140 - Yeovil Scarplands : 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

Series of mansions, manors and surrounding parkland.

Justification for selection:

• Large houses, built from local stone, and their surrounding parklands have a significant positive effect on landscape character within the NCA.
• They represent an important suite of listed houses and registered parks and gardens that chart the rise of noble and gentry classes.
• Parks are often host to important assemblages of veteran trees and their associated lichen communities and the semi- and unimproved-grasslands can host important fungal flora.

Arc of rolling scarps and vales landscape.

Justification for selection:

• The arc of scarps and clay vales sets the tone of this NCA. Subtle contrasts between each scarp and vale add variety but within a coherent overriding rhythm.
• The scarp tops provide long views over the NCA and beyond.
• Elevated viewpoints over flat landscape creates ‘big skies’ and adds to the impacts of varying weather conditions.

Predominantly agricultural rural landscape with pasture most prominent but important areas of mixed farming.

Justification for selection:

• Pastoral agriculture dominates the character of the NCA. Grasslands, thick hedgerows and frequent hedgerow trees – many of which are veterans – result in an enclosed and often intimate character.
• Areas of mixed farming, particularly reflecting underlying geological and topographical variations, add an important character element.
• Around Yeovil an area of longstanding arable production with few hedgerows again adds variety to the NCA and gives a strong local sense of place.

Suite of semi-natural habitats.

Justification for selection:

• Remnant meadows associated with pastoral systems and calcareous grassland on the rougher, steeper parts of some of the limestone scarps provide a locally important resource of priority habitats.
• Woodlands, including ancient woodland, provide a habitat for internationally important species and a cultural link to the past.
• Two Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), 10 biological SSSI and 422 local sites.
• Hedgerows and streams provide important habitat infrastructure for species migration and are a fundamental element of the character across much of the NCA.

Important resource of Jurassic geology.

Justification for selection:

• Ham Hill stone is of great commercial, historical and character value to the NCA and beyond.
• There are important locations for the understanding of Jurassic stratigraphy.
• One National Nature Reserve, 21 geological SSSI (further 2 mixed interest), 31 Local Geological Sites.

Areas of tranquillity.

Justification for selection:

• Despite some large towns and busy roads there are areas of great tranquillity, especially to the north and far south of the NCA.

Landscape opportunities

• Maintain the strong sense of tranquillity, remoteness, traditional grazing and hay production, and distinctive skylines and sky-spaces; an undeveloped, pastoral landscape underpinned by a viable agricultural community and economy.
• Promote and maintain the extensive management of semi-natural grasslands to allow greater floristic diversity and biodiversity.
• Plan to develop robust networks of semi-natural wetland habitats, to store water in the upper reaches of the rivers Brue, Parrett and Yeo to alleviate flooding in the Somerset Levels. Ensure these also reinforce landscape character, increase biodiversity and reduce the risk of local flooding.
• Plan for the creation of new landscapes associated with the expansion around the urban fringes of Yeovil while incorporating the distinctive character of existing hedgerow networks, small woodlands, copses, shelterbelts, open spaces into green infrastructure.
• Protect and maintain the largely remote and diverse landscapes ranging from hills and ridge tops to wide valley bottoms and combes united by limestone scarps running east-west.
• Protect from damage and loss, and appropriately manage historic parks and gardens, and historic and archaeological features.
• Protect and manage species-rich neutral and calcareous grasslands that contribute to the distinctive pastoral landscape.
• Manage and enhance hedgerows, trees and orchards as principal landscape elements.
• Protect and manage the area’s geological resource, especially important geological sites