15 - Durham Magnesian Limestone Plateau : Summary and Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity

Summary

The Durham Magnesian Limestone Plateau is an open, agricultural landscape with sharply defined boundaries in the form of a steep limestone escarpment to the west and a dramatic coast of limestone cliffs, headlands and bays to the east. The River Wear cuts across the north of the area, flowing into the sea at Sunderland, and the River Skerne drains into the Tees Lowlands to the south. The Magnesian Limestone aquifer that sits below the area is an important source of drinking water for surrounding urban areas.

Rural land cover consists of arable land and grazing pasture, with small, isolated areas of wildlife-rich habitat such as Magnesian Limestone grassland and ancient woodland in the narrow valleys (or denes) running down to the coast. The coast is an important breeding and feeding area for migratory birds, and harbour porpoise frequents inshore waters. The area has been strongly shaped by its industry, with coal mining and quarrying in particular leaving a very clear mark on local landscapes and identity. Settlements range from larger urban areas such as Sunderland to the north and ex-mining towns with their distinctive terraces to the south and east, to scattered traditional stone villages built around village greens on the plateau and ‘New Towns’ such as Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe. Local nature reserves and a good access network, particularly along disused colliery railways and the coast, provide local residents with good opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The Durham Magnesian Limestone Plateau is an area of dramatic environmental restoration: the River Wear was named one of England and Wales’ most improved rivers in 2011 and the Turning the Tide project has removed more than a million tonnes of colliery waste from the coast to restore kilometres of beaches.

Opportunities to protect and strengthen provision of ecosystem services in the area include management of agricultural and development land to protect water quality and allow groundwater recharge; protection and promotion of the area’s industrial heritage which contributes so much to its sense of history and identity; protection and expansion of Magnesian Limestone grassland for the benefit of wildlife and sense of place; enhancement of the access network, particularly crossing points across major transport routes; and retaining the access and wildlife value of the coast by moving access routes back from the eroding coastline and extending habitats inland.

Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity (SEO)

See the Statements of Environmental Opportunity section for more details on the headlines listed below.

SEO 1

Protect, expand and connect semi-natural habitats, particularly limestone grassland, and enhance management of agricultural land to provide a range of benefits to local people, wildlife and the wider environment.

SEO 2

Protect and enhance the coast as a place of tranquillity and inspiration that supports wildlife and illustrates the area’s industrial past.

SEO 3

Protect, manage and enhance waterbodies, particularly the River Wear, to improve water quality and enhance their wildlife value.

SEO 4

Protect and promote the area’s rich archaeology and geology to enhance appreciation of its mining heritage, significant role within British industry, and important fossil record and prehistoric sites.

SEO 5

Seek to ensure that where there is new development it preserves the area’s strong sense of place, retains tranquil areas, is appropriate in a changing climate and improves quality of life for local residents.