109 - Midvale Ridge : 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

Long thin ridge with great variation in geology and biodiversity and extensive views across the neighbouring clay vales.

Justification for selection:

• Sweeping views across the surrounding flatter countryside.

Rich geodiversity, the result of deposition of limestone and sandstones particularly during the Upper Jurassic.

Justification for selection:

• Nationally and internationally important sites for fossils, such as at Wicklesham and Coxwell Pits with some assemblages, such as the sponges at Great Coxwell known only from this area.
• Provides stratigraphic evidence for the geological history of the region.
• Local quarries provided some of the building stone for Oxford’s historic city centre.

Ancient semi-natural woodland with patches of wet woodland.

Justification for selection:

• 3 per cent of the area and 33 per cent of the total woodland resource is designated ancient woodland.
• Woodland stock includes patches of wet woodland, a valuable wildlife habitat.
• The former royal hunting forest of Bernwood is mentioned in Domesday Book.

Fragmented but important and unusual semi- natural habitats including acid grassland, calcareous grassland, calcareous heath and calcareous fens.

Justification for selection:

• Possibly the most important region in southern England for calcareous fens with an associated assemblage of rare plants and insects.

Distinctive settlement pattern of hill top and springline villages.

Justification for selection:

• Buildings are often made from locally quarried stone and are typically grouped around a village green.

Historical landscape.

Justification for selection:

• Ridge and furrow particularly in the eastern half of the region.
• Romano-British settlement remains.
• Historic parklands.
• Past industrial use of the landscape such as quarrying or brick kilns at Brill.

Landscape opportunities

• Maintain, restore and consolidate areas of semi-natural grasslands that have an Conserve and promote the area’s geological heritage including designated sites and abandoned quarry sites where appropriate.
• Protect the historic environment of the area including the nationally important remnants of ridge and furrow, Romano-British remains, remnants of the local industry such as brick making at Brill, the historic parklands, historic buildings such as the windmills.
• Protect and appropriately manage calcareous grassland, calcareous heathland, ancient woodland sites (in particular wet woodland and moist ash woodland) and calcareous flushes and plan to link fragmented habitat wherever possible through new habitat creation.
• Manage large-scale development impacts (where possible obtaining improvements to biodiversity, access and greenspace) so that the structure of the area is maintained and the impacts of development on tranquillity and the landscape quality of the area are maintained.
• Conserve the character of the villages by using local materials in building or repairs and maintain the network of sunken lanes.