Sefton
Background and analysis
Sefton lies within three regions: the Sefton Coast, the Lancashire Plain and the Merseyside Conurbation. These areas have been identified and established by the Character Map of England Project. Further assessment, through the Sefton Landscape Character Assessment (SLCA), has identified and established further landscape character units at a district level.
These include a variety of landscapes, but all are low lying and relatively flat. The coastal region consists of wide beaches backed by an extensive sand dune system, running into a thin strip of poor quality agricultural land and then into the fenland of the Lancashire Plain. Urban development has taken place on the edge of the dunes at Formby and Hightown and there are other non-agricultural uses, such as a firing range, airfield and golf courses. The planting of pine trees at the turn of the century to stabilise the dune system has produced a characteristic landscape of dune and pine woodlands around Formby and Ainsdale. The Sefton Coast Woodlands Forest Plan will provide a twenty year vision for these important woodlands.
Agriculture on the poor soils has urban-fringe uses such as horse grazing, and poor quality fences have given rise to a neglected appearance. The Lancashire Plain region lies inland from the coastal region and sweeps round the edge of the Liver conurbation. It is divided into two parts: the fenland area east of Hightown and running up the Alt; and a slightly raised area of boulder clay and Shirdley Hill sands stretching from Ince Blundell round through Lunt, Sefton, Maghull and Lydiate. The fenland landscape is very distinctive, flat, wide-open regular fields, ditches instead of hedges, scattered farmsteads and a few regular-shaped woodlands. The higher ground is a mixture of large-scale agriculture (which is losing its historic structure through agricultural intensification and urban influences), wooded parkland at Crosby and Ince Blundell and the town of Maghull, which lies on a communications route stretching from Liverpool to Ormskirk and up into Lancashire. Extensive tipping to the west of Maghull has altered the landscape where the fenland running up the Alt meets the higher land.
The Liver conurbation has spread out across the coastal and Lancashire Plain regions, but it is not a solid urban area. There are fingers of open space and neglected/derelict land stretching from the edge into the urban area, such as Rimrose Valley and Netherton, Aintree sidings.
These open spaces (and the urban fringe itself) offer tremendous scope for the creation of the Forest and for improving the quality of adjacent urban areas. But at the moment they have a detrimental effect on the appearance of the conurbation because they are either neglected, derelict or lack management resources.
They have many unsightly uses, agriculture tends to be low quality giving rise to poor, weedy pasture; there are gappy fences of barbed wire and corrugated iron. The incidence of grade 1 and grade 2 land gives rise to cabbages next to houses; vandalism and trespass also reduce the visual quality and put strains on management. As important as these other factors is the unsatisfactory change from urban to rural structure. Where houses end, large-scale open agriculture begins, or there are large empty gaps within the urban area. This change in scale and proportion in the landscape is sometimes harsh and ugly. Woodland bridges the gap between the two landscapes, being structurally similar to urban areas, yet part of a rural landscape.
The landscape of Sefton contains a rich diversity of historical patterns and attributes, which have been assessed as part of the Sefton Historic Landscape Characterisation Programme (SHLCP); the coastline is a special planning zone and most open land is within the green belt. The main area of wildlife interest is the coastal sand dune system and there is a resident population of red squirrels within the woodlands of Formby and Crosby. Measures to protect and extend the range of the red squirrels will include areas of land left unplanted, use of pine species and the use of small-seeded broadleaved trees.
Sefton Planting Strategy
Guiding principles
- In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, support the management, regeneration and, where appropriate, extension of existing woodlands at Formby, Ince Blundell, Little Crosby and Meols Hall.
- In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, conserve the surrounding landscape character where the landscape structure is retained; enhance the surrounding landscape character where the landscape structure has been degraded; and create new habitats and tree planting where the landscape structure has been destroyed.
Policies and opportunities
Numbers refer to the 'Sefton planting strategy' map.
CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE LARGE SCALE MAP
S1 Follow the Sefton Coast Management Plan (Sefton MBC 1989) and The Sefton Coast Woodlands Forest Plan (2001) for the dune system and the woodlands around Formby. Conserve and protect the open dune system, manage and replace the ageing pine woodlands in a phased programme. Seek new sites for planting around the fringes of Formby. Principal tree species: Corsican and Scots pine.
S2 The presence of the aerodrome at Woodvale precludes significant tree planting. There is scope for improvement of the agricultural landscape to the north of the airfield. Extension of lowland heath areas should be encouraged where possible.
S3 The landscape character around Formby Hall and Birkdale Golf Course has become fragmented and degraded. In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, restore and manage existing hedges and woodlands, carry out new planting to create a wooded landscape: possible species are pine, willow and alder.
S4 In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, carry out structural environmental regeneration, including habitat creation, tree planting and associated landscape works, as part of all strategic transport projects and along all strategic transport routes, greenways and other designated environmental improvement corridors throughout the borough - in particular Southport Eastern Park & Ride, Switch Island, the M57, M58, A565, A5036, A59, A570, Merseyrail Northern Lines, the Leeds to Liverpool Canal and the Trans Pennine Trail.
S5 In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, carry out tree planting around the periphery of Hightown, especially on the landward edge. Protect the open dune system.
S6 In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, it is inappropriate to carry out large-scale tree planting within the Dune Backland and Carr Farmland areas east of Hightown and along the River Alt. Manage existing woodlands. Support small-scale tree planting (in accordance with Environment Agency guidelines) adjacent to the Alt to identify its line in the landscape. Do not carry out further tree planting along the A565. Biomass cropping may be appropriate in this area.
S7 In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, conserve the landscape character of the Estate Farmland around Crosby, Ince Blundell and Meols Hall. Support management and phased replacement of existing woodlands and carry out new planting.
S8 In the context of the SLCA, the SHLCP and the Rimrose Valley Masterplan, realise opportunities for environmental regeneration, including habitat creation, tree planting and associated landscape works, in those areas where the landscape character of the district has been severely damaged - in particular Sefton Meadows and surrounding area, Maghull, Town Lane and Foul Lane, Southport, and Rimrose Valley, Litherland.
S9 Support the creation of new habitats and the planting of trees on appropriate and available sites throughout Sefton urban areas, to bring the forest into the community. Realise the opportunities for habitat creation, urban woodland and woodland links to strategic routes and greenways - in particular at Netherton, Aintree Racecourse, Town Lane Recreational Area, Crosby Coastal Park and Southport Marine Park.
S10 In the context of the SLCA and the SHLCP, enhance the landscape character of the Settled Farmland surrounding Maghull, Lydiate and Melling. Restore and manage existing hedges and woodlands, carrying out new planting to create a wooded landscape.
S11 Carry out the planting of individual trees, groups of trees and small woodlands on any available and appropriate sites, such as school playing fields, public open spaces, transport corridors, and the grounds of large institutions and organisations. Support the incorporation of new habitats and tree planting in new development as part of the statutory planning process.
