40 - Holderness : Analysis: Landscape Attributes & Opportunities

Analysis supporting Statements of Environmental Opportunity

The following analysis section focuses on the landscape attributes and opportunities for this NCA.

Further analysis on ecosytem services for this NCA is contained in the Analysis: Ecosytem Services section.

Landscape attributes

Broad, shallow River Hull valley with large field patterns bounded by drainage ditches and an extensive network of canals and canalised tributaries.

Justification for selection:

• The River Hull, the most northerly chalk stream in Britain, drains into the Humber Estuary to the south and is designated as an SSSI for habitats of reed swamp, fen, carr, and flood plain grassland.
• The Hull Valley supports important bird species including; lapwing, snipe and redshank.
• Otteris re-colonising in the upper reaches of the River Hull.
• The valley is dominated by arable farming mainly vegetables and root crops grown on the drained flood plain.
• Low-lying flood plain meadows such as at Lambwath are scarce habitats that are seasonally flooded and involve traditional practices of aftermath grazing.
• Riparian habitats along the watercourses; species-rich wet grassland, species-rich fen, carr woodland and reed swamp.
• Tophill Low Reservoir attracts large populations of gadwall, shoveler and tufted duck.
• The watercourses including the Level Canal play a key role in draining the low-lying, surrounding farmland managed by a pumped system, although the area can suffer from groundwater flooding.
• Sand and gravel pits in the vicinity of Brandesburton, High Eske and Watton Carrs form a series of manmade open water with marginal habitats valuable for wildlife as well as recreation opportunities.

A landscape of glacial features of meres, hummocky terrain inland and sweeping, coastline of soft, boulder clay cliffs with some designated sites of geological interest.

Justification for selection:

• Post-glacial meres forming peat deposits on the coast are historic remnants of once common landscape features including geological SSSI around Skipsea (relict mere with peat deposits).
• Hornsea Mere is the only significant water-retaining mere in Holderness and largest natural lake in Yorkshire. Designated as an SSSI surrounded by reedbeds, fen and carr woodland and an SPA for overwintering wildfowl.
• A coastline of narrow beaches and constantly changing, rapidly-eroding cliffs essential for transporting sediment to form beaches and areas of intertidal habitat along the coast to key sites further south (Humber Estuary and on the Lincolnshire coast).
• Seabirds from adjoining NCAs with SPA designations forage frequently along the Holderness coast.
• Many small field ponds originate from glacial kettle-holes and depressions in the generally flat landscape separating the moraine ridges running north-south on Holderness.
• Dimlington Cliffs SSSI and Withow Gap SSSI are designated for the glacial and late glacial sediments respectively, providing insights into environmental conditions during the last glaciation. Both sites are features of geomorphological and geological interest to science and provide opportunities for education as well as further research.

Large-scale arable farming and some livestock production with fields bounded by drainage ditches and some hedgerows on higher ground and pasture land.

Justification for selection:

• Large, rectangular arable fields bounded by ditches, marked by lines of reeds and occasional willows on lower land and clipped hedgerows on higher ground to the east and west providing important wildlife corridors.
• Arable farmland supports a number of declining farmland birds – mainly grey partridge, skylark, barn owl, corn bunting, yellow hammer, linnet and tree sparrow.
• Arable cultivation accounts for 83 per cent of land cover as the deposits of glacial till and alluvium, which cloak the underlying Chalk strata have created rich soils. Holderness is a producer of cereals and root crops, with pigs, notably within the lower reaches of the Hull Valley. Forty two per cent of the land is Grade 2 and 50 per cent is Grade 3.

An open landscape of low-lying, predominantly flat or gently undulating rural land, sloping gently eastwards towards the North Sea. Sea views along the eastern fringes and long, open rural views over the area from the Wolds to the north and west.

Justification for selection:

• Strong visual links between the chalk ridge of the Wolds and the Holderness plateau.
• Sparse tree and woodland cover create a generally open landscape with long views.
• The inland, agricultural landscape is separated from the coast.
• Coastal views include a long stretch of rapidly-eroding, soft clay cliffs with views of Flamborough, chalk headland in the north.
• Along some parts of the coast, views of the gently undulating land towards the coastal strip is also characterised by arable farmland, wind-pruned trees, holiday homes and caravan parks.

Strong sense of rural character in remote areas of arable farmland, dispersed villages and hamlets linked by minor roads and lanes. Towns and villages located along the coastline and the larger settlements of Bridlington, Driffield and Beverley provide more urban character, as do the outskirts of Hull.

Justification for selection:

• Local vernacular characterised by red brick and pantiles, and buildings towards the coastline constructed from Holderness ‘cobbles’.
• Church spires from towns and villages are prominent in the flat landscape including views of Beverley Minster.
• Some villages and hamlets are designated as Conservation Areas.
• The distinctive market town of Beverley has historic character and a medieval minster.
• Coastal character in resorts such as Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea.
• Expansion of road, retail and housing development outside the larger settlements of Bridlington, Driffield and Beverley.

Limited network of public rights of way and very little open access land so that access for recreation from urban areas to the countryside and coast is poor.

Justification for selection:

• Green infrastructure strategies, development of coastal access and new links to existing rights of way.
• Hull to Hornsea disused railway line is a strategic route (part of the Trans Pennine Trail) and potentially provides wildlife corridors linking to semi-natural habitats.
• The coastal town of Bridlington ranks as one of the worst areas experiencing multiple deprivation.
• Short stretch of the national cycle route, the ‘Way of the Roses’, runs through the adjoining Yorkshire Wolds into Beverley and a 80 km long distance walking route, ‘The Minster Way’, runs between York and Beverley minsters.
• Coastal access is fragmented in some areas due to coastal erosion and extensive caravan parks.
• Rural lanes linking villages provide quiet rural routes which are popular for cycling, horse riding and walking.

Land gently undulating eastwards towards the sea where the coastal strip from Withernsea in the south, past Hornsea to Bridlington in the north, is characterised by arable farmland, sparse tree cover, holiday homes and caravan parks, and some historical sites.

Justification for selection:

• Prominent seaside resorts of Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea with static caravan parks.
• Historic coastline with visible evidence of military sea defences dating from the First and Second World Wars.
• Dimlington gas pipelines are large structures extending offshore and may impede coastal processes (erosion) and impact on sea views.
• Several sites of medieval interest including Meux Abbey, a Cistercian monastery east of Beverley. Along the coast are several deserted medieval villages and a moated motte-and-bailey castle at Skipsea.

Sparse woodland cover restricted to a few remaining woodlands linked to ancient forests and small pockets of deciduous woodland and shelter belts.

Justification for selection:

• Alder and willow carr woodland is the native woodland characteristic of the wetland corridor.
• Low Wood with its extensive alder and willow carr, characteristic of ‘wet’ areas at Hornsea Mere, Bail Wood near Aldbrough and Burton Bushes on Beverley Westwood historic grazing land.
• Copses and woodlands spread through the farmland outside the River Hull valley.

Tourism and recreation opportunities related to historic buildings, seaside and art.

Justification for selection:

• The grand, medieval minster located in the historic town of Beverley was constructed between 1220 and 1425. It inspired the design of Westminster Abbey.
• Burton Constable Elizabethan country house with landscaped gardens designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
• Popular seaside resorts include Hornsea and Bridlington. The latter is home to renowned artist, David Hockney.

Landscape opportunities

• Manage, enhance and restore the network of riparian and other wetland habitats in the Hull Valley by encouraging land managers to adopt sustainable management interventions and produce good quality habitats that form links between wetlands and other semi-natural habitats such as wet grassland, reedbeds and small-scale woodland or scrub.
• Manage, enhance and restore the network of watercourses in the Hull Valley by working with land managers to improve biodiversity, water quality and reduce flood risk while enhancing these landscape features by creating or maintaining marginal habitats around watercourses and creating buffer strips of wet grassland.
• Conserve and protect the post-glacial remnants of features that would have once been commonplace in a wetter landscape including Hornsea Mere SSSI, by creating and restoring marginal habitats associated the mere and through interpretation and education of geological SSSI for local communities and visitors.
• Plan to allow natural coastal processes to continue in appropriate areas along the Holderness coastline to allow essential sediment transportation to create other intertidal habitats and natural sea defences further south.
• Plan to extend coastal access where feasible by working in partnership including caravan park owners and ensuring provision for roll back so that rights of way are adaptable to the effects of coastal erosion.
• Plan for sea level rise and increased storm events by seeking opportunities to support soft defences such as meres so that they will allow natural coastal processes and enhance the landscape character of the coast.
• Manage, enhance and restore declining farmland features such as grasslands, networks of ditches, small copses and hedgerows, providing roosting and feeding areas for barn owl, corn bunting and tree sparrow, by encouraging the take-up of Countryside Stewardship options.
• Protect the open, exposed and low-lying landscape in rural areas and on the coast with its long views.
• Manage the historic environment for its contribution to local character and sense of identity and as a framework for habitat restoration and sustainable development.
• Plan opportunities to provide links between the urban settlements in Holderness (including Hull) to the surrounding countryside so that people in urban areas can enjoy the tranquillity of the rural areas, its history and the coast and including development of more green spaces within the towns and cities.
• Protect quiet rural areas by encouraging sensitive development, respecting long and open views, strong rural character of the area and local vernacular.
• Use understanding of the area’s traditional and historic architecture and its distinct patterns of settlement, to plan for and inspire any environmentally beneficial new development, which makes a positive contribution to local character and retains key views.