. Scattered settlementpattern, with frequentsmall hamlets, typicallywith greens andoccasionally ponds. Comprehensive networkof narrow, winding lanes. Strong sense oftranquillity.Overall CharacterPleshey Farmland Plateau islocated south of Barnstonnear Great Dunmow where itstretches to the edge of Chelmsford. The area’s eastern boundary along the A130 abuts the RiverChelmer and its valley and to the west the boundary follows narrow country lanes from Barnston towest of Leaden Roding. The area is characterised by the extensive area of gently undulating farmlandon the boulder clay plateau dissected by several small streams and their valleys. Irregular mediumsized arable fields bound by hedgerows and ditches dominate the farmland. The condition of thehedgerows varies across the area with some thick and continuous, some fragmented and gappy andothers with mature hedgerow trees. Amongst the arable land are small pockets of deciduous copsesand small woods which when added to hedgerow trees and tall hedgerows in some areas form moreintimate landscapes. These areas are found particularly in the south west of the area around MashburySection 5.0 – Landscape Character of Chelmsford Borough11100101R Final LCAs_09-06