2012-08 canterbury landscape character biodiversity appraisal draft

7/30/2019 2012-08 Canterbury Landscape Character Biodiversity Appraisal Draft

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Canterbury LandscapeCharacter and Biodiversity

Appraisal

DRAFTAugust2012


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Copyright J acobs Engineering U.K. Limited. All rights reserved.

This document has been prepared by a division, subsi diary or affiliate of Jacobs Engineering U.K. Limited (Jacobs ) in its profession al capacity asconsultants in accordance with the terms and conditions of Jacobs contr act with the commissioning party (the Client ). Regard should be had to thoseterms and conditions w hen considering and/or placing any reliance on this document. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced by anymeans without prior wr itten permission from Jacobs. If you have received this document in error, please destroy all copies in your possession or c ontroland notify Jacobs.

Any advi ce, op ini ons , or reco mmendat ion s with in t his doc umen t (a) shoul d be r ead and r elied upo n only in the c ont ext o f the docum ent as a who le; (b ) donot, in any way, purpor t to in clude any manner of legal advice or opin ion; (c) are based upon t he information made available to Jacobs at the date of thisdocument and on current UK standards, codes, technology and construction practices as at the date of this document. It should be noted and it isexpressly stated that no independent verification of any of the documents or information suppl ied to Jacobs has been made. No liability is accepted byJacobs for any use of this document, other than for the purposes for which it was originally prepared and provided. Following final delivery of thisdocument to the Client, Jacobs will have no further obligations or duty to advise the Client on any matters, including development affecting theinformation or advice provided in this document.

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Mapping reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office.

Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infr inges Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proc eedings.

Canterbury City Council. LA077399 2012


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Contents

Context 1

Consultation 2

Introduction 3Landscape 3

Biodiversity 3

Methodology 6LandscapeCharacter 6

HabitatNetworks 7

KentLandscapeInformationSystems(KLIS) 7

LivingLandscapes 8

EcologicalDesignations 9

LimitationsinInterpretation 9

NaturalEnvironment 10GeologyandSoils 10

Landformand

Drainage

13

Agricultural LandUse 15

Ecology 17

LandscapeDesignations 24

CulturalHeritage 26CulturalHeritage:Designations 31

CanterburyDistrictwithintheBroaderLandscape 33

LandscapeCharacterAreas 361.BeltingeCoast 39

2.Swalecliffe

Coast

42

3.ChisletArableBelt 45

4.NethergongSarrePennInlet 48

5.SeasalterMarshes 51

6.ShelvingfordInlet 54

7.SnakeDrovePastures 57

8.ReculverCoastalFringe 60

9.ChestfieldGap 62

10.ChestfieldWoodedFarmland 66

11.CourtLeesandMillstroodFarmlands 69

12.FordandMaypoleMixedFarmland 72

13.GreenhillandEddingtonFringe 75

14.Herne

Common

78

15.HillboroughArableFarmlands 81

16.WraikHill 84

17.YorklettsFarmlands 87

BleanWoods:Harbledown,Thornden,Yorkletts,East,BigburyHilland

DensteadWoods

90

18.BleanWoods:Harbledown

19.BleanWoods:Thornden

20.BleanWoods:Yorkletts

21.BleanWoods:East

22.BigburyHill

23.DensteadWoods

24.Clay

Hill

98

25.BroadOakValley 101


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Contents

26.ShalmsfordSlopes 104

27.StourValleySides 107

28.StourValleySlopes 110

29.StourValleySlopesWestbere 115

30.StodmarshRidge 118

31.LittleStourValley 121

32.Stour

Valley

Chartham

124

33.StourValleySturryandFordwich 127

34.StourValleyWincheapandThanington 131

35.WestbereandStodmarshValley 135

36.BleanFarmlands 138

37.HarbledownFruitBelt 141

38.HoathFarmlands 145

39.IckhamFarmlands 148

40.NackingtonFarmlands 151

41.NailbourneParklands 155

42.OldPark 158

43.SouthCanterburyandLittlebourneFruitBelt 161

44.Trenley

Park

Woodlands

166

45.WickhambreauxandIckhamHorticulturalBelt 169

46.AdishamArableDownland 172

47.BramlingDownland 175

48.CharthamDownland 179

SummaryandRecommendations 182Table1:LandscapeGuidelines 183

FarmlandLandscapes 185

FruitBeltLandscapes 185

ValleyandWetlandLandscapes 186

Parklands 186

HistoricVillages

186

BleanLandscapes 186

GreenGap 186

MarshlandLandscapes 186

References 188

GlossaryofAbbreviations 189

AppendixA:LivingLandscapesMethodology 190

AppendixB:ConservationAreas 201

AppendixC:ExampleFieldSheet 216

List

of

Figures

Figure1 BRANCHHabitatNetworkChangeforaTypicalGrasslandSpecies(MeadowPipit)

Figure2 CurrentBiodiversityOpportunityMappingProjects

Figure3 Geology

Figure4 Soils

Figure5 Topography

Figure6 AgriculturalLandClassification

Figure7 NaturalAreas

Figure8 BiodiversityDesignations

Figure9 StrategicHabitatNetwork

Figure10 LandscapeandHeritageDesignations

Figure11 CountywideLandscapeCharacterAreas

Figure12CanterburyLandscapeCharacterTypes

Figure13CanterburyLandscapeCharacterAreas

Figure14LandscapeGuidelines


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1

Context

1.1 Canterbury City Council have commissioned Jacobs to undertake a landscape and biodiversity appraisal of the

CanterburyDistrict.ThisappraisalformsanupdateandextensionofpreviousworkpreparedbyKentCountyCouncils

Kent Environment Consultancy on behalf of Canterbury City Council, which was commissioned to support the

Canterbury District Local Plan. This previous work subdivided Canterbury District into three separate areas and

subsequent studies which excluded the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the locally

designated North Downs Special Landscape Area (SLA). The studies comprised Canterbury Landscape Appraisal

(November1998),

Herne

Bay

and

Whitstable

Landscape

Appraisal

(June

2000)

and

Blean

Woods

and

the

Great

and

LittleStourValleysLandscapeAppraisal(July2001).

1.2 ThepurposeofthisappraisalistoinformtheCoreStrategywithintheemergingLocalPlan.Inaddition,thisreportwill

beausefultoolforavarietyofpeopleincludingplanners,landmanagers,developersandconservationbodies.

1.3 TheNationalPlanningPolicyFramework(NPPF)waspublishedinMarch2012.Withinits12CorePlanningPrinciplesit

identifiesthatplanningshould:

takeaccountofthedifferentrolesandcharacterofdifferentareas,promotingthevitalityofourmainurbanareas,

protecting the Green Belts around them, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and

supportingthrivingruralcommunitieswithinit;

contributetoconservingandenhancingthenaturalenvironmentandreducingpollution.

1.4 TheNPPFalsostatesthat,

114.Localplanningauthoritiesshould:

setoutastrategicapproachintheirLocalPlans,planningpositivelyforthecreation,protection,enhancementandmanagementofnetworksofbiodiversityandgreeninfrastructure; and

maintainthecharacteroftheundevelopedcoast,protectingandenhancingitsdistinctivelandscapes,particularlyinareasdefinedasHeritageCoast,andimprovepublicaccesstoandenjoymentofthecoast.

1.5 InJune

2011

the

Natural

Environment

White

Paper

(NEWP)

entitled

"The

Natural

Choice:

securing

the

value

of

nature"

was launched by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The NEWP provides the

Government'svisionforthenaturalenvironmentforthenext50years,backedupwithpracticalactionfordelivery.The

WhitePapersetsoutthechoices thatneed tobemadetoensurehowbesttoenhancetheenvironment,tosustain

economicgrowthand toboostwellbeing.TheNEWPpromotesanecosystemwideapproach tonatureconservation

withanemphasisonconnectivity,throughtheidentificationofNatureImprovementAreas(NIAs).

1.6 Thisappraisalsupports theprinciplesof theNPPFandNEWPbyassessing characterandbiodiversityata landscape

scale.Specificallytheobjectivesareto:

Identifyanddescribethelocallandscapecharacterareas

Assesstheconditionandsensitivityoftheselandscapecharacterareas

Identifyexisting

priority

wildlife

habitats

and

strategic

biodiversity

networks

1.7 Thestudyexcludesthebuiltupurbanareas. ItalsoexcludesthenationallydesignatedAONB.AsillustratedonFigure

10, the Kent Downs AONB is located to the south of the district, south of Chartham, Patrixbourne and Adisham.

Landscape recommendations in the form of policies for the AONB are included within the Kent Downs AONB

ManagementPlan20092014(FirstReviewApril2009).

1.8 Theassessmentaimstoprovide logical,robustanddefensiblejustificationsformanagingpressuresforchange inthe

area,withoutdiminishingthevalueofthelandscapeandexistingandpotentialwildlifehabitatnetworks.Thestudyalso

provides theopportunity to identifyareas that require conservation, restoration, reinforcementor improvement to

enableresourcestobetargetedtothoseareasingreatestneed.


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2

Context

Consultation

1.9 TheultimatevalueandaccuracyoftheLandscapeandBiodiversityAppraisalisdependentuponavigorousconsultation

withthelocalcommunity,landusersandotherinterestgroups.

Summaryconsultationstatementtobeinsertedinfinaldraftofthisdocument


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3

Introduction

Landscape

2.1 The countryside has evolved over many hundreds of years. It has been created by the interaction of the natural

environmentandhumanactivities,inparticularthecombinationofphysical,biologicalandculturalinfluences.Physical

influences such as geology and landform, together with the overlying pattern of settlement and land use are key

determinantsof

landscape

character.

2.2 Theobjectiveistoensurethatthedecisionmakingprocessofthelocalauthorityisunderpinnedbyarobustandwidely

acceptedassessmentof the landscape character.The challenge is to findwaysof identifying the importanceof the

landscapewithinCanterburyDistrictwhichassiststheprocessofaccommodatingchange,wherethisisbothdesirable

and practicable, whilst maintaining the links with the past and the natural environment. There is a need to retain

patternanddiversity in the landscape toensure that characterand localdistinctivenessaremaintained.This isnot

necessarilyaboutkeepingthelandscapeasitisbutismoreaboutpreventingeverywherebecomingthesame.Weneed

toalsoensurethat landscapesarevisuallysatisfying,andgiveenjoymenttothosewhovisitthemandthosewholive

andworkinthem.

2.3 Many of thejudgments regarding landscapes are subjective, which means that they are open to equally valid but

differentindividual

interpretations.

The

process

of

landscape

character

assessment

has

to

resolve

this

matter

and

has

evolvedsothatcurrentpracticeisnowbasedonalogicalandwellthoughtoutprocedure.Thisprocedurebreaksdown

theanalysis into thecomponentpartswhichcollectivelymakeup the landscapeasweknow it.This logicalprocess

enablesdecisionstoberevisitedovertimeaswellasenablingdifferentassessorstounderstandandcontributetothe

process.

Biodiversity

2.4 Wild species and seminatural habitats exist within the landscape and help to define it. Indeed in one sense, our

landscapeslargelyconsistofhabitats,bothforwildlifeandforpeople. However,itiswidelyrecognisedthatsuitable

spacesforadiversewildlifecommunity(biodiversity)withinourlandscapeshavediminishedoverthecenturies,and

continueto

be

threatened

by

amultitude

of

human

activities.

Since

1992

the

UK

has

developed

aframework

for

the

conservationofbiodiversityknownastheUKBiodiversityActionPlan(BAP). Thisplan identifiespriorityspeciesand

habitatsthataremostunderthreatanddevelopsmeasuresfortheirconservation.Localauthoritiesnowhaveaclear

dutytohaveregardtotheconservationofthesespeciesandhabitatsunderSection40oftheNaturalEnvironmentand

RuralCommunitiesAct2006(knownastheBiodiversityDuty).

2.5 Amongst these pressures, the loss and fragmentation of habitat has been particularly marked, and has additional

consequencesinthefaceofclimatechange. Inordertosurviveandadapttochange,speciesneedenoughaccessible

habitattosustainviablepopulations.Therequirementwilldifferbetweenspecies,but lossofhabitatareaorquality

normallymeansreductioninpopulationsizeand,ifexcessive,localextinction.Inachangingenvironmentandtoensure

geneticmixing, speciesalsoneed tobeable todisperse ormigrate safelybetweenareasofhabitatas someareas

becomes lesssuitableandothersmoreso. Thereforehabitatfragmentationandbarriersposedby inhospitable land

cover

are

also

serious

threats

to

species'

survival.

2.6 In20042007KentCountyCouncil,NaturalEnglandandotherlocalandEuropeanpartnersundertookamajorstudyto

model how wildlife and ecological networks might respond to climate change known as the BRANCH Project:

(BiodiversityRequiresAdaptation inNorthwestEuropeunderaChangingClimate):Within this, theKent case study

assessed existing connectivity of terrestrial habitats through scientific modelling of indicator species dispersal

behaviouracrossthelandscape.Thespecieschosenwerethosebelievedtobeindicativeof,anddependantoncertain

characteristic habitat types. From this, existing functional habitat networks could be identified. In addition, the

sustainabilityof thesenetworks couldalsobeassessed in termsof theirability to retaina viablepopulationof the

indicatorspeciesovertime.

2.7 Once the currentdistributionand sustainability ofhabitatnetworks inKentwasdetermined,network responses to

climatechange

over

asequence

of

time

slices

could

be

assessed,

based

on

future

climate

predictions.

Climate

change

isrepresented in theBRANCHmodelasan increaseordecrease in thequalityofeachhabitatpatch foraparticular


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4

Introduction

species (i.e. its carrying capacity),withhigherquality habitatsassumed to containmore individualsand therefore

morepotentialdispersers.

2.8 IntheCanterburyDistrict,theBRANCHmodellingshowsthathabitatnetworksforsomespeciesmayhavethepotential

toexpandunderclimatechange,whilstotherswillcontract. Forinstancethegrasslandbirdspecies,meadowpipit,is

likelyto

see

acontraction

in

its

sustainable

habitat

network

with

parts

of

its

network,

particularly

south

and

west

of

Canterburycitypossiblybecomingunsustainableordisappearingaltogether. Toillustratethistheworstcasescenario

for this species ismapped in Figure1.The hatched shading shows the currentgrassland dispersal network for this

species,and thesolidshadingrepresents the timeslice4scenario (basedona tenfoldreduction inhabitatcarrying

capacity).Achange innetworkdistribution isan indicationofhowsensitive thatspeciesdispersalopportunity is to

climatechange.


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5

Introduction

2.9 Interestingly,BRANCHshowsthatotherhabitatsmodelledmayseeanincreasedsuitabilityforsomespeciesandtheir

networks couldexpandwithinCanterburyDistrictundera changing climate.However, thismaybebalancing losses

elsewhereinEurope,andsuchnecessaryspatialadjustmentwillonlybepossibleifhabitatnetworksaremaintainedor

enhanced. This is why it is essential that threats and opportunities within Canterbury District are not viewed in

isolation.

2.10 It should be noted that the BRANCH model makes an important assumption: that the current distribution of each

habitattyperemainsconstantovertime,anditisonlythequality(carryingcapacity)ofthehabitatthatchangesunder

achangingclimate. Themodeldoesnot take intoconsideration theremovalofhabitatorcreationofnewareasof

habitat. Asclimatechangeprogresses,humanlanduseresponsesarelikelytoleadtosomedegreeofchangeineach

habitatsdistributionaswellasitsquality. Thismayeitherexacerbateormoderatethequalityderivedchangesshown

bythemodel.

2.11 Aspartofourassessmentoflandscape,thisdocumentsetsouttoexaminecurrentdistributionofBAPpriorityhabitats

atthelandscapescale,andopportunitiesforlinkingtheseareastoformamorecoherentandhealthynetworktobetter

copewithfutureenvironmentalchange. Todothis,geographicinformationsystemsdevelopedbyKentCountyCouncil,

theKentWildlifeTrustandotherKentBAPPartnershiporganisationshavebeenused.Likeanydatasystems,theseare

constantlybeing

refined

and

updated

with

new

data

and

revised

parameters,

so

this

document

can

only

reflect

the

data

andanalysisgeneratedtodatebyprofessional ecologists.Forfutureupdatestothisdata,thereaderisreferredtothe

KentLandscapeInformationSystem(www.kent.gov.uk/klis)andtotheKentWildlifeTrust.

2.12 Itshouldbenoted thatsuchspatialmodelsaredesigned toprovidebroad,strategic targetareasat thecountyand

regional level. At the local level, care needs to be taken with any detailed use of such mapping, and the

appropriatenessofhabitatboundariesandopportunitiesshouldalwaysbegroundtruthedthroughenvironmental

surveysduringthedevelopmentofproposalsforindividualsites.Itshouldbestressedthatthoseareasnotcoveredby

thehabitatopportunitynetworkarenotdevoidofbiodiversityopportunity. Infact,substantialgainsforbiodiversity

canbemade in theseareaswhereopportunitiesariseforhabitat creationorbettermanagement.Theiromission

fromtheopportunitynetworkonlyindicatesthattheyarenotasgreatastrategicpriorityforimprovingdistrict and

countywidehabitatconnectivity.

Acombinedapproach

2.13 In the past, landscape character assessment has been conducted somewhat separately from strategic biodiversity

planning. It is increasingly recognised that this ratherartificialdivisionofapproachesdoesnot lend itself toa fully

integratedstrategyformanagingourcountrysideandtheessentialenvironmentalservicesitprovides. Thisdocument

attemptstobringbothanalysestogether inonedocumentsothattherecommendations incorporateboth landscape

characterandhabitatnetworks.


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6

Methodology

LandscapeCharacter

3.1 The methodology used to undertake the landscape assessment is based on Scottish Natural Heritage and The

CountrysideAgency'sLandscapeCharacterAssessmentGuidanceforEnglandandScotland2002'.Thereareessentially

twoelementstotheLandscapeAppraisal.Firstlythecharacterisationofthelandscapewherethelandscapecharacter

areasare

defined,

and

secondly

the

analysis

of

these

areas

where

judgements

are

made

about

these

character

areas.

3.2 Inthefirstinstancetheassessorinterrogatesthegeological,soilandtopographicalinformationaswellasaccumulating

asmuchinformationasisreadilyavailableregardinghistoricandculturalinfluences,natureconservationinterestsand

landuse.Anaerialphotographicstudyoftheareaassistswith the identification of the landscapecharacterareasas

wellasassistingwiththeappreciationoftheconclusionssubsequentlyreached.

3.3 Having initiated the desk based research, the field work is undertaken. Normally two landscape assessors working

together in the field debate and define the broad character distinctions using `Field Assessment Sheets' (refer to

AppendixC)andtakephotographicrecordsasdata.

3.4 The FieldAssessment Sheetsare designed toanalyse the component factorsof the landscape, to reacha seriesof

decisionsonthe:

aesthetics

keycharacteristics

visualunity

ecologicalintegrity

conditionofheritagefeatures

impactofbuiltdevelopment

senseofplace

visibility

3.5

Havingidentified

the

character

areas

as

aseries

of

largely

homogeneous

units

the

data

collected

was

analysed

in

terms

ofeacharea'sConditionandSensitivity.

3.6 Each of these words is strictlydefined to avoid as far as possible any subjective interpretation which couldnot be

justified. The objective is also to define a standard methodology which can be used by other assessors for other

landscapessothatcomparisonscanbemadeandprioritiesset.

3.7 Conditionisstronglyinfluencedbytheimpactofexternalfactors.Ithasbothavisualdimension,reflectingthedegree

to which a landscape appears unified, and a functional dimension reflecting the degree to which the countryside

functionsasaselfsustainingresource.Thisinturnisausefulmeasureoflandusechange.Conditionalsoaddressesthe

issuesregardingthepresenceofincongruousfeaturesontheunityofthelandscape.Urbanfringeareasareoftenunder

pressure which can frustrate other land uses. This often means that these areas are described as being in a poor

conditionwhilst

other

more

remote

areas

may

still

have

the

same

basic

features

but

be

in

abetter

condition.

It

is

thereforepracticaltoassumethatconditionmayvarythroughoutacharacterareasothatanyconclusionsshouldbe

regardedasasummaryof theoverallsituation. Inmore technical termscondition isdefinedbyananalysisofVisual

UnityandFunctionalIntegrityandisclassifiedonascalerangingfrompoor,throughpoor,moderate,goodandfinally

togood.

3.8 VisualUnity istheresultofananalysisofthePatternofElements,forexample thepatternofvegetation,enclosure,

settlementetc.,setagainstthenumberandprominenceofDetractingFeaturesinthelandscape.

3.9 FunctionalIntegrityisanassessmentofhowthelandscapefunctionsandconsidersboththeinfluenceofman(Cultural

Integrity)andtheinfluenceofnature(EcologicalIntegrity).Ecologicalintegrityisitselfafunctionofhabitatsize,quality

andconnectivityacrossthe landscape,andthereforerelatestothisstudysanalysisofexistinghabitatsandpotential

habitatnetworks

(see

below).


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7

Methodology

3.10 For the purpose of this assessment sensitivity is a measure of the ability of a landscape to accept change without

causingirreparabledamagetotheessentialfabricanddistinctivenessofthatlandscape.Thetermchangereferstoboth

beneficialchangesuchasanewwoodlandaswellaschangethatmaybebroughtaboutbynewlanduses.Again, in

more technical terms,sensitivity isdefinedbyananalysisofSenseofplaceandVisibilityand isclassifiedonascale

rangingfromlowthroughlow,moderate,highandfinallytohigh.

3.11 Sense of place balances Distinctiveness with Continuity. Distinctiveness is defined by the number and pattern of

characteristic featuresinthelandscape.Forexampleinalandscapewherehedgerowsarecharacteristicifthenetwork

isintactthelandscapecanbedescribedasdistinct.Continuityreferstothetimedepthofthelandscape,rangingfrom

recenttoancient.

3.12 Visibilityaddressesthe issuesofLandformand interceptingfeaturessuchasTreecover.Forexampleanopenhilltop

landscape is more visible than an enclosed lowland

landscape.

3.13 The conclusions reached regarding each of the character

areas are expressed using a matrix which encompasses

Condition

and

Sensitivity.

This

analysis

gives

a

broad

indicationofeacharea'sabilitytoaccommodateachange in

management or use without loss of overall integrity. The

words in the matrix help to assist in the direction of any

policythatmightbeappliedtothelandinquestion.

3.14 It has to be recognised that whilst the process adopts a

complex but logical critique of the landscape many of the

individual decisions are still based on the trained but

subjective judgments of the assessors. However by

simplifyingtheconclusionsintoaseriesofgenericactionsitis

possibletoreachinformedandwellsupportedjudgmentson

thelandscape

character.

3.15 Guidelinesareofferedwhicharelocallyappropriatetothecharacterareaandrespondtothegenericactionsthathave

been identified.Manyof theseguidelinesarenot likely tobewithin the remitof the LocalAuthority to implement

directlyastheyarenotresponsibleformanagingthelandinmostcases.Suchreferenceshavehoweverbeenincluded

withtheviewto influencingopinions,generatingsupportandguidingpolicy. Inmany instancescertainformsof land

managementhaveastrong influenceon the landscapecharacter.Theseareoftendependentonmarket forcesand

landmanagementpracticesfortheirretentione.g.sheepgrazingonmarshlandandfruitgrowing.

HabitatNetworks

3.16

The

identification

of

BAP

priority

habitats

and

key

opportunities

for

the

creation

of

effective

habitat

networks

are

based

onrecentlydevelopedgeographic informationsystemssuchastheKentLandscape InformationSystem(KentCounty

Council)andtheLivingLandscapesproject(KentWildlifeTrustandKCC).Thesearedescribedbelow.Thedatathatgo

intothesemappingsystemsarebasedonsoundscientificunderstandingofthephysical landscape inKent.However,

whether a particular area of land is included in any habitat network is partly based on certain species dispersal

thresholds and environmental limits set by ecologists, using a degree of professional judgement. Thus, like any

prioritisationprocess,thesemethodscontainanelementofsubjectivity.

KentLandscapeInformationSystem(KLIS)

3.17 KLISisageographicinformationdatabasethatallowstheusertomapvariouslayersoflandscapeandhabitatdatafor

Kent invariouscombinations. Avarietyof layersareavailable.Forthisstudy,themostrelevantdata layersusedhas

included:

good

REINFORCECONSERVE&

REINFORCECONSERVE

Condition

moderate

IMPROVE&

REINFORCE

CONSERVE&

IMPROVE

CONSERVE&

RESTORE

poor

IMPROVERESTORE&

IMPROVERESTORE

low moderate high

Sensitivity


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8

Methodology

theKentWildlifeHabitatSurvey2003thisisasystematichabitatmappingexercisecarriedoutforthewhole

countybasedintheIntegratedWildlifeHabitatSurveymethodology.

HabitatOpportunitymapping whichidentifiesthepotentialoflandthroughoutKentforcreatingorrestoring

BAPpriorityhabitatsbasedonphysicalparameters suchassoil type,geology, topographyandproximity to

similarhabitat.

Aerialphotography

OrdnanceSurveyMaps

LivingLandscapes

3.18 This study makes extensive use of the Kent Living Landscapes project to inform identification of habitat network

opportunity.TheLivingLandscapesproject isanongoing initiative ledbyKentWildlifeTrustto identifyopportunities

forcountywidestrategichabitatnetworks inresponsetopastdegradationandfuturethreatssuchasclimatechange

anddevelopment.TheprojectmakesuseofKLIS'shabitatopportunitydataandthe locationofexistinghabitat from

the2003HabitatSurvey.

3.19

A

full

methodology

is

provided

in

Appendix

A,

but

in

summary

this

model

looks

at

parcels

of

land

that

have

opportunity

forcreationofaparticularhabitattypeinrelationtotheirproximitytosignificantexistingareasofthathabitat.These

areasofhigheropportunity,arethenfilteredbysettingathresholddistancefrompatchesofexistingsimilarhabitat.

Thoseparcelsthatarewithinthesetdistance(basedonassumeddispersaldistancesforlessmobilespeciestypicalof

thathabitattype)oftheexistinghabitatareincludedinthenetwork,andthosethataremoreisolatedarefilteredout.

Thisprocess is repeated foreachBAPhabitat typeand then the resultingmapsarecombined to forma theoretical

networkofallBAPhabitatsacrossKent. In thisway, thedecisionas towhetheraparticular field is inoroutof the

network is not made subjectively at the individual site level. However, there is a degree of subjectivejudgement

requiredinsettingdispersaldistancethresholdsandthelevelofphysical'opportunity'thatqualifies.

3.20 It is important to note that by using this model, not all areas ofexistingBAP habitatoreven designated siteswill

necessarilyfallwithintheresultingstrategicnetwork.Thisisnotbecausethequalityorimportanceofthatsiteislower,

butsimplythatitistooisolatedfromotherareasofhabitatorhighopportunitytoqualifyundertheparametersset.

3.21 ByusingtheLivingLandscapesnetworkmodelas itsbasis,thisstudyoftheCanterburyDistrictshabitatnetworkfits

neatly into thecurrentcountywideandregionalanalyses forKentandSEEngland. LivingLandscapesnetworkwas

developedforKentasawhole,andhasbeenrecentlyusedasthekeyspatialmodelfromKenttoinformthenewSouth

East Biodiversity Strategys Biodiversity Opportunity Areas Map (www.sebiodiversity.org.uk). This map identifies

regionalpriorityareasforrestorationandcreationofBAPhabitat intheSouthEastofEngland,andsomirrorsoneof

thekeyaimsofthisCanterburystudy.Therelationshipbetweenthelocal,countyandregionaldraftmapsisgraphically

illustratedinFigure2below.


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9

Methodology

3.22 Asmentioned inthe Introduction,asimilarprojecthasbeenrecentlyundertakento lookattherobustnessofKents

habitatnetworks

in

relation

to

predicted

climate

change.

The

BRANCH

project

described

used

species

dispersal

criteria

todevelopamodelwhichrevealshabitatnetworksandtheir likelysustainabilitythroughtimeunderclimatechange.

WhilstthismodelhasnotbeenuseddirectlyinthisCanterburylandscapeandbiodiversity assessment,itnevertheless

isavaluableadditionaltoolwhenconsideringthedevelopmentofhabitatnetworks.

EcologicalDesignations

3.23 Many BAP priority habitats are also designated for their biodiversity interest. Such designations exist at the

International,NationalandLocal (County) level.These sitesareoften in some formof favourablemanagementand

havebeensubjecttosomedegreeofsurveyto identifyandmonitortheirfeaturesofinterest.Theyarealsoafforded

protection in theplanningprocess,either through legislationor throughplanningpolicy.Therefore theyhavebeen

identifiedinthisstudyasacoreelementofeachlandscapecharacterareasexistingbiodiversityinterest.

LimitationsinInterpretation

3.24 This study combines information from the above datasets to identify the existing habitat resource and strategicnetworkopportunitiesatthebroad landscapescaleforeach landscapecharacterarea.This isthefirsttimetheKent

LivingLandscapesmodelhasbeenappliedatDistrictandlocallandscapecharacterareascale. Itis importanttonote

thatwhilecertainareasofopportunityofindividualfieldsizearedemarcatedthroughthisprocess,anydecisionmaking

arisingfrom thismustbe 'groundtruthed' throughmoredetailedsitelevelsurveys.Thisscaleofthisstudyprohibits

identification ofexactboundariesoreverylocalopportunityforbiodiversity conservationandenhancement,andlocal

knowledgeandsurveywillinevitablymodifythescopeandlocationofopportunityshownhere.

3.25 Itshould

also

be

noted

that

the

mapping

may

show

habitat

opportunity

where

recent

development

has

already

commencedduetotheexistinghabitatdata(KLIS)beingbasedona2003survey. Thehabitatsurveyiscurrentlybeing

reviewedandthefieldof biodiversityopportunitymappingandclimatevulnerabilitymappingcontinues todevelop.

However,asabroadstrategicexercise, thesemethodsareauniqueand invaluable tool thatcompliments thewider

LandscapeAssessment.


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NaturalEnvironment:GeologyandSoils

4.1 CanterburycityislocatedintheStourValleyatthefootoftheNorthDownswherethedipslopepetersoutandtheclay

capofTheBleanbegins.TothenorthofCanterburycity,anextensiveareaofLondonClaycoverstheareaknownas

TheBlean.The resulting soilsareheavy,poorlydrainedclay.Occasionally theclay isoverlainwithHeadGraveland

where streams cross the clay there are localised depositsofHeadBrickearth. Here the soilsarebaserich,neutral,

loamysoilsthathaveatendencytobeaffectedbygroundwater.TothesouthofCanterburycity isanareaofUpper

Chalkoverlain

with

deep,

well

drained,

fine,

silty

soils.

4.2 RunningfromthewesttoeastbetweenthechalkandLondonClayisanareaofThanetBedsandRiverTerraceGravels.

Heretherearedeep,fertile,welldrainedandoftenstoneless,fine,siltysoils.Within itthereareoutcropsofthinner,

acidic, well drained coarse, loamy and gravely soils, such as at Denstead Wood. Similar, but more sandy, soils are

locatedattheTrenleyParkWoodandOldParkcharacterareastotheeast.Abandofalluvium isassociatedwiththe

StourValleythatcutsthroughCanterburyonasouthwest northeastaxis.Thealluvialsoilsinthevalleyarestoneless,

clayey,fine,siltyandloamysoils,affectedbygroundwater.WithintheStourValleythereareoutcropsofthinner,acidic,

welldrainedcoarse loamyandgravely soils, suchasatBigburyHill. Likewise therearealluvialdeposits in theLittle

StourandNailbourneValleys.

4.3 FromBishopstonesouthtoHoaththesolidgeologychangesfromLondonClaytotheTertiarydepositsoftheThanet,

Oldhavenand

Woolwich

Beds.

This

change

can

be

seen

clearly

on

the

coast

where

the

cliffs

change

from

sloping

clay

to

moreresilientverticalcliffs.Inland,overlyingdriftdepositscreateamixedgeologyandthesoilsbecomemoreloamy.

ThereareareasofLondonClayoverlainwithpoorlydrainedloams;someHeadBrickearthdepositswithneutralloamy

soilsaffectedbygroundwater; dryneutral loamsoverareasofThanet,OldhavenandWoolwichBedsanddrysandy

soilsassociatedwithHeadGraveldeposits.

4.4 TheSeasalterLevelsandGraveneyMarshestothewestofWhitstableandtheChisletMarshestotheeastofHerneBay

arealluvialdeposits.Thesoilsintheseareasarewet,baserich,neutral,heavysoils.TheunderlyinggeologyisLondon

Clay, a bluemarine clay weathering to brown, overlying Upper Chalk, which covers most of the historic Wantsum

Channelwithsomepocketsofsandandloams.TherearealsooutcropsofThanetBedswhicharegreengreysandswith

shell beds and sandy clay which have been exposed alongside the Wantsum Channel. This is overlain with recent

depositsofmarineclaysandsomeriveralluviumsproducingagreybrownsiltyclay.Figure3illustratesdriftandsolid

geology,and

Figure

4illustrates

the

soils

of

Canterbury

District.

CoastalChange

4.5 TherehavebeenconsiderablechangestotheNorthKentcoastlinesinceRomantimes.Atthistimethelandextended

some4 5kmfurthernorth.Theexplanationforthisliesinthegeologicalprocessofthegradualsinkingofthewholeof

theNorthSeaBasin.InasensetheBritishIslesareslowlyrisingonthewestandsubsidingontheeast.Thischangeis

furthercompoundedbythegradualmigrationoftheThamesEstuarytothesouth,erodingtheNorthKentcoastand

depositing on the South Essex coast. There has also been a gradual silting up of the Wantsum Channel that once

separatedtheIsleofThanetfromEastKent.Thechannelremainednavigableuntilthe1600swhenattemptstokeepit

openwereabandoned.Today theRiverWantsum is littlemore thanadrainagechannel.Theerosionof thecoast is

managedtodaybycoastalprotectionmeasures intheformofaseawall.Howeverthereisnowthethreatofarise in

sealevel

through

global

warming

in

addition

to

the

existing

pressure

from

natural

geological

processes.

4.6 TheIsleofGraintoSouthForelandShorelineManagementPlan2008(SouthEastCoastalGroup)identifiesthefuture

managementoftheCanterburycoastlineforthenext100years.Inareaswherecoastalerosionwouldbedetrimental

toexistingdevelopment,thefuturemanagement isgenerally identifiedas holdthe line(wheretheexistingdefence

linewillbemaintained).AtBishopstoneandtheclifffrontagealongReculverCountryParkthefuturemanagement is

identifiedasnoactiveintervention(wheretherewillbenoinvestmentinprovidingormaintainingdefences).Westof

Seasalterthefuturemanagementisdefinedasmanagedrealignment(wheretheshorelineisallowedtochangewith

management to control or limit movement) in the medium to long term. Realignment of coastal defences offers

significantopportunityforcoastalhabitatcreationintheintertidalzone(e.g.saltmarshandmudflats)whichshouldbe

exploredintandemwithrealignmentproposals.


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13

NaturalEnvironment:LandformandDrainage

5.1 Figure5illustratesthetopographyaroundCanterbury,whichrelatescloselytotheunderlyinggeology.Tothesouthof

Canterburythere isagentlyrollingtopographyalongtheedgeofthedipslopeoftheNorthDowns.Totheeastand

westofthecitythereisafoldedlandformthatisassociatedwiththemixedgeology.

5.2 TheStourValleyischaracterisedbythelevelfloodplainandrunsfromthesouthwesttothenortheastthroughthecity

centre,widening

as

it

travels

north

eastwards

towards

the

coast.

The

north

side

of

the

Stour

Valley

is

defined

by

aridge

thatrunsfromnorthofHarbledowntoBroadOakandbeyond.ThisridgeformstheedgeoftheLondonClayplateau

thatdropsevenlydowntothevalleyfloor.TothesoutheastofCanterburythevalleysideislessdistinctastheground

risesthroughaseriesofundulatingridgestowardstheNorthDowns.

5.3 To thenorth, thereare threegeneral topographicaldivisions in theHerneBayandWhitstableArea the lowlying

coastalland;anareaofundulatingopencountryandthehighergroundofTheBlean.

5.4 TothenortheastandnorthwestoftheLondonClaycaparethecoastalmarshesoftheChisletMarshes,andSeasalter

LevelsandGraveneyMarshes.Thelandformisgenerallyflatandlowlyingmarkedbyditchesanddykeswithrelatively

poor drainage so it tends to become waterlogged in winter, and dry and cracked in periods of low rainfall. The

GraveneyMarshesoriginallyextendedmuchfurtherseaward,andtheChisletMarshesaretheresultofthesiltingupof

theWantsum

Channel.

5.5 Small streams flow across the London Clay from The Blean to the coast. From west to east these are known as

SwalecliffeBrook,WestBrookandPlentyBrook.SwalecliffeBrookemerges to thewestofClowesWoodand flows

downtothewestofChestfield, issuing intotheseaatLongRock,northofSwalecliffe;WestBrookflowsnorth from

ThorndenWoodandissuestothewestofHamptonPier,andthePlentyBrookflowsfromWestBleanWood,acrossthe

HerneBayGolfCourseandisthenculvertedunderHerneBaybeforeissuingintothesea

5.6 To the south and east of the Canterbury District, where the London Clay changes to the Thanet, Oldhaven and

WoolwichBeds, thedifferentialerosionofthemixedgeologycreatesamorerolling landscape.Thisforms thevalley

sides to theGreat Stourand thebackdrop to the flatChisletMarshes,withextensive viewsacross themarshes to

Thanet and the East Kent coast. This area is incised by the Great and Little Stour Valleys, the Nailbourne and the

LampenStream.

A

further

stream,

the

Sarre

Penn

flows

parallel

to

the

Great

Stour

across

the

London

Clay.

These

rivers

andstreamsrisetothewestandsouthofthestudyareaandflownorth,northeastwardstotheWantsumandChislet

Marshes. A forked valley feature around Ford is created by small streams cutting into the Thanet Beds creating a

distinctlyrollinglandscape.


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NaturalEnvironment:LandformandDrainage


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15

NaturalEnvironment:AgriculturalLandUse

6.1 Figure6illustratesthequalityofagriculturalland,knownasagriculturallandclassification. TothenorthofCanterbury

city and the Stour Valley, the landscape lies within the intensively productive North Kent Plain. To the south of

CanterburycitythelandscapeformspartoftheNorthDowns.Thisisanextensivecerealbeltthatthrivesonthedeep

calcareous soils of the North Downs dip slope across the county. At Canterbury this agricultural land is generally

classifiedby the DEFRA as Grade 2. To thenorth of this is a belt of intensive orchardsandhopgardens that runs

generallyfrom

the

east

to

the

west

of

the

city.

This

land

is

mostly

Grade

1and

2and

is

part

of

an

area

of

productive

and

extensive fruit growing associated with the deep welldrained soils overlaying the Thanet Beds and River Gravel

Terraces.

6.2 Otherareasaroundthecityare less intensivelymanagedforagriculture.Tothenorthofthecity,wherethesoilsare

poorerandhardertowork,theagricultureislessintensiveandmostlyGrade3,withareasofGrade4landatTheBlean

andatClaphamHill.Herethere ispastureonthesouthfacingslopesoftheStourValleyandwoodlandontheclayey

soilsofTheBlean.ThewoodlandsofTheBleanareunclassified. In theStourValleywhere thegravelextractionand

developmentarenotpresentthewaterloggedalluvialsoilsaremanagedaspasture.

6.3 On the thinsoilsatBigburyHillandOldPark there isvery littleagriculturaluse.Therearea fewsmallorchardsand

paddocksforponygrazingonBigburyHill.OldParkismanagedpartlyasagolfcourseandpartlyasamilitarytraining

groundand

rifle

range

associated

with

the

barracks

at

St.

Martins

Hill.

6.4 TothenorthofTheBleanthe landscape isveryfragmentedbyblocksofwoodland,builtdevelopmentandtransport

corridors.Inmanyplacesthepressureonthelandisevidentandtherearenumeroushorsepaddocksandholidayparks

particularlyonthe lowergradeagriculturallandandnearthecoast.Wherecropproduction ismostviablethe land is

farmedvery intensivelyoften leavingonly thenarrowestofvergeswhere the fieldsmeet the roads.TheMinistryof

Agriculture,FisheriesandFood(MAFF)classifiedtheheavyclaysoilsthatcovermostoftheareaaroundHerneBayand

WhitstableasGrade3agriculturalland.Thesesoilssupportmainlycerealswithsomepasture.TotheeastofHerneBay

thelandismoreproductivewherethedriermoreloamysoilsarelocated.HerethelandisgenerallyclassifiedasGrade

2withpocketsofGrade1atChisletandaroundBrookFarmnearReculver.Themixed soils supportmostly cereals

althoughpotatoesandfieldvegetablesarefound.

6.5

Thelow

lying

Seasalter

Levels

and

Graveney

Marshes

are

classified

as

Grade

3and

support

grazing

marsh.

The

Chislet

Marshes are generally Grade 4 on the marshland with some pockets of Grade 1 around Chislet, Grade 2 around

ReculverandChittyandGrade3towardsthedistrictboundaryintheeast.


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NaturalEnvironment:AgriculturalLandUse


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17

NaturalEnvironment:Ecology

7.1 The nature conservation interest around Canterbury is substantial and varied.Canterbury District falls within three

NaturalAreas(refertoFigure7)definedbyNaturalEngland):

GreaterThamesEstuary

NorthKentPlain

NorthDowns

7.2 Profilesfortheseareasdescribetheirkeyphysical,wildlifeandlandusefeatures,andoutlinethemainissuesaffecting

them.Theyalsoofferaseriesofobjectivesforthemaintenanceandenhancementofthenatureconservationvalueof

theNaturalArea.TheboundariesoftheNaturalAreasare identical tothoseofNaturalEnglandsNationalCharacter

Areas,exceptthatthelatterdonotincludetheintertidalzone.

GreaterThamesEstuaryNaturalArea

7.3 The Greater Thames Estuary Natural Area comprises the tidal Thames itself, from Tower Bridge downstream to

WhitstableinKentandSouthendinEssex,andincludesmostoftheEssexcoastnorthtothemouthofthe(Essex)Stour.

This

wider

area

encompasses

the

extent

of

the

southerly

migration

of

the

mouth

of

the

Thames

over

the

last

400,000

years.Itspresentdayrelevancereflectsthegeographicalextentofacoherentassemblageofestuarinehabitats,plant

andinsectcommunities,coastalprocesses,geomorphological features,internationally importantbirdpopulationsand

relatedconservation issues.TheSeasalterLevelsandGraveneyMarshesformthemosteasterlyextentoftheGreater

ThamesEstuaryinKent.

NorthKentPlainNaturalArea

7.4 TheNorthKentPlainNaturalArea is thestripof landbetween theNorthDownsand theThamesEstuary.The land,

largelyderived from theTertiarydeposits, includes someof themost fertileandproductive farmland in southeast

England.Italsoincludeslargeareasofwoodland(suchastheBleanWoodlandcomplex)andmarshlandofoutstanding

natureconservationinterest(suchasStodmarsh).

7.5 Thepredominant landusesof theNorthKentPlainare intensivearablefarmingandhorticulturebutonheavierclay

soils therearewoodlandsandgrasslandswhile in rivervalleys,especially in theeast, thereareextensivewetlands.

These habitats support varied plant and animal communities including scarce and rare species. The area has been

greatlyinfluencedbyhumanactivitiesoverthecenturies,byfarmingandforestry,andmorerecentlybythegrowthof

towns.

NorthDownsNaturalArea

7.6 TothesouthofCanterbury liestheNorthDownsNaturalArea,characterisedbythedistinctivechalkgeology.Within

CanterburyDistrict the chalk is frequentlyoverlainby themoreacidic claywith flintswith characteristicdryvalleys

dissecting the plateau. There are large woodland and plantation blocks of conservation interest, but areas of

unimprovedchalkgrasslandarenowscarce.

DesignatedWildlifeSites

7.7 A significant proportion of Canterbury District is covered by at least one form of biodiversity designation. Such

designationsexistattheInternational, NationalandLocal(County)level,andinclude:

European Sites a collective term for sites designated under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.)

Regulations1994 suchas Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)and Special Protection Areas (SPAs).Often

wetlandsitesdesignatedundertheinternationalRamsarConventionarealsoincludedwiththeseinpractice.

ThesesitesarealmostalwayscoveredbytheSSSIdesignationaswell(seebelow).

Sitesof

Special

Scientific

Interest

(SSSIs)

A

statutory

UK

designation

under

the

Wildlife

and

Countryside

Act

1981. DesignatedbyNaturalEngland,theserepresenttheverybestwildlifesitesinthecountry.


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18


NationalNatureReserves(NNRs) arealmostalwaysSSSIs thusreceivingstatutoryprotection,butarealso

either owned or controlled specifically for wildlife by Natural England or held by approved bodies such as

WildlifeTrusts.

Local WildlifeSites (LWSs)anonstatutoryCountydesignation,administered inKentby theKentWildlife

TrustandratifiedbytheKentBAPPartnership.

LocalNature

Reserves

(LNRs)

are

designated

by

local

authorities

for

both

people

and

wildlife.

They

are

semi

naturalplacesthatareofspecialinterestlocallyandcanbemanagedassuch.Theyofferpeopleopportunities

fornaturestudyorinformalenjoyment. Theymayincludesitesthathaveoneoftheotherdesignationslisted

above.

7.8 The locations, boundaries and details (including links to citations) for European Sites and SSSIs can be found at:

www.natureonthemap.org.uk. LWSdetailscanbeobtainedfromtheKentWildlifeTrust.

7.9 Suchsitesareaffordedprotection intheplanningprocess,eitherthrough legislation(forstatutorysitessuchasSSSIs

andEuropeanSites)orthroughplanningpolicy(forlocal,nonstatutorysitessuchasLWSs).Figure8illustratesthemain

designations located throughoutCanterburyDistrict.Each relevantdesignatedsite is identifiedanddescribed in the

individualcharacterareasectionsofthisdocument,butabriefdistrictwideoverviewisprovidedasfollows. NNRsand

LNRsare

generally

not

included

in

the

analysis

and

discussion

as

those

Reserves

that

have

high

value

for

biodiversity

arealreadycoveredbytheotherdesignations.

7.10 Figure8shows that themajorityof theDistrictscoastlinewithin the intertidalzone isdesignatedasSSSI,SPAand

Ramsarsites. Theseoverlappingdesignationsreflecttheimportanceofthesecoastalhabitatsfortheirwetlandspecies

interestandinparticulartheirimportanceforcoastalbirds.

7.11 Inland,along theGreatStourvalley therearesignificant freshwaterwetlandhabitatsof international importanceat

Stodmarsh SSSI/SPA/SAC/Ramsar site. These are complimented by other SSSI and Local Wildlife Site wetlands

throughoutthecatchmentsfloodplainsandmarshlands.

7.12 TheancientwoodlanddominatedhabitatsofTheBlean to thenorthandwestofCanterburyarehighlydesignated,

beingacombinationofSAC/SSSIsandLWSs. SmallerandmoreisolatedwoodlandhabitatsofdesignatednationalandcountyimportancearetobefoundtothesouthandeastofCanterburyaswell.

BAPHabitatsandHabitatNetworks

7.13 TheUKBiodiversityActionPlan(BAP)identifiespriorityspeciesandhabitatsthataremostunderthreatanddevelops

measuresfortheirconservation. Thesemeasuresareinadditionandcomplimentarytotheprocessofsitedesignation

and protection. The conservation of BAP habitats has a statutory basis under the Natural Environment and Rural

CommunitiesAct2006andisalsoenshrinedinGovernmentPlanningPolicy.CanterburyDistrictisrichinBAPhabitats,

withsomenotably largeexpansesofhabitatinareassuchasTheBlean(e.g.ancientwoodland),theStourvalley(e.g.

wetlandhabitats),theNorthDowns(ancientwoodlandandchalkgrassland),andthecoastline(intertidalhabitats).

7.14 Thefollowingbroadhabitatcategories,basedontheUKBAP,havebeenusedinthisstudytoidentifydifferenthabitat

networksandaredescribedbrieflybelow:

OpenwaterThiscategoryincludesbothrivers,streamsandstandingopenwatersuchasditches,pondsand

reservoirs.Suchhabitatsarevitalforaquaticandamphibiousorganismsandtheterrestrialanimalsthatfeed

on them.Notablepondspecies includegreat crestednewts. Watercoursesprovidehabitat forkey species

such as otters, water voles, fish, aquatic invertebrates and birds such as kingfishers. Chalk rivers are

particularly important due to their diversity and vulnerability to human impacts such as groundwater

abstraction.

Wetland This broad category includes most habitats that are found on permanently or seasonally

waterloggedsoilsandwhichalsooftencontainsmallbodiesofopenwatersuchaspools,pondsandditches.

Theseinclude

reed

swamp,

fen,

wet

woodland,

etc.

often

found

in

combination.

They

generally

occur

in

low


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lyingareaswithinriverfloodplainsandreclaimedcoastallandwheretheycanoccuramongstandadjacentto

grazingmarsh(seebelow).

Grazing marsh periodically inundated pasture or meadow with ditches which maintain the water levels,

containingstandingbrackishorfreshwater.Theditchesareespeciallyrichinplantsandinvertebrates.Almost

allareasaregrazedandsomearecut forhayorsilage.Sitesmaycontainseasonalwaterfilledhollowsand

permanentponds

with

emergent

swamp

communities

Speciesrichneutralgrassland unimprovedneutralgrasslandhabitathasundergonearemarkabledeclineinthe 20

th century, almost entirely due to changingagricultural practice. It forms an important habitat for a

variety of plants and the range of notable invertebrates that depend on this floristic diversity. Lowland

meadowsandpasturesarealso importanthabitats for skylark, corncrake andanumberof other farmland

birds.

Intertidal habitat this includeshabitats foundbetween the tidal limits suchasmudflats, saltmarsh, saline

lagoons,shingleand littoralchalkbedrock. They forman important transitionalhabitatbetween terrestrial

andmarineenvironments,andareimportantforarangeoffauna,notablyinvertebratesandbirds.

Acid grassland and heath Acid grassland and heath occur on acid rock types such as sandstones and

superficialdepositssuchassandsandgravels.Inthelowlands,acidgrasslandsarenowrareandtheyprovide

animportantreservoirofrarespecies. Lowlandheathlandcontainsvegetationdominatedbyspeciesfromthe

heathfamily

or

dwarf

gorse

species.

The

UK

has

an

important

proportion

(about

20%)

of

the

international

total

of this habitat which is important for many birds, reptiles, invertebrates, vascular plants, bryophytes and

lichens.

Chalk grassland Chalk grasslands contain an exceptional diversity of rare plants, but are particularlycharacterised by a series of widespread grassland plants which are mainly restricted to lime rich soils.

Invertebratediversityoftenreflectsthisfloristicrichness.

WoodlandAlthoughthisstudyswoodlandnetworkisbasedaroundexistingancientwoodland(landthathas

hadcontinuouswoodlandcover sinceat least1600AD),new,nativebroadleafwoodlandopportunitiesare

alsoidentifiedaspartofthepotentialnetwork. Inprehistory,beforeanysignificanthumanimpactsoccurred,

woodlandwas by far thedominant terrestrialhabitat coveringmost of theBritish Isles. It is claimed that

ancientwoodlandsupportsmorespeciesofconservationconcernthananyotherhabitatintheUK.

7.15

Inaddition

to

the

habitats

described

above,

species

rich

hedgerows

provide

important

refuges

and

conduits

for

wildlife

throughthelandscape,andinparticularmayhelptoconnectwoodlandblocks.However,DutchElmdiseasehashada

devastating influenceonhedgerowswithinEastKentand,alongwitharable intensification,has leadtoadeclineand

lossofmanyhedgerows.Ithasnotbeenpracticaltoincludehedgerowswithinthenetworkmapping,duetothescale

ofthisstudyinrelationtosuchfeatures,andtheubiquitousnatureofhedgerowsinlowlandcountryside.Nonetheless

wherethesefeaturesareparticularlynotable,theirrelevanceisdescribedinthetextofthisdocument.

7.16 Many of Canterburys BAP habitats are also surrounded by land thathas the physical potential for the creation or

restorationofsuchhabitat.Currently,mostofthiswillbeundersomeformofintensivelandusethathaslessvaluefor

wildlifeandwhichmaypresentbarriers tospeciesdispersal.Mostof these landusesare likely tocontinue into the

foreseeablefuture. However,opportunitiesmayarise inthe futurewhichallowsomeof thishabitatpotential tobe

realised.Developmentplanningandotherlandusedecisionsshouldtakeaccountofthisfutureopportunityifweareto

createrobust

habitat

networks

that

contribute

to

the

wider

regions

networks.

A

principal

aim

of

this

study

is

to

highlightsuchopportunityandidentifythoseareaswhereitwillhavethemostimpactintermsofhabitatconnectivity.

7.17 Figure 9 illustrates the overall habitat network in Canterbury District which has been derived by the Kent Living

Landscapesproject. Thenetworkshownconsistsoftwokeyelements:

ExistingBAPHabitatsThenetworkonlyincludesthoseBAPhabitatpatchesthatarerelativelyclosetoother,similar

patchesofsignificantsize.Someoftheseareasarealsocoveredbysomeformofdesignationandtheserepresentthe

corepartsofthenetwork.

PotentialBAPHabitatsThoseareasof landthathavesignificantphysicalopportunity forBAPhabitatcreationand

thatarerelativelyclosetoexistinghabitatofsimilartype.


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.


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24

NaturalEnvironment:LandscapeDesignations

8.1 AsubstantialproportionofCanterburyDistrictiscoveredbynationalandlocallandscapedesignations(LLDs)(referto

Figure10).ThenationallydesignatedKentDownsAreaofOutstandingNaturalBeauty(AONB)abutsthesouthofthe

studyarea.TheescarpmentoftheNorthDowns,whichsitstothesouthoftheDistrict, isarguablythemoststriking

landscapefeatureinKentandthisisreflectedinthedesignationofthewidebeltoflandstretchingacrossthewidthof

thecounty.

8.2 An Area of High LandscapeValue (AHLV)designation applies to themarshesof the former Wantsum Channel that

separatedtheIsleofThanetfrommainlandKent.TheChisletMarshesAHLVdesignationformedpartofboththe1998

and2006CanterburyDistrictLocalPlans,andwasconsideredbytheLocalPlanInquiryInspectorin2004.TheInspector

for the 1998Canterbury District Local Plan recognised that the Chislet Marshes had an 'East Kentsignificance' and

meritedinclusion'asalocallandscapefeatureofimportanceinthearea'.Themarshesareadistinctfeatureandforma

dramaticopen landscapeofditchesand fields, reclaimed from the sea sincemedieval times. For themostpart the

settlementpatternreflectsthisformerfeature,withvillageslocatedonwhatwastheshoreline,fromReculver,through

Marshside to Upstreet. The designation was drawn up in conjunction with the neighbouring authorities of Thanet

DistrictCouncilandDoverDistrictCouncilandreflectstheimportanceofthemarshesinEastKent.

8.3 TheCanterburyAHLVisalsoidentifiedintheCanterburyDistrictLocalPlan2006andcoversthelandscapeimmediately

aroundthe

city.

The

valley

of

the

River

Stour

around

Canterbury

includes

areas

of

high

landscape

quality

and

features

ofarchaeologicalheritage. ThedesignationseekstoprotectthehistoricsettingofCanterburyandtheWorldHeritage

Site. TheCanterburyAHLVdesignationwas consideredby the LocalPlan Inquiry Inspector in2004. The Inspector

agreedthat

there isagood case to identifyaCanterburyrelatedAHLV,providingadditionalprotectionover thataffordedby

ordinaryopencountrysiderelatedpolicies. However, thisnecessaryCanterburyAHLVwouldnothavea roleof local

importance simply because of the visual quality of its landscape. TheAHLVs special landscape role should be the

preventionofvisualdamagetotheCityshistoricsetting.

8.4 Inresponsetohiscomments,theboundaryoftheAHLVwasrigorouslyreviewedsothat itwasconfinedto landthat

makesarealvisualcontributiontothevalleysettingofthehistoriccity. Further,thepurposeofthedesignationwas

clearlyset

out

in

the

local

plan

as

seeking

to

protect

the

historic

setting

of

Canterbury

and

the

World

Heritage

Site

as

wellaslandscapequality.

8.5 TheCanterburyDistrictLocalPlan(2006)alsoincludesSpecialLandscapeAreas(SLA)thatwereinitiallyidentifiedinthe

formerKentandMedwayStructurePlan(2006).TheseareasaretheSeasalterLevels(partoftheNorthKentMarshes

SLA),partsoftheNorthDownsSLAandBleanWoodsSLA.

8.6 BothAHLVandSLAswillbereviewedbyCanterburyCityCouncilaspartoftheLocalPlanprocess.


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NaturalEnvironment:LandscapeDesignations


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NaturalEnvironment:CulturalHeritage

EarlySettlement

9.1 The Canterbury area has been continuously occupied since prehistoric times with some of the earliest finds

includingPalaeolithic(earlyStoneAge 10,000B.C.)flinttoolsandMesolithic(middleStoneAge 6,000B.C.)flints.

9.2 ThecoastalplainandBleanWoodsarebelieved tohavebeenoccupiedduring theBronzeAgeandevidenceoffixedsettlementisrepresentedbyMiddleBronzeAge(1,000BC)potteryfindsatReculver,mostlikelyindicatinga

farmstead.OtherearlyscatteredsettlementsaroundCanterburyincludedanIronAgefort(500BC)atBigburyHill

andpossiblyaprehistoricsettlementatFordwich.IronAgepotteryhasalsobeenfoundbeneaththechurchlevels

atReculver that impliesa farmstead.There isvisibleevidenceof ritual landscapes insome locations includinga

clusterofbarrowsalongthehigherslopesoftheStourValley.BigburyHillhillfortisalsosetwithinelementsofan

historiclandscapewithvisibleearthworksextendingoutintothesurroundingcountryside.

9.3 Theseancient settlementswere linkedby routes selected foreaseofusealong ridgelinesand through thedry

valleys.Manyof theseridgewaysor 'harrowways'havebecomeadoptedroads today.TheNorthDownsWay is

widelybelievedtohaveoriginatedasaprehistorictrackway.

9.4 Prior to Roman occupation the Belgae, a group of tribes originating from northern Gaul, established what is

believedtobetheirtribalcapitalandoneoftheirlargestopensettlementsinthesoutheastnearCanterburyeither

sideoftheStourinthemid2nd

centuryBC.

TheRomanLandscape55BC 500AD

9.5 When lookingatthepossibleRoman landscapesCanterburycityseemstobethemajor focalpointforRomano

British settlement and industry. The Romans established Canterbury as a cantonal capital and regional

administrativecentre,knownasDurovernumCantiacorum,soonaftertheClaudianinvasionin43AD.Byabout275

ADwallshadbeenbuiltandagridstreetpatternhadevolved.Romanroadsradiatedoutwardsfromthecitytothe

coast and westwards to the rest of Britain. This network linking Canterbury to Dover, Richborough, Reculver,

Lympneand

London

network

is

essentially

still

in

use

today.

Other

roads

in

the

area

are

also

believed

to

be

of

RomanoriginincludingtheroadfromTheBleantoSeasaltershoreviaFoxesCrosspossiblyconstructedtoservea

minorportoffthecurrentcoast.Itisalsolikelythattherewasacoastalroadthathasbeenlosttoerosion.

9.6 There islittleevidencetosuggestthereareanyotherRoman towns' inthisareaalthoughtherearesomemajor

ports suchasReculverand Fordwich. Thereare a fewRoman villabuildings suchasat Ickham,and the fertile

valleysandgentleslopesoftheNorthDownsandtheextensivewoodlandwouldhavebeenwellutilised.However,

strikinglyfewhighstatusvillaestatesareknown inCanterbury incontrasttomostoftheotherdistrictsofKent.

TheRomanlandscapecontainedamixtureofsettlementtypeincludingfarmsteadsandroadsideplots,indicating

anestablished,formallegalsystem.Localindustriesincludedflourmilling,potteryandtilemakingandgraveland

chalkquarryinginthesuburbsofthecity,withaportlocatedatSturry.

9.7

Thecoastline

in

Roman

times

extended

some

45km

beyond

the

present

coast,

and

along

tradition

of

oyster

fisheriesintheareaisrecorded,withoystersfromRutupaie'(modernRichborough)beingconsumedintheRoman

cityofCanterburyandsomewereeventransportedbacktoRome.

9.8 Inland from the coast littleevidenceofRomanoccupationhasbeen foundnorthofTheBlean.At this time the

landscapewasprobablyoneofheathlandwithstandsofoak.AtLavenderFarmevidenceofironworkinghasbeen

foundusingironstoneandlocaltimberforcharcoalandmoresubstantialbuildinghasbeenfoundatSouthStreet

onthefringeofthewoodland.ThereisalsoevidenceofRomanactivityatChestfield.

9.9 AmajorstonefortwasbuiltatReculverinthe3rd

centuryandwasprobablyoverakilometreandahalfinlandat

thistime;however,coastalerosionhasmeantthattodayastoneapronisallthatpreventsitfromfallingintothe

sea. ThisfortwasadefensivemeasureagainstearlySaxonraidsandrepresentsthefirstphaseoftheSaxonShore

Fortsystem

of

the

south

east

coast.

This

fort

guarded

the

northern

mouth

of

the

Wantsum

Channel

while

Richboroughguardedthesouthernend.


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TheMiddleAges500 1500

9.10 CanterburywasstilloccupiedbyRomanisedBritonsduringthefirsthalfofthe5th

centurywho livedsidebyside

withGermanicsettlers.Duringthelate5th

andearly6th

centuriesapopulationofsquatterslivedamongsttheruins

oftheRomanwalledcityanditislikelythatCanterburysurvivedasatribalstrongholdforsomeconsiderabletime

afterthe

rest

of

Kent

had

been

overrun

by

the

Saxons.

However

by

the

end

of

the

6th

century

Canterbury

had

becomethecapitaloftheindependentSaxonkingsofKentandwasknownasCantwarabyrig.TheRomanroads

continuedtobeusedduringthisperiod.AdditionallydroveroadswerecreatedtodriveswineandcattletoBlean

Woodsforautumnforaging.Despite indicationsofearliersettlement,TheBlean isbelievedtohavebeenheavily

woodedsincethisperiod.

9.11 TheinfluenceofChristianityonthedevelopmentoftheareareallybeganin597ADwhenAugustinefoundedhis

cathedralonthesiteofanearlychurchusedbyRomanChristians.Healsofoundedamonasteryoutsidethecity

wallnowknownastheAbbeyofSt.Augustine.

9.12 Theperiod saw theestablishmentofanumberofecclesiastical and secularestatesand landwasbeing farmed

under a manorial system of manor houses and related smaller farms and hamlets, with many of the parish

boundarieshaving

their

origins

in

the

Saxon

period.

One

of

the

oldest

is

Stodmarsh

which

is

first

mentioned

in

678

AD. Itsname isderived from theSaxon 'strode'ormarewhen theareawasdevoted to thebreedingofhorses.

Wickhambreaux,LittlebourneandCharthamarealsoreferredtoinearlydocuments.Wickhambreauxisbelievedto

havebeennamedaftertheNorseword'wics',meaningcreekswheretheVikingsoncewouldhavelanded.Saxon

andRomanrelicshavebeenfoundinbarrowsatbothWickhambreauxandChartham.

9.13 Minor landholdingsnorthofTheBleanaredescribed inSaxonchartersas binorthanwude' tothenorthofthe

wood.Bycirca1050thegreatmonasticinstitutionshadestablishedaParochialsystemwithtinychurchestoactas

focalpointsinthesethinlyoccupiedlands,andbythetimeoftheDomesdaysurveyin1086allthelandholdings

areattributedtotheArchbishopdemonstratingthepowerandinfluenceoftheChurchduringthisperiod.

9.14 ThenameWhitstableappearsintheDomesdayBookas'Witenestaple'whichisbelievedtoderivefromtheEarly

English hwitanstapole'meaningwhitepillarorpostand isassociatedwiththeadministrative unitor Hundred.

ThewhitepillarisbelievedtobethetowerofAllSaintsChurchthatwasusedfornavigationpurposesatthattime.

BroadlytheHundredofWhitstablecomprisedtheareaoftheparishesofWhitstable,BleanandSwalecliffe.

9.15 InthemedievalperiodBleanWoodswerealsoacquiredbyvariousecclesiastical establishmentsinCanterburywho

managedthewoodsfortimberandalsousedthemforhuntingandgrazing.Thecoverofheath,bushandoaktrees

providedvaluablepannagefor`pigs'and`herbage'forcattle.DroveroadstothenorthcoastacrossTheBleanwere

alsoestablishedby which the animalswereherdedand theseoften surviveas trackwaysor footpaths givinga

northsouth grain to the landscape. Most notably these include the Radfall, a linear earthwork indicating a

ridgewayofgreat, ifuncertainantiquityandearlyroadsystem.SimilarlyRadfallRoadmarks the lineofanearly

droveway. The name Radfall is from 'Rodfall' referring to 'a rod's clearance (of woodland)'. As a result of the

restrictedaccess theuseof thedroveroads intensifiedandconsequently widenedas travellersendeavoured to

avoidthemuddiestparts.Alternativeroutesalsodeveloped. Inplacesclearings(dens'or cluses')weremade in

theedgeofTheBlean suchasatEllenden,ThorndenandClowes.Pointsofentry to thewoodlandhavenames

containing`gate',suchasRadfallgate, BleangateandBroomfieldGate.Inthelatermiddleagesthewoodlandwas

developedascoppice.Muchofitretainsthischaractertoday.

9.16 To thesouthofTheBlean,theTylerHillareahasahistoryofpotteryandceramicmanufactureprobablydating

backtothe9th

century.ThisdevelopedintoKent'smostimportantbrickandtileindustryinthe14th

century.These

industrieswerereliantonclayandcharcoalextracted fromBleanWoodsandprobablyaccount formuchof the

woodlandclearanceevidenttoday.

9.17 Throughout themiddlesages the coastalmarshes continued tobean importanteconomic resource for fishing,

oyster

grounds,

salt

production

and

summer

grazing.

Land

reclamation

of

the

Wantsum

Channel

was

partly

the

resultofnaturalsiltingandpartlyduetohumanactivity.Itstartedapiecemealprocessasearlyasthe7th

century.

Bankswereconstructed to restrain thecreeks fromoverflowingand toprotect livestock fromperiodic flooding


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28


fromtheSarrePennandNorthStream.Afurthergroynewouldbeconstructedtohelptrapthesilt,followedbythe

constructionofashortstretchofseawalltokeeptheseaofftheland.Crossditcheswerecuttocarryawaysurplus

water.Thesegroynesandseawallshavebeenpreserved in thepresentday landscape in the formofSarreWall

(nowtheA28),RushbourneSeawall(16thcentury),Gilling,TipperandSnakeDroves. Therewasa fourthDrove,

MayDrove,butthiswaslargelydestroyedwhenthemarshwasconvertedtoarablecultivationintheearly1990's.

Thesedroves

were

also

used

for

moving

livestock

down

to

summer

grazing

on

the

marshes

and

back

to

the

farms

onthehighergroundforwinter.Themarshlandlandscapesweseetodaywerelargelycompletedbycirca1550and

the northern seawall was eventually closed in 1808 transforming the Wantsum Channel from a sea strait to

farmland. For example evidence of medieval farming under a manorial system could be seen today through

survival of medieval field boundaries, earthworks and field systems (such as ridge and furrow along the Stour

Valley). Medievalmonasteriesarebelievedtohaveledthewayondevelopingvegetableandherbcultivationand

leisure' gardens along with more complex early water management systems. Landscapes are continuously

evolving.DrainagemanagementsystemswerecertainlyintroducedonalargescaleincertainareasofCanterbury

duringtheMedievalPeriodbuttheprocessofreclamation isstillongoingandthe landscape isstillchangingas

moreor fewerdrainagemechanismsareneededorditches filluporare clearedout.Thereare certainly some

areas where modern development is less intrusive or has made less of a visual impact on landscapes and the

historic landscapedimension iseasiertoseeandappreciatebutthetimedepthelementof landscapes isanon

goingprocess.

9.18 Seasalter Marshes were reclaimed in a similar manner and the name Graveney is derived from the Saxon

Grafanea'whichmeans stream that feedsacanal'ora dug river',suggesting the influenceofmanduring this

period.

9.19 Fishingwasalsoimportantbothinthestreamsandalongthecoast.EightfisheriesarerecordedunderSeasalterin

theDomesdayBook.There issomeevidence thatSeasaltermayhavebeenan importantSaxonsettlement. It is

listedintheDomesdayBookasasmallborough...whichbelongstotheArchbishop'sownkitchen'andatGraveney

theremainsofavesselhavebeenfoundonthemarshanditisbelievedthatthiswasalocallandingplaceinthe9th

century.Howeverbytheendofthe11th

centurycoastalchangeshadbroughtitstradingfunctiontoanend.

9.20

Boththe

Wantsum

and

Seasalter

Marshes

were

important

for

salt

making.

This

is

shown

in

Anglo

Saxon

charters

detailing `Sealterns'orsalthousesandemphasisingrights to takewood fromTheBlean toevaporate thebrine.

Local saltproduction isalso listed in theDomesdayBookandanumberofmedieval saltworksare stillevident

today.IntheWantsumChannelthemajorityhavebeenreducedbyploughingwhileothershavebeenrazedtotally,

somestillrisetoaheightofover3mand insomecases350m in length.Mostcanbefound inthemiddleofthe

channelwhichmusthave reachedanadvanced stateofsiltingwhen theywere formed.Burntearthandoyster

shellsoccuronallthemoundsandfragmentsof13th

and14th

centurypotterywerefoundonsomeofthem.

9.21 By theeveof theNormanConquestCanterburywasanestablished townwithtwomajormonastic foundations,

variouschurches,watermillsandsomesuburbandevelopment.AdeerparkwasestablishedatTrenleyParkby

OdoofBayeuxaroundthistimeandistheoldestdocumenteddeerparkinKent.By1200thestreetpatternwithin

thecitywallshadbeenestablishedmuchas it is todayand the landscapepattern thatwenowseewas largely

developed.

9.22 TotheeastofthecitythemanorofWickham(laterWickhambreaux)continuedtobeimportantduringthisperiod.

ItwasconfiscatedbytheKingfromOdoofBayeuxbetween1079and1088andwasgrantedtotheCliffordfamily

descendedfromRichard,DukeofNormandy,andfatherofWilliamtheConqueror. Inthe12th

century itwasthe

homeoftheFairRosamundCliffordwhowasbelievedtohavebeenmarriedtoHenry IIandwasmothertotwo

sons.Laterinthe14th

centuryitwasownedbyJoanPlantagenetwifeoftheBlackPrince,theeldestsonofEdward

II.

9.23 In 1170 the murder of Thomas Becket in the Cathedral shocked the whole Christian world and pilgrimage to

Canterbury to visit his shrine ultimately became regarded as second only in importance to the traditional

pilgrimagetoRome.ForthreeandhalfcenturiesthousandsofpilgrimsfromboththiscountryandalloverEurope

visitedCanterbury.

The

pilgrimage

was

at

its

most

popular

in

the

latter

part

of

the

14th

century,

at

about

the

time

thatGeoffreyChaucerwaswriting'TheCanterburyTales'.


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1500s 1800s

9.24 Pilgrimage to Canterbury ended abruptly when the shrine was destroyed in 1538 by Henry VIII during the

Reformationandthecity'seconomystartedtodecline.ThiswasonlycheckedbythearrivalofWalloonrefugeesa

fewdecadeslatertoestablishtheprofitableweavingindustry.Thisindustrygrewduringthe16th

and17th

centuries

whenmany

hundreds

of

Walloon

and

Huguenot

refugees

were

allowed

to

settle

in

Kent.

9.25 By circa 1550 the landscape was essentially complete, and the settlement pattern of farms, tracks, roads, set

amidstamosaicofsmallerorlargercloseslaidoutatvariousdates,remainedlargelyunchangedbetweenthe16th

century and the late 18th

to early 19th

centuries. Until the end of the 18th

century Canterbury itself was still

contained within the bottom of the Stour Valley and at this time the view of Canterbury was of a huddle of

rooftopsinterspersedwithtreesandchurchtowers.Thecitylargelyretaineditsaspectofamedievalmarkettown

withconsiderableareasofopenspaceandgarden.TheCathedralandparticularlyBellHarryTowerand the tall

spireontheLanfrancTower,whichfellin1704,weredominantfeaturesinthelandscape.

9.26 Theagriculturalrevolutionbroughtchanges in farmingpractice including theselectivebreedingof livestock; the

removalof commonproperty rights to land;andnew systemsof cropping, involving turnipsand clover. Italso

broughtachange

in

land

management

from

traditional

pasture

to

arable

and

added

to

the

draining

and

reclamationofmarshlandsandclearingofwoodland.AroundCanterbury agricultural prosperitywasbrought to

theareabyhopgrowing.DanielDefoewrote in1724 thatsome6,000acresofhopswereplantedwithin living

memory.The increasedprosperitysaw theestablishmentofanumberof farmestatesandparklandsduring the

18th

century, including Hales Place to the north of Canterbury and Nackington House to south, within the

NailbourneValleyandElbridgeHouseatStodmarsh.

9.27 TheGreat Stour hadbeen themain commercialartery toCanterbury sinceRoman times. Howeverby the16th

centurychangestothecoastlineandtheseveresiltingupoftheStour limited itsnavigation.Bythe18th

century

Whitstable had replaced Fordwich as the main port for Canterbury with goods being transported at greater

expenseover land.Significant landingsatWhitstableprobablydatebacktoTudortimeswhentherewasarapid

growthinbothcoastalandcontinentaltrading.

9.28 Astradegradually increasedsodidthetrafficthroughTheBleanbetweenthecoastandCanterburyandby1736

theroutetothecoasthadbecomesoimportantthataTurnpikewasestablishedbyActofParliament.Otherroads

also developed during this time as many road users sought alternative routes to avoid tolls. The Turnpike

continuedinoperationuntil1871whenitwasclosedbynationallegislation.TheCanterburytoSandwichroadwas

turnpikedin1802.

9.29 Increased tradehelped the growthofHerne. In particularhopswere sent to Londonand shellfishexported to

Holland. Inreturngoodswere importedfromtheLowCountries.The linkswithHollandareapparent inthe18th

century Dutch style buildings many of which remain a feature in the landscape today. Inland however a more

agricultural traditionalstyleremained.

9.30 The19th

centurybroughtfurtherchangestothe landscape. InMay1830asteamoperatedsingletrack 'railroad'

wasopenedbetweenWhitstableharbourandCanterburytotransportcoaltothecityandpassengerstothecoast

fortheseaair.ItwaspoweredbyStephenson'sInvicta'andwasthefirstrailwayintheworldtooperatearegular

passengerserviceoperatedbysteam.TheInvicta lastedjustsixyears,thereafterthewhole linewasoperatedby

cables from fixedenginesatspaced intervalsand in1846 itwasconverted to locomotiveoperation. It isknown

locallyastheCrabandWinkleLine.

9.31 TherailwayscontinuedtodevelopwiththeLondontoRamsgateLine in1849,theLondontoDoverLine in1860

and the Elham Valley Line in 1889. The railway was a major force in the development of Whitstable and, in

particular,HerneBaywhosepopularity grewas a seaside resort. Several largebrewerieswereestablishedand

paper mills, cornmills, mineral water factories and clay pipe factorieswere all present although therewas no

intensive

industrialisation.

Housing

developed

outside

of

the

city

walls

on

the

site

of

St.

Gregory's

Priory

(between

SturryRoad/NorthgateandMilitaryRoad)andbetweenWincheapandtheNewDoverRoad.


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20th

Century

9.32 The20th

centuryhasbroughtsomeofthegreatestchangestothearea.FollowingtheFirstWorldWartherewasa

considerable lossordeclineof theparklandsand the countryhousesaround the city.Metallingof the roadshad

begunbythebeginningofthecenturywiththefinalrurallanesbeingmetalledattheendoftheSecondWorldWar.

Partsof

the

historic

road

network

that

were

not

metalled

now

form

other

public

rights

of

way

such

as

footpaths

and

bridleways.Themostobviouschangeinthelandscapeinthe20th

centuryisthespreadofsuburbandevelopmentand

villageexpansion.This isparticularly notable inthosevillagesclosesttoCanterburyandhasencroachedtovarying

extentsonthelandscape.

9.33 Following bomb damage to the city during the Second World War there was a major rebuilding of substantial

amountsofthecitycentre. Inadditiontherehasalsobeenconsiderableexpansionofthesuburbsaroundthecity.

ThissuburbangrowthhasinparticularincludedsignificantareasontheStourValleysidesatHalesPlaceandatRough

Common,and to thesouthatWincheapandThaningtonand in theBartonEstatearea.Perhaps themostnotable

developmentofthelatterhalfofthiscenturyistheUniversityofKentthatwasbuiltinthe1960's.TheA2Canterbury

Bypasswasbuiltin1977.

9.34

Developmentwithin

the

District

has

also

included

some

planned

settlements

including

the

development

of

Chestfield.In1920theManorEstate,whichatthistimestillcomprised700acresoffarmland,acentralmanorwith

thesurrounding farmsofBalsarStreet,HighgateandBodkinandunchanged inessencesince themiddleageswas

soldtoGeorgeReeves.Reevessetaboutrealisinghislifetime'sambition:theplanningandbuildingofanoldworld'

villageofpart timberedhouses,withhimselfplaying the roleof lordof themanor.Theestatewas laidoutona

generous scale with substantial timbered houses in large plotsand smaller cottage stylehouses grouped around

greens.InadditiontoagolfcourseReevesalsoprovidedacricketground,tenniscourtsandabowlinggreen.Apolo

groundwasplannedbutnotbuilt,althoughrememberedinPoloWay.Therewasalsoadairyandproducefromthe

allotmentsandorchardswassoldathisshop.Reevesranvirtuallyeveryaspectofthecommunityuntilin1941when

financialdifficultiescausedhimtoselltheestate.Fromthenonitdevelopedinamoreconventional manner.

9.35 AfurthernewvillagewascreatedatHersdenadjacenttoChisletColliery.TheminingofcoalbeganatChisletColliery

inthe

early

1900s.

The

village

of

Hersden

was

developed

as

part

of

Abercrombie's

Regional

Plan

for

East

Kent,

designedbyarchitectJSkipper.Thishadasignificantimpactontherurallandscape.MininginKentwasshortlived

withChisletbeingthefirstminetoclose in1969.Thepitheadbuildingsweredemolishedleavingthecappedshafts

andareasofblackspoil.Todaythespoilheapshavevegetatedoverandlightindustrialunitsarelocatedonthesiteof

theformercollierybuildings.

9.36 ThevalleyflooroftheStourhasseensomeofthemostrecentandsignificantdevelopmentwiththegrowthofoutof

townshopping.ThisisparticularlyevidentalongtheSturryRoadandBroadOakRoadtothenortheast,tothesouth

westatCharthamandevenmorerecentlytothesouthwestatWincheap.Anotherobviouschangeinthelandscape

inthe20th

centuryisthegrowthofthetownsofHerneBayandWhitstable,andthespreadofsuburbandevelopment

whichhas encroached to varying extentson the landscape to the south.A catalyst to thisdevelopmentwas the

constructionof theThanetWay in the1930s tobringdevelopment to thearea torelieveunemployment.Amore

recentchange

in

the

landscape

has

come

about

by

the

construction

of

the

A299,

anew

dual

carriageway

built

to

bypassasectionoftheThanetWay.

9.37 The rich history of Canterbury is recognised today by its designation as a World Heritage Site. There are also

numerousconservationareaswithintheimmediatevicinityofthecityandintheruralsettlements.


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NaturalEnvironment:CulturalHeritageDesignations

10.1 There are an abundance ofdesignated areas marked for historic significance throughout the Canterbury District.

CanterburycityisdesignatedasaWorldHeritageSite.Figure10,LandscapeDesignations,illustratesculturalheritage

designations.

ConservationAreas

10.2 Anumberofconservationareasare located throughoutCanterburyDistrict,whichare locallydesignated for their

special architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or

enhance.DetailsrelatingtoeachoftheConservationAreast

2012-08 canterbury landscape character biodiversity appraisal draft

Documents