National Character Area 79
North East Norfolk and Flegg - Key Characteristics
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A generally flat, low-lying landscape, compared to adjacent areas, which has limited topographic variation and slopes gently from west to east, becoming flatter as it merges with the Broads.
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Soils that are deep, loamy and free draining. They are very fertile and support productive arable farming. Horticultural crops are grown on the lighter soils towards the coast.
Sugar beet harvesting in the Flegg at Mautby. The deep, loamy and very fertile soils help to make the NCA one of the most productive food producing areas in the country.~Debbie Gosman -
Naturally active coastline of geological and geomorphological importance, providing a main source of sediment to the south of the NCA, within the sediment sub-cell. Internationally important Pleistocene sediment and fossil deposits are exposed in eroding coastal cliffs.
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Distinctive coastal sand dune system and deposits of marine shingle, with sections of sandy cliffs and long, wide, sandy beaches.
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Copses and large woodland blocks around Blofield Heath, East Rushdon and North Walsham, such as Bacton Woods, are important features of inland areas. They lend an intricate, enclosed character to the mix of pastures and arable land on the Broads margin, contrasting with the scarcity of woodland elsewhere. High hedgerows with prominent hedgerow oaks are notable features.
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The River Yare, which provides a distinctive riverine landscape and flows out through the tidal lake of Breydon Water to the North Sea.
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Strong vernacular style of domestic and agricultural buildings, reinforced by use of flint and red brick. Roofs are commonly Norfolk reed thatch or pantiles. Isolated flint churches – either round-towered Saxo-Norman churches or medieval wool churches – are prominent in the open landscape.
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Nucleated villages and hamlets, linked by a dense network of small lanes. Chalet parks and large caravan sites dominate the settlement structure along parts of the coast.
Nucleated villages and hamlets are linked together by dense network of small lanes. Flint and red brick is the dominant building material.~Chris Woods
Relationship with the coast
The adjacent coastline is covered by the following Shoreline Management Plans:
- Kelling Hard to Lowestoft
The adjacent coastline includes the following Marine Plan – Marine Character Areas (MCAs):
- Norfolk Coastal Waters
Kelling Hard to Lowestoft Shoreline Management Plan
Shoreline Management Plans are developed by Coastal Groups with members mainly from local authorities and the Environment Agency. They identify the most sustainable approach to managing the flood and coastal erosion risks to the coastline in the short, medium and long term. This could inform actions within the NCA.
Description for the Norfolk Coastal Waters Marine Character Area
Seascape Character Assessments have been produced for all marine plan areas in England, extending along the coast to the High Water Mark. Information in the Seascape Character Assessments could inform actions along the coastline of the NCA.
