No 11 3 Fife landscape character assessment David Tyldesley and

No 11 3

Fife landscape character assessment

David Tyldesley and Associates

1999

David Tyldesley and Associates, Hudson House, 8 Albany Street, Edinburg hEH1 3QB, and Sherwood House, 144 Annesley Road, Hucknall, Nottingha mNG15 7DD

Nominated Officer :

Anne Lumb, Advisory Service sReport date :

February 1998Report to :

Scottish Natural Heritage and Fife Counci lContract No:

BAT/97/98/31

Maps in this report are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with th epermission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright .SNH licence number GD03006G1999 .

This report should be cited as follows :

David Tyldesley and Associates 1999. Fife landscape character assessment .Scottish Natural Heritage Review No 113 .

Scottish Natural Heritage

Scottish Natural HeritagePublications Section

Advisory ServicesBattleby, Redgorton, Perth PHI 3EW

2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh EH6 5N PUNITED KINGDOM

UNITED KINGDO M

ISSN 1350-3111

Preface

This report forms part of the National Programme of Landscape Character Assessment ,which is being carried out by Scottish Natural Heritage, in partnership with local authoritie sand other agencies .

The National Programme aims to improve our knowledge and understanding of th econtribution that landscape makes to the natural heritage of Scotland .

This study was jointly commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage and Fife Council an dprovides a detailed assessment of the landscape of Fife . It considers the likely pressures an dopportunities for change in the landscape, assesses the sensitivity of the landscape to chang eand includes guidelines indicating how landscape character may be conserved, enhanced o rrestructured as appropriate .

The report will be of interest to all those concerned with land management and landscap echange. More specifically, it is intended to provide the landscape context for SNH staffresponding to planning and land use related casework and for Fife Council in the productio nof its local and structure plans .

The views contained within this report represent those of the consultant - David Tyldesle yand Associates - and do not necessarily reflect the policies and views of the sponsors .

NoteThis report has been published in two versions, both of which include five detailed A3 map sshowing local landscape character units (scale approx . 1 :70,000) . A small number of reports -those which will be used regularly as working documents - also include the same map sreproduced at AO size (1 :25,000 scale) . Copies of the large scale maps can be obtaine dseparately .

For more information contact :Landscape Group, Advisory Services, Scottish Natural Heritage, 2, Anderson Place, Edinburg hEH6 5NP

CONTENTS

PART A INTRODUCTION 1

A.1 National Context of the Assessment 1A.2 Introduction to Landscape Character Assessment 1A.3 Project Aims and Objectives 2A.4 Methodology 2A.5 The Structure of the Report 2A.6 How the Report May Be Used 3

PART B THE LANDSCAPE OF FIFE 5

B.1 The Fife Landscape in Context (National/Regional LCAs) 5B.2 Landscape Character Types 9B.3 Local Landscape Character Units 1 0B.4 Natural Processes - Geology, Landform, Climate, Drainage and Soils 1 5B.5 Natural Processes - The Ecology of the Fife Landscape 2 0B.6 The Influence of Man - (History of the Fife Landscape) 2 2B.7 The Distinctiveness of Fife - (Analysis of Character) 2 6

PART C THE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES 3 1Distribution, Description, Pressures for Change

3 2C .1 Upland sC .2 Upland Slopes 3 6C .3 Upland Foothills 40C .4 Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs 46C .5 Lowland Hills and Valleys 5 2C .6 Lowland Open Sloping Farmland 5 7C .7 Lowland Dens 6 0C .8 Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys 6 3C .9 Lowland River Basins 6 7C .10 Lowland Loch Basins 7 0C .11 Coastal Hills 7 4C .12 Coastal Terraces (Raised Beaches) 7 9C .13 Coastal Cliffs 8 3C .14 Coastal Braes 8 6C .15 Coastal Flats 8 9C .16 & C.17 Intertidal Mudflats and Other Intertidal Shores 9 4C .18 & C .19 The North Sea and the Firths of Forth and Tay 9 7

PART D LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES 10 1

D.1 Uplands 102D.2 Upland Slopes 105D .3 Upland Foothills 107D .4 Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs 11 1D .5 Lowland Hills and Valleys 11 6D.6 Lowland Open Sloping Farmland 12 0D .7 Lowland Dens 12 2D .8 Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys 12 5D .9 Lowland River Basins 12 8D .10 Lowland Loch Basins 131

D.11 Coastal Hills 134D.12 Coastal Terraces (Raised Beaches) 137D.13 Coastal Cliffs 140D.14 Coastal Braes 14 1D.15 Coastal Flats 143D.16 & D .17 Intertidal Mudflats and Other Intertidal Shores 146D.18 & D .19 The North Sea and the Firths of Forth and Tay 147

PART E CONCLUSIONS 149

E .1 Conclusions and Overview 149E .2 Recommendations 15 1E .3 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment 157

APPENDICE S

1 Methodology 16 12 Glossary 1693 Bibliography and References 17 1

FIGURE S1 Setting 72 Context - Landform & Drainage 83 Solid Geology 1 74 Diagrammatic Cross-Section 1 8

At the back of the report1755 Uplands and Upland Slope s

6 Upland Foothills and Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs 1777 Lowland Hills and Valleys and Open Sloping Farmland 1798 Lowland Dens and Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys 18 19 Lowland River Basins and Lowland Loch Basins 18310 Coastal Hilts and Coastal Terraces 18511 Coastal Cliffs and Coastal Braes 18712 Coastal Flats and Intertidal Shores 18913 The North Sea and the Firths of Forth and Tay 19 1

14 Landscape Character Areas Summary Map 193

15 A3 maps of Local Landscape Character Units *

Sheet 1 NE Fife :

Cupar & St Andrews 195Sheet 2 NW Fife :

Newburgh - Glenrothes - Leven 197Sheet 3 E Fife :

Cupar & Loch Leven to St Andrews & Crail 199Sheet 4 W Fife :

Kincardine - Dunfermline - Cowdenbeath 20 1Sheet 5 SE Fife :

Cowdenbeath - Kirkcaldy - Methil 203

*In versions of this report which are intended for use as working documents, Figure 15 (sheet s1-5), is also included at 1 :25,000 scale on AO plans .

PART A INTRODUCTION

A.1 National Context of the Assessment

This Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) of Fife has been commissioned jointly b yScottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Fife Council . Scottish Natural Heritage wasestablished in 1992 as the government agency with a duty to secure the conservatio nand enhancement of the natural heritage of Scotland and to help people understand ,enjoy and use it wisely, so it can also be used and enjoyed by future generations .

Part of SNH's programme of work is to improve the knowledge and understanding of th elandscape and to help others to make decisions that may affect the landscape in a waythat will contribute to its sustainability and enhancement . This project is part of anational programme of landscape assessment in Scotland to help to achieve these aims .It covers the whole of the area of the Fife Council and incorporates work previousl yundertaken in (the former) Dunfermline District and part of (the former) Kirkcaldy Distric tand around St Andrews . It also links with Landscape Character Assessment sundertaken for Kinross-shire (Tyldesley, David and Associates (DTA), 1995b )Clackmannanshire (ASH Consulting Group, 1998) the Lothians (ASH Consulting Group ,1998) and Tayside (Land Use Consultants (LUC), in press) .

A .2 Introduction to Landscape Character Assessment

This Landscape Character Assessment does not evaluate landscape types or identif yareas that are perceived to be of greater value than others . Such an evaluation proces smay review Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) or other landscape designations bu tthat is not the purpose of this Assessment . All landscapes everywhere are ofimportance as a part of the natural heritage resource, as a record of the past, as th eenvironment in which human activity interacts with natural processes and as human an dwildlife habitats . All landscapes are valued and often cherished by those who live o rwork in them or visit or travel through them . This Assessment seeks to classifylandscapes into their general types to provide a better understanding of them and thu sto enable better conservation, restoration, management and enhancement .

The assessment process includes detailed desk studies, for example, of geological ,hydrological, historical and ecological background information, fieldwork by qualified an dexperienced landscape architects, classifying and describing landscape character int odistinct landscape character types, considering pressures for change in the landscap eand making recommendations for the conservation, restoration, enhancement an dmanagement of the landscape in the form of guidelines .

The area is subject to a range of development pressures, for example, housing ,commercial, mineral, tourism and recreational developments and to other land us echanges . The impacts of these and other changes are a matter of concern to SNH an dthe local authority, but this report concentrates on the landscape issues of the area . Itseeks to inform decision makers about the landscape context of proposals for chang eand to ensure that a fuller understanding of the landscape is included in the plannin gand management of the area .

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A.3 Project Aims and Objective s

The key objectives are to :

produce in written and map form a detailed assessment of the landscap echaracter of the area ;classify and describe the landscape, identifying the landscape character type swhich occur in Fife and place them in their national context, integrating th eassessment with those already carried out for parts of the area and for adjacen tareas ;identify the forces or pressures for change in the landscape which may affec tthe distinctive character of the landscape ;

• assess the sensitivity of the landscape to change ;• identify which areas have the greatest and least capacity to accommodate

development and land use change ;• recommend guidelines for the conservation/enhancement of the differen t

landscape types ;• find opportunities for landscape conservation, restoration or enhancement ;

identify priorities for specific landscape initiatives ;provide a useful working tool for planners, landscape architects, ecologists, lan dmanagers, developers and others who may contribute to the conservation an denhancement of the landscape ;

• provide a baseline for the Fife Council's Crushed Rock Strategy .

A.4 Methodology

Appendix 1 includes a summary of the method and procedure adopted to undertake th elandscape assessment . The assessment was carried out from August to Decembe r1997. It was guided by a working group of SNH officers and officers from the Fif eCouncil, Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department (SOAEFD )and the Forestry Authority .

A.5 The Structure of the Report

The rest of this report follows a chronological order of the landscape characte rassessment process . In Part B, The Landscape of Fife, Sections B .1 to B .3 look at theFife landscape in context and describe how the Landscape Character Types and loca lLandscape Character Units are derived . B .4 summarises background information o ngeology, climate and soils; B .5 summarises the ecology of Fife at a level which i srelevant to landscape assessment at this scale ; B.6 looks at the influence of man, i nhistory, and B .7 describes the distinctiveness of the Fife landscape .

Part C The Landscape Character Types describes the distribution, physica lcharacteristics and features, characteristics of the landscape experience and pressuresfor change for each of the 19 landscape character types identified in Fife . Pan DLandscape Guidelines, provides, in a non prescriptive way, the recommendations, advic eand comment for the future management of change in the landscape, for each of the 1 9landscape character types . Part E Conclusions provides overall conclusions, describe sthe limitations of the project, indicates where further assessment may be useful an dexplains how the Assessment may be used in respect of project related landscape an dvisual impact assessment .

Appendix 1 is a description of the method of assessment, Appendix 2 is a glossary oftechnical terms and Appendix 3 is a bibliography, including but not limited t opublications and reports referred to in the text of this report . The figures are all includedin the report but the detailed mapping of the boundaries of the landscape types and thei r

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local landscape units, explained further in Sections B .1 to B .3 below, are presented on 5maps covering the whole of Fife (Figure 15, sheets 1-5) at the back of this report .

A.6 How the Report May Be Use d

This report of the assessment of the landscape character of Fife is intended to infor mand guide SNH staff involved in consultations and casework at the local level . It wil lalso be of benefit to the Fife Council by providing information of help in makin gdevelopment plans and in deciding applications for planning permission and othe rdevelopment control decisions . It may also be used by a range of other agencies an dorganisations ; for example, by the Forestry Authority in considering Woodland Gran tScheme (WGS) applications and by SOAEFD in advising on agricultural land use an dmanagement in the area . The Assessment may help to guide other land use andmanagement decisions, including those taken by individual landowners in thei rstewardship of the landscape of Fife .

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PART B

THE LANDSCAPE OF FIF E

B.1 The Fife Landscape in National and Regional ContextFigures 1 and 2, and Tables 1 and 2Figure 1 shows the extent of the study area which is the whole of the administrativ earea of the Fife Council . The area is located within the Midland Valley of Scotland, arelatively low lying part of the country, between the Grampian Highlands to the nort hand the Southern Uplands to the south . Geologically the area is defined by two paralle lfault lines, approximately 50 miles apart, between which land has subsided, creating a nancient rift valley (the Midland Valley) . The Midland Valley is, however, quite diverse i ncharacter ranging from low lying arable farmland to large areas of upland pasture an dmoorland . The area is dominated by rocks of the Devonian and Carboniferous periods ,with approximately 75% of the area underlain with sedimentary rocks and 20% of th earea underlain with igneous rocks of these periods .

The general form of the landscape was established by these ancient rocks and wa smodified during the ice ages by extensive erosion and deposition of material by larg eand powerful glaciers . Fife is a large peninsula of lowlands and hills towards the nort heastern extremity of the Midland Valley, bounded by the Firth of Tay to the north an dthe Firth of Forth to the south . The coastline of Fife comprises the eastern seaboard t othe North Sea and the major tidal estuaries of the Tay and the Firth, together with th emuch smaller Eden estuary, at Guardbridge . St Andrews Bay is a large, sweeping ba ywhich forms the north east coastline of Fife, from Tentsmuir Forest to the promontoryof Fife Ness which marks the edge of the Firth of Forth . St Andrews is a coastal town a tthe centre of the Bay . St Andrews marks a distinct change in the coastal landform o fSt Andrews Bay, with flat, sandy beaches and flats of the Eden estuary to the north an dnarrow, rocky shores with cliffs to the south . The coastline of Fife has changed man ytimes over geological history with significant rises and falls in sea level .

This national context begins to explain the diversity of landscape types in Fife . I nnational terms, Fife has landscapes of the Midland Valley of Scotland, and Coastal an dMaritime landscapes . In regional terms, five different Regional Landscape Characte rAreas are present in Fife, as indicated in the following table .

Table 1

The National and Regional Context of Landscape Character Area s

National Landscape Context Regional Landscape Character Areas

The Midland Valley of Scotland Volcanic Uplands of the Midland Valley

Midland Valley Lowland Landscapes

Coastal Landscapes of Scotland Midland Valley Coastal Landscape s

Maritime Landscapes of Scotland Intertidal Landscape s

Maritime Landscapes of Fife

The Volcanic Uplands of the Midland Valley are the highest of the hills, often comprisin gopen moorland with craggy tops and steep sides . The Midland Valley LowlandLandscapes are the settled, agricultural landscapes typical of many parts of Centra lScotland . The Midland Valley Coastal Landscapes are typically coastal hills, cliffs o rflats where the experience of the landscape is dominated by the sea or coasta lprocesses or coastal activities .

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The Intertidal Landscapes consist of the often extensive areas of mudflats, sandy o rshingle beaches or rocky shores between highest and lowest tide marks and include lan din the estuaries .

The Maritime Landscapes, as their name implies, are the seascapes around the coas twhich are dominated by the sea and the sky, views of the land and maritime activitie sand processes .

Figure 2 shows, in diagrammatic form, the distribution of the main hill ranges and rive rsystems which underpin and help to explain the variations of landscape character acros sFife .

6

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FIGURE 2Context :

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Principal Rivers & Burns

Principal Hill Ranges

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B .2 Landscape Character Type sTable 1 above, Table 2 below and Appendix 1 indicate how the Landscape Characte rTypes in the study area are defined . Using the national context and the Regional

Landscape Character Areas, a more detailed desk study and fieldwork analysed the loca lgeology, soils, topography, land cover, land use and landscape features an dcharacteristics and the landscape experience across the whole area . This processidentifies a series of distinctive types of landscape which occur, often in more than on elocation in the study area . These distinctive types of landscape are referred to asLandscape Character Types . Nineteen Landscape Character Types were identified i nFife .

Four Landscape Character Types relate to the volcanic uplands of the Midland Valley o fScotland . Six Landscape Character Types relate to the Midland Valley Lowlands and fiveLandscape Character Types relate to the Midland Valley Coast . The intertidal areas an dthe maritime areas of the North Sea at St Andrews Bay and the Firths of the Forth an dthe Tay form four further landscape types.

The following table, Table 2, shows how these Landscape Character Types fit into th enational context and the Regional Landscape Character Areas.

Table 2 Derivation of Landscape Character Types in Fif e

NATIONAL CONTEXT REGIONAL CHARACTER AREAS LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES

The Midland Valle y

of Scotland

Volcanic Uplands of th e

Midland Valley

1 . Uplands

2 . Upland Slope s

3 . Upland Foothill s

4 . Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craig s

Midland Valle y

Lowland Landscapes

5 . Lowland Hills & Valley s

6 . Open Sloping Farmlan d

7 . Lowland Dens

8 . Glacial Meltwater Valley s

9 . Lowland River Basi n

10 . Lowland Loch Basins

Coastal Landscapes of

Scotland

Midland Valley Coasta l

Landscapes

11 . Coastal Hill s

12 . Coastal Terrace (Raised Beaches )

13 . Coastal Cliffs

14 . Coastal Wooded Brae s

15 . Coastal Flats

Maritime Landscapes of

Scotland

Intertidal Landscapes 16 . Intertidal Mudflats

17 . Other Intertidal Shore s

Maritime Landscapes of Fife 18 . The North Sea (St Andrews Bay)

19 . Firths Of Forth and Tay

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This report classifies the 19 distinctive Landscape Character Types and describes eachof the types with reference to their distribution, natural systems and processes, physica lfeatures and characteristics, land cover, settlement pattern and other land uses, linea rand point features and the landscape experience . Key features and characteristics areidentified which help to make each of the landscape types distinctive . The report alsodescribes some of the important changes that have occurred or are occurring in th elandscape types which may affect their character .

B.3 Local Landscape Character UnitsThe 19 landscape types identified in the area are not homogenous throughout . In turn ,they are subdivided by more subtle changes. Most contain areas that differ in the wa ythat the landscape type has developed, in response to natural processes or huma nactivity. This provides a local sense of place and a series of distinct Local Landscap eCharacter Units . There are 115 Local Landscape Character Units, listed in the followin gtable and shown on the five detailed maps at the back of the report . The followingtable also shows how these Local Landscape Character Units fit into the Landscap eCharacter Types. Each Unit has a unique reference number as follows :The first letter denotes whether :

U = Upland Landscape Type;L = Lowland Landscape Type ;C = Coastal Landscape Type ;I = Intertidal .

The second letter indicates the Landscape Character Type, e .g . CF is C = Coastal F =FlatsThe number is a unique reference for each landscape unit in the area .

In addition to the reference in this Assessment, Table 3 also shows the reference ofeach local landscape character unit in the Dunfermline (Dfm) and St Andrews (StA)Landscape Character Assessments (see Bibliography and References, Appendix 3) whic hare subsumed into this Fife-wide assessment . Furthermore, where a Local Landscap eCharacter Unit in Fife abuts an adjacent Landscape Character Assessment, Table 3 als oshows the equivalent Landscape Character Type, described in the Kinross-shir e(Tyldesley, David and Associates (DTA), 1995b), Tayside (Land Use Consultants (LUC) ,in press) and Clackmannanshire (ASH Consulting Group, 1998) assessments (seeBibliography and References, Appendix 3) as follows :

Tay = Taysid eKin = Kinross-shir eClk = Clackmannanshir e

In order to achieve compatibility across all of these assessments, some of th eLandscape Character Types in these assessments have been renamed . Some of thedescriptions have been modified to reflect the variations of character found in landscap eunits not previously surveyed in Fife . However, the mapped boundaries of th eLandscape Types and the local Landscape Units in the Dunfermline and St Andrew sAssessments have not been changed because the geographical extent of the landscap etypes has not changed .

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Table 3 Schedule of Local Landscape Character Units

Landscap eCharacter Type

Local Landscape Unit Reference Number/Code in Other Assessments

Ref Name Dfm StA Tay Kin Cl k

Uplands UP1 The Ochil Hills 8 1 1

UP2 Lomond Hills 9 5

UP3 Benarty Hill 2 9 4

UP4 Cleish Hills 1 9 3

Upland Slopes US5 Lomond Slopes North 9 1 2

US6 Lomond Slopes East

US7 Benarty Slopes 5 9 1 1

US8 Cleish Slopes North 3 9 1 0

US9 Cleish Slopes West 4 9

US10 Cleish Slopes East (Blairadam) 41 30

Upland Foothills UF11 Ochil Foothills Newport

UF12 Ochil Foothills

Craigie Hil l


Gauldr y


Lucklaw VH 1


Brunto n

UF16 Ochil Foothills Moonzi e


Kilmaro n


Letha m


Black Hill

UF20 Lomond Foothills 20

UF21 Cleish Foothills 6

UV22 Blebocraigs VH 2

UV23 Ceres VH3/4

UV24 Kettlebridge - Peat In n

UV25 Largoward

UV26 Largo Law

UV27 Redwell Hill 9

UV28 Cowdenbeath Hills 8

UV29 Cullaloe Hills 7

UV30 Kincraig

1 1

Table 3 Schedule of Local Landscape Character Unit s

LandscapeCharacter Type

Local Landscape Unit Reference Number/Code in Other Assessment s


LH31 North West Cupa r

LH32 East Cupa r

LH33 Tarvit Mil l

LH34 Strathmiglo 13/2 1

LH35 NE Dunfermline 16 1 9

LH36 Fordell 1 7

LH37 West Dunfermline 1 0

LH38 South Dunfermline 1 1

LH39 South Oakley 1 2

LH40 Black Devon 15 2/5

LH41 Bluther Burn 1 3

LH42 Devilla Forest 1 4

LH43 Cameron LH2/3/ 5

LH44 Prior Muir LH4

LH45 Falkland

LF46 East Fife Slope s

LF47 Strathkinness LH 1

Lowland Dens LD48 Corbie Den

LD48a Dura De n

LD49 Claremont CD1- 3

LD50 Kinaldy

LD51 Larg o

LG52 Motray Wate r

LG53 Dunbo g

LG54 Lindore s

LR55 Collessie Howe of Fife East

LR56 Dunshelt Howe of Fife Wes t

LR57 Milton Mid Leven Valley

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Table 3 Schedule of Local Landscape Character Units



Ref Name Dfm StA Tay Kin Clk

LBSB Leven 18 25

LB59 Ore 1 9

LB60 Gelly 2 1

LB61 Fitly 20

LB62 Kilconquha r

Coastal Hills CH63 Tayport

CH64 Balmerin o

CH65 Ballinbreic h

CH66 North Strathkinness CH 1

CH67 South St Andrews CH2- 5

CH68 Kincardine to Culross 22

CH69 Valleyfield to Charlestown 23

CH70 Limekilns 24

CH71 Castlandhill 25

CH72 Ferry Hills 26

CH73 Letham Hill 27

CH74 Aberdour Hills 28

CH75 Wemys s

CH114 Kinghor n

Coastal Terrace CT76 St . Michael's Wood CT 1

CT77 Leuchars - Guardbridge CT1- 2

CT78 Nydies - Kincaple - N . Bank CT3- 4

CT79 St . Andrews CT 5

CT80 Kingsbarns CT 6

CT81 Fife Nes s

CT82 Crail - St Monanc e

CT83 Eli e

CT84 Newburgh

1 3

Table 3 Schedule of Local Landscape Character Unit s




Coastal Cliffs CC85 St . Andrews CC 1

CC86 Kinkell Braes CC2

CC87 Kittocks Den CC 3

CC88 Buddo Ness CC4

CC89 South Kincrai g

Coastal Braes CB90 Drybrae

CB91 Kilburn s

CB92 South Balmerin o

CB93 Flis k

CB94 Castleban k

CB95 Culross 29

CB96 Torryburn - Limekiln 30

CB97 Aberdour - Burntisland 3 1

Coastal Flats CF98 Tents Muir Forest CF I

CF99 Morton - Leuchars CF2

CF100 Earlshall Muir CF3

CFI 01 Guardbridge CFI 0

CF102 Leuchars Airfield CF4

CF103 River Eden CF 9

CFI 04 Edenside CF 5

CF105 The Links CF 6

CF106 NW St Andrews CF 7

CF107 Newburg h

CF108 Mugdrum Island

CF109 St . Ford Link s

CFI 10 Kincardine 32 4

CF111 Longannnet 33

CF112 Valleyfield Ash Lagoons 34

CF113 Rosyth 35

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This diverse, and to many people, familiar area, has a widely recognised geological ,archaeological, cultural, historical and ecological interest of regional, national an dinternational importance . The conservation and enhancement of its landscape is vital t oall of these interests and in turn a knowledge and understanding of these interests i svital to the understanding of the landscape of Fife .

B.4 Natural Processes - Geology, Landform, Climate, Drainage and Soil sSee Figures 2, 3 and 4As explained above, the study area is located within the Midland Valley which is arelatively low lying part of Scotland, between the Grampian Highlands to the north an dthe Southern Uplands to the south . Geologically the area is defined by two parallel faul tlines, approximately 50 miles apart, between which land has subsided, creating a nancient rift valley (the Midland Valley) . This valley is, however, quite diverse i ncharacter ranging from low lying arable farmland to large areas of upland pasture an dmoorland . Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the area's solid geology . Figure4 is a diagrammatic representation of the landform in a typical, but hypothetical cros ssection from the upland hills to sea level, illustrating the various Landscape Characte rtypes in relation to landform . The landform is a reflection of the underlying geology .

Generally, the area is dominated by rocks of the Devonian and Carboniferous periods ,with the majority of the area underlain with sedimentary rocks such as the Old Re dSandstones, the remainder being underlain with igneous rocks of these periods . Thegeneral shape of the landform was established during the Tertiary period and wa sfurther modified during the Quaternary period of glacial activity with extensive erosio nand deposition of material . Glacial landform features occur throughout Fife and som econstitute important characteristics of some of the Landscape Character Types ,distinguishing, for example, the Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys from the Lowlan dHills and Valleys elsewhere .

The uplands, upland slopes and Foothills of the Lomond, Benarty and Cleish Hills wereformed from resistant igneous sills of quartz dolerite protecting Carboniferoussedimentary rocks which overlie the Old Red Sandstone . The Ochil Fault, runninggenerally in an east-west direction, along the northern edge of the Cleish Hills, and t othe south of Benarty Hill, forms the northern extent of the Midland Valley sill comple xwhich consists of sedimentary Carboniferous rocks and includes coal measures .

To the north, andesite and basalt igneous extrusive rocks appear at the surface, fro mbeneath the Upper Red Sandstone, to form the uplands and upland slopes and foothill sof the Ochil Hills .

To the south another extensive area of igneous quartz-dolerite rock forms th epronounced volcanic hills of the Cullaloe Hills . Further, more localised, exposures of bot hintrusive and extrusive igneous rocks occur throughout the area (See Figure 3) creatinga varied landscape of undulating lowland with occasional and sometimes very prominen thills e .g . Largo Law .

Over most of the lowland area of Lowland Hills and Valleys and Lowland River Basins ,south of the Eden Estuary, are old rocks laid down by ancient deserts and on the bed sof ancient seas, millions of years ago (and called sedimentary rocks) consisting mainly ofsandstones (Upper Red Sandstones) with bands of mudstone, siltstone, limestone an ddolomite with some coals and seatearths . There are several bands of rocks derived fromsea beds exposed on the coast at the St Andrews to Craig Hartle SSSI which is aGeological Conservation Review Site because of its nationally important exposures o fthese old rock types . Fossils of many kinds of marine animals appear where the marin ebed rocks are exposed .

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Between Denhead and Cairnsmill, and intermittently along the east coast, there ar edifferent sedimentary bed rocks, deriving from limestones and related to the Maide nRock Fault which runs south-west from Kinkel) Braes through Craigtoun Park t oLaddedie Hill . There are also areas of east Fife, inland, where the bedrocks ar edominated by limestones .

Throughout the lowlands the sedimentary rocks are frequently pierced by the pointe dnecks and strips (called sills and dykes) of much older volcanic rocks which generall ylie beneath the sedimentary rocks . The volcanic rocks include quartz and dolerite . Thenecks or vents that protrude through the sedimentary rocks often show as th ePronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs e .g. at Clatto Hill .

North of the Eden Estuary geology is dominated by very old rocks typical of this part o fScotland, called Old Red Sandstones, with volcanic rocks associated with the Ochil sforming the high land west of Balmullo and more recent, but still very old sedimentar ysandstones running north eastwards to the coast .

The bedrocks are overlain by a "drift" of more recent, compact, sandy or clay till smainly deposited during glacial times, containing a mixture of local rocks and rock smoved long distances by the ice age glaciers . Today, all land, except the main hills, i scovered by fluvio glacial deposits, particularly sand and gravel, from the last glaciatio nwhich affected the Midland Valley, occurring in the latter part of the Devensian Stag e(approximately 20,000 years ago) . The ice sheet was sufficiently thick to override al lthe hills in the area . When climatic conditions improved, the natural depression of th eless resistant Upper Red Sandstone was filled by a mass of ice, decaying and melting i nsitu . The debris, eroded by the ice, formed thick deposits of boulder clay, sand an dgravel forming a typical fluvio glacial topography which is evident today .

Relatively narrow corridors of lower ground separate the volcanic hill masses . Thelowest corridor drains water from Loch Leven to the Firth of Forth, via the River Leven .Other corridors form the valleys of the Rivers Eden and Ore (See Figure 2) .

Prior to the melting of the ice, the general direction of movement of the glaciers was i nan eastwards direction, indicated by the orientation of striae in the Cleish, Ochil an dLomond Hills. When the glaciers melted they cut meltwater channels through th eunderlying hill, depositing what is still today a pronounced series of eskers, kames ,drumlins and other mounds, adding important features to the topography, especially i nthe Glacial Meltwater Valleys and the Lowland River Valleys .

The coast of Fife has a series of steep rocky cliffs, mainly on the eastern coast an dsteep, wooded cliffs, locally called braes, on both the Forth and Tay coasts, forming adistinctive series of coastal features and occasionally a backdrop to coastal settlement sand features in views from across the Firths. These Coastal Cliffs and Braes form thebasis of two of the Landscape Character Types in Fife .

Around much of the eastern and southern coast of Fife there is an almost continuou s"terrace" of flat land raised above present sea level and lying at the foot of the landwar dhills . They result from fluctuations in sea level associated with periods of late or pos tglacial conditions . The terrace is actually a series of raised beaches which once were th eshorelines of the coast and estuaries at times in the past when sea levels were muc hhigher than they are today . In more recent times, after the sea levels had fallen, theseraised beaches were good locations for settlements. They were flat and relativel ysheltered, lower than the more exposed hills above, but well above the sea and an ylikelihood of flooding . Leuchars, Guardbridge and St Andrews are located on theseraised beaches which form a distinctive coastal type of landscape.

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( ..

FIFE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

)Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission o fthe Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office @ Crown Copyright .SNH Licence number GD03006G/1999

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FIGURE 3Solid Geology

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Basalt, Dolerite, Camptonit e& Other Intrusive Types

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FIFE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT FIGURE 4Diagrammatic Cross Sectio nIllustrating Landform &Landscape Types

Not to scal e

Uplandsc.522m

PronouncedVolcanic Hills

& Craigsc.290m

Lowland Hills

Coastal& Valleys

Hillsc.173m

c. 10-60m

Lowland River

CoastalBasin

Terracec.45-50m

c .30-60m

UplandFoothillsc.285m

In many places the coastal terraces and hills have been incised by fast flowing burn sfrom the volcanic hills which have cut deep, narrow, often steeply sided and now wel lwooded gorges locally called "dens" .

In geologically recent times, alluvial deposits and soils laid down by rivers and stream soccur on the floors of the valleys and loch basins and in some of the dens wit hoccasional areas of peat in natural depressions .

Figure 4 shows how the landform plays an essential role in defining the LandscapeCharacter Types in Fife, from the uplands to the coast .

ClimateThe climate in and around the study area is typical of the British Isles, dominated b ymaritime air masses, which are generally benign, with few extremes of temperature .Occasionally Fife is influenced by Continental high pressure systems providing greate rextremes in temperature and reduced wind speeds . With its location in the east o fScotland, and at a relatively low altitude, Fife generally receives less rainfall and mor esunshine than areas along the west coast and higher ground inland .

Indeed, the East Fife coast has less rainfall and more sunshine than the majority o fScotland . Here the rainfall does not vary greatly from month to month, although it i sgenerally drier between February and June (39-50mm per month) than July to Januar y(55-68mm), with the wettest month being August . The average annual rainfall on th ecoast is approx . 650mm . Average annual rainfall elsewhere in Fife varies fro mapproximately 700 to 900mm, although more rain generally falls in the west of the are athan the east, and substantially more falls on the higher ground (Ochil, Lomond, Cleis hand Benarty Hills) .

Fife generally experiences mean daily maximum temperatures in January of about 6° Cand from 18 to 19°C in July .

Within the area some two-thirds of the strong winds (greater than force 5) are from asouth westerly direction : The proportion of winds from this direction increases as win dspeed increases . Leuchars Airfield records a relatively low level (8 days) of annua laverage number of days with gales compared with other coastal locations in Scotland .

The Macaulay Institute Soil Survey of Scotland in its Assessment of climatic condition sin Scotland (Birse & Dry, 1970) has subdivided Scotland into a number of categories . Itdescribes the lower lying land in the south and west of Fife as warm and moderately dr yand the rising ground to the north and east as warm and wet . The tops of the Ochil ,Lomond, Benarty and Cleish Hills are described as cool, rather wet and exposed wit hrather severe winters .

DrainageFigure 2 shows the principal rivers and burns of Fife and the general direction of flow . Itis notable that the rivers frequently flow more or less west-east, rather than the shorte rdistances to the coast in northerly or southerly directions . Thus, some of the rivers, e .g .the Ore and the Eden are relatively long with a variety of valley stages and features .Numerous other burns are also present and a notable feature of Fife is the characteristi c"den" typically comprising a small fast flowing burn in a deeply incised, narrow, ofte nwooded channel cut through coastal hills and terraces. Figure 2 shows that much ofwestern and central Fife drains either east (via the Rivers Ore, Eden or Leven) or wes t(via the Rivers Devon or Black Devon) . Smaller catchment areas are present flowin gsouthwards to the Firth of Forth, e .g . the Bluther Burn, Lyne Burn, Fordell Burn andTorry Burn some of which have created the extensive depositional mudflats associate dwith the Firth, e .g . Bluther Burn forming Torry Bay .

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Inland, the burns drain into the main river systems e .g . the River Black Devon, or intoinland lochs . Although much smaller than the basin of Loch Leven, in Kinross-shire t othe north, most of these inland lochs have distinct basins and form a characteristi clandscape type e .g . Lochs Fitty, Ore and Gelly .

Soils and Land CapabilitySoils are related to the rocks from which they are made by natural processes . Forexample, the soils arising from natural coastal processes are an important part of Fife' scoastal topography and land use . There are stabilised wind blown sands and activ edune processes on the Coastal Flats e .g. the Links at St Andrews and Tentsmuir Forest .These poor, dry, sandy soils have locally poorly drained areas and therefore support arange of semi-natural habitats from dry acidic dunes to saltmarsh, marsh, fen and othe rwetlands, all very poor in lime because of their sandy nature . However, these soils ca nsupport a productive forestry and a limited range of agricultural crops .

By contrast the soils deriving from the glacial tills and the alluvial soils from riverdeposits may be fertile, easily worked loams of high agricultural value . In terms ofagricultural land capability, the land in south, central and eastern Fife is generally bette ragricultural land than that in the north, generally reflecting changes in the altitude an dgeology of the area . This feature may be the origin of an old saying locally that Fife is " aDevil's mantle fringed with gold". In general, the majority of the lower land is Grade 3 . 1or 3 .2 on the Macaulay Institute Soil Survey of Scotland: Land Capability map, these are"areas capable of producing a moderate range of crops" but there are some areas ofGrade 2 ("land capable of producing a wide range of crops"), most of which are unde rintensive arable cultivation (Soil Survey of Scotland, 1984) . Grades 4 and isolate dpatches of Grade 5 are also recorded in some parts where glacial deposits dominated b ysands and gravels reduce soil quality or where soils are very thin, with bedrock near th esurface . On the Ochil, Lomond, Benarty and Cleish Hills, the land capability is at it slowest with extensive areas of Grades 5 and 6 (land capable of use as improvedgrassland or use only as rough grazings) .

B.5 Natural Processes - The Ecology of the Fife landscap eThe natural landscape features and ecological relationships closely reflect the geological ,geomorphological and climatic influences and processes described above . Thus, manyof the area's topographic features, rivers and other hydrological systems and semi -natural habitats are important elements in the landscape .

A range of semi-natural habitats and landform features reflect the former natural ecolog ybefore modification by human activity in the form of agriculture, forestry and amenit yplanting, urban and industrial development . In particular, many of the uplands, th eareas of steep slopes (e .g . the dens and upland slopes), loch basins, coastal an dintertidal areas have tended to maintain their ecological value to a much greater exten tthan other areas due to their poor or non-existent soils and relatively inhospitabl eenvironments which have deterred most forms of development and agricultura limprovement . Despite its relatively intensive development and land use, compared t omany parts of Scotland, Fife nevertheless has a wide range and well distributed series o fsites of importance for nature conservation . The best examples of these have bee ndesignated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and comprise a good range o fcoastal and upland habitats, wetlands, grasslands, semi-natural woodlands an dimportant geological exposures . There are 59 SSSIs in Fife and an indication of thei rrange is given in the listing below .

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IslandsLong Craig Island SSSI and the Isle of May .

Coastal FeaturesSt Andrews - Craig Hartle SSSI (133 .4ha) : a predominantly rocky foreshore backed b ybroken cliffs and braes with numerous small burns and seepages, noted for its geologica land biological value . The varied geology, topography and hydrological features along th ecoastline have resulted in a wide variety of habitats and plant communities whic hinclude full transitions from beach-head pioneer salt marsh to freshwater fen (wit hdiffering compositions due to local variations in alkalinity) and unimproved grasslan d(again with differing compositions due to factors such as soil type, maritime influence ,aspect and drainage) . This wide variety of habitats is also reflected in the diversity o fbirds attracted to the area .

Intertidal / Coasta lTorry Bay SSSI (620 .1 ha) : a mosaic of intertidal and coastal habitats with a larg enumber of feeding and roosting waders and sea duck in winter . The site is now aproposed Ramsar Site and a proposed Special Protection Area under the terms of th eEC Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds .

Intertidal / EstuaryEden Estuary SSSI (1160 .7ha) : extensive tidal flats of mud and sand with ric hinvertebrate fauna, nationally/internationally important populations of waders andwildfowl, and a wide diversity of estuarine and coastal vegetation types with nationall yscarce plant species . Eden Estuary SSSI, part of which is a Local Nature Reserve, als oforms part of the larger Eden Estuary, Tentsmuir Point and Abertay Sands Site whic hhas been proposed as a Ramsar Site and a Special Protection Area .

Dune SystemsEarlshall Muir SSSI (431 ha) : a large area of lime-poor sand dune systems with dun eridge and dune slack plant communities and large areas of dune alder-willow and birc hwoodland habitats . A number of rare vascular plants and nationally rare invertebrat efauna along with a typical sand dune breeding bird community which include spopulations of regionally/nationally uncommon species .

Upland Raised Mire (Bog )Park Hill and Tipperton Mosses SSSI (90.6ha) : an upland raised mire, the only remainin gunafforested example in Fife .

Lowland Raised Mire (Bog )Cassindonald Moss SSSI (11 .5ha) : a relatively unmodified shallow-domed raised basi nmire with adjoining fen-meadow, grassland and open water . Exhibiting a range o fwetland and grassland vegetation types and lacking scrub encroachment onto the raise dmire .

Lochshaw Mosses SSSI (59 .4ha) : a series of lowland raised mires which together formthe largest and least disturbed area of this habitat in Fife region .

Valley Mire and Dune HeathSt Michaels Wood Marshes SSSI (104 .3ha) : lying on the western edge of the Tentsmui rsand dune system, this site represents the late and post glacial history of this system ,with raised beach sequences, buried shell, clay, and peat layers, and three buried valley sforming depressions in the wood . Plant communities include valley mires and relict dun eheath .

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Open Water and WetlandCameron Reservoir SSSI (64.4ha) : a large area of open water of ornithological valu einternationally/nationally and regionally for its wintering wildfowl, and in particular it spopulations of Pink Footed Geese (regularly more than 5% of the world's population )and Greylag Geese . Cameron reservoir has been proposed as a Ramsar Site and aSpecial Protection Area .

Inland LochBlack Loch SSSI (48 .3ha) : a shallow, natural, unpolluted mesotrophic loch wit hextensive areas of emergent vegetation .

Otterston Loch SSSI (18 .3ha) : a small mesotrophic water body in a narrow valley wit hswamp, fen, carr woodland and mixed deciduous woodland .

Calcareous Grassland / Heat hCarling Nose SSSI (5 .9ha) : a hilltop plateau with steep coastal slopes and high quarr ycliffs . Herb rich calcareous grassland and dwarf shrub heath .

Semi-Natural WoodlandCraigmad Wood SSSI (28 .6ha) : an area of long-established semi-natural mixed valle ywoodland, acid oakwood and lowland dwarf shrub heath .

Gorge / DenSwallow Craig Den SSSI (18ha) : a rich gorge woodland, probably ancient in origin, wit hareas of dry and flushed grassland and fen .

There are other sites within the area which have been designated as Listed Wildlife Site sof nature conservation interest by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) . Some of these areincluded in a list of Sites of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINCs) drawn up by SN Hand the local authorities, and to be included in future development plans . Examples ofthese sites are: Moor Loch ; Devilla Forest Mires; Loch Fitty ; Benarty Hill ; Loch Gelly ;Moss Morran ; The Clune and Loch Ore Meadows ; Kenly Den; St Andrews Foreshoreand St Andrews Links .

B .6 The Influence of Human ActivityAlthough human activity has almost eradicated the natural habitats and landscapes o fthe landward area of Fife, the pattern of land use today continues to reflect th eimportant natural influences of geology, climate, landform, drainage and soils . On thecoasts near-natural landscapes remain in the intertidal areas dunes, rocks and coasta lcliffs and braes .

There is prolific evidence of early settlement throughout the entire area and Fife has a noutstanding heritage of historic landscapes with a record of change over thousands o fyears . The archaeological landscape is potentially rich although many of the forme rsites may have been disturbed or lost through urban development and minera lextraction . There are sites, buildings and features of national importance, from pre -history through early historical times and into the industrial history of the 18th, 19th and20th centuries .

Older features are an important record of the relationship between people and th elandscape . They may be of important cultural and historic interest in their own right an dhelp to interpret the unfolding story of changes in the natural heritage . Some such ascairns or ancient earthworks, may be old, small or inconspicuous ; some may berelatively recent, large and intrusive, such as telecommunication masts on hill tops .

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Thus, features may have a positive contribution to the landscape : in this area, cairns ,ancient earthworks, cropmarks, brochs, castles, churches, other historic buildings o rbuildings of special architectural interest, old bridges, mileposts, guide plates, ancien twoodlands, designed landscapes and small historic settlements all contribute positivel yto the landscape . Of great consequence in this respect are the three bridges over th eFirth of Forth and the two bridges crossing the Tay . The bridges are outstandin gfeatures in the Fife landscape that are recognised across the world .

Conversely, some features detract from the landscape because they are intrusive ,uncharacteristic, poorly designed in relation to their setting or of inappropriate scale .They include the Mossmorran chemical plant and the huge power and industria linstallations on the south coast, with their tall structures, flues and plumes of gaseou semissions . Of smaller scale they also include some 20th century houses, larg eagricultural buildings, quarries, the motorway, and masts such as those on the Cleis hHills .

The term landscape refers primarily to the visual appearance of the land, including it sshape, form and colours . It also reflects the way in which these various componentscombine to create specific patterns and pictures that are distinctive to particula rlocalities . However, the landscape is not a purely visual phenomenon, because it scharacter relies closely on its physiography and its history . Hence, in addition to th escenic or visual dimension of the landscape, there are a whole range of othe rdimensions, including geology, topography, soils, ecology, archaeology, landscap ehistory, land use, architecture, and cultural associations . All of these factors haveinfluenced the formation of the landscape and continue to affect the way in which it i sexperienced and valued .

The landscape can therefore hold a special meaning for many people as the source o fnumerous experiences and memories . Many of these are visual, but at times th elandscape may also evoke other sensual, cultural and even spiritual responses . Thi spersonal appreciation of the landscape leads to the ever increasing demand for access t othe countryside and to the enjoyment of the landscape by local residents, workers,visitors, tourists and others who travel through it . It also leads to and justifies th epublic demand for the protection, sensitive management and enhancement of th elandscape.

Gardens and Designed Landscape sThese responses to the landscape are not new . Historically, the landscapes of Fife havebeen enjoyed and appreciated . Landowners have sought to enhance the landscap ethrough the creation of policy and other amenity planting, gardens and designe dlandscapes, and by adding features such as tree lines and avenues . Historicaldocumentary evidence helps to reveal the way in which the landscape was appreciate din the past and the forces behind the changes in the landscape . Landscapes can be o fspecial importance because of their associations with the arts, historical events or wel lknown personalities .

An important aspect of human influence of the landscapes of Fife is the creation an devolution of gardens and designed landscapes . Over the last 400 years or so amenit ylandscapes have been created around many of the larger houses and steadings . Somewere of small scale and local effect, many have been lost or neglected to the poin twhere they are no longer recognisable. Others have been modified as a result of fashionor later development or agricultural changes but parts of the amenity planting and/or th egardens remain evident . Thus, in some cases the features consist of a modified privat egarden area with a blend of amenity and shelterbelt or policy planting around the large rhouses or farm steadings .

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Elsewhere, the gardens were more extensive and are more complete and policy plantin garound the houses and the transition from the formal garden to a parkland amenitylandscape is recognisable . Many of the designed landscapes in the area are of nationa limportance and are recorded on the inventory of gardens and designed landscapesmaintained by SNH (Land Use Consultants (LUC), 1987) .

However, it is estimated that there are over 300 other examples of designed landscapesin the study area which deserve further examination and, if appropriate, recognition ,protection and sensitive management . Typically they comprise large houses, often wit hlodges, chapels, coach houses and dovecot and those on the coast often include castle sor the remains of fortifications . They have formal gardens close to the main building sand are set within large, designed policy landscapes, providing a setting to the mai nbuilding and a screen or frame for longer distance views .

Today the gardens and designed landscapes that remain are often of smaller proportion sthan the original planting. In a number of instances buildings are ruined and parkland ssold off or severed from the main buildings, for example by new roads . Nevertheless ,the features that do remain, be they buildings, perimeter walls, gates, lodges ,woodlands, policies etc . have a considerable influence on the character of th elandscape .

Whilst the study area is well documented in map form from the early 19th century mos tof it is not well recorded in literature or painting and photographic records are limited .However, good documentary evidence exists in the inventory held by SNH for th egardens and designed landscapes of national importance in the study area . The historicvalue of these designed landscapes is enhanced by associations with well known o rinfluential people, such as the Douglas family (Aberdour Castle and House), the Earls o fElgin and Dundonald (Culross Abbey House), the Earls of Moray (Donibristle), th earchitects Frank Deas and Sir Robert Lorimer (The Murrell, Andrew Carnegie (PittencrieffPark, Dunfermline), and Viscount Keith (Tulliallan) . The designed landscape aroun dValleyfield is the only Scottish example of the work of Humphrey Repton, one of th eleading landscape architects of the English Landscape Movement . At Blairadam, WilliamAdam, the grandson of the builder of the house, was a notable lawyer and politicia nwho became Lord Chief Commissioner . He was a close friend of Sir Walter Scott wh owas a regular visitor to the estate and may have encouraged Scott's purchase of th eneighbouring estate of Loch Ore in the early 19th century . The two were part of a smal lgroup known as the "Blair Adam Club" formed in 1816, which met every year for a fe wdays at Blairadam up to 1831 and visited local places of historical interest which provedto be the inspiration of later works of Scott . These historical, artistic and cultura lassociations together with the outstanding documentary record and high quality of th edesign of the house, garden and policies of Blairadam are of national importance .

Influence of Historical Land UseToday, the predominant land uses are agriculture, urban development, mineral working ,industry and forestry . The towns have seen continuing and in some cases rapi dexpansion in the latter part of the 20th century, such that they now cover large parts o fthe landscape especially in the southern and central pans of Fife . The 20th century ha sseen the diversification of industry in many of the main towns but the legacy of th ecoalfield remains in many parts of the lowland hills and valleys .

There have been changes to the farmland over the years, the most obvious being th eincrease in arable cultivation and the removal of field boundaries and the consequentia lenlarging of arable fields. Many of the farm steadings have seen the addition of ver ylarge modern buildings, sometimes poorly related in scale and location to the existin gsteading and built of inappropriate cladding materials . Re-use of farm buildings and th econversion of traditional steadings to small developments of up to five or six dwellings ,

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has also occurred . These have generally involved new buildings clustered around th emain farmhouse, but often using untraditional materials and styles .

Large-scale afforestation, particularly of the Cleish Hills, is also a 20th centuryphenomenon that has masked much of the original landscape of Blairadam and th esubtle topography of the hills and foothills . This has been a response, in part, to thepoor capability of the land for agriculture . Upland agriculture is almost entirely open hil lgrazing on mainly unimproved or semi-improved and occasionally improved pastures .Today, however, new woodland planting is focused on the lowlands and there is a smal lbut growing and significant land use change to small-scale broadleaved woodland in th ebetter farmland, for a time led by the West Fife Woodlands Initiative and now continue dthrough the Forestry Authority's Woodland Grant Scheme . Woodland and tree cover onthe lower hills are mainly small plantations, shelterbelts, parkland and policy plantin gand, locally, hedgerow trees . Some of these features are mature or over-mature an dmany are falling into neglect .

The steeper slopes tend to be a transition area from the arable lowlands to the hil lpastures of the uplands . These slopes have a patchwork of fields - mainly grasslandboth improved and unimproved, with occasional arable cultivation where slopes are les ssteep, drainage more effective and soils deeper . Stock farming remains important i nmost of these areas and field boundaries tend to be less modified although post an dwire fences often supplement the low stone dykes and hedges where maintenance an dmanagement has not sustained a stockproof enclosure .

The area has been subject to extensive mineral working : for coal, limestone, aggregates ,industrial sands and other materials . This has changed the landscape character of theupland and lowland areas, leaving, in the past, hills scarred with open quarry faces an dderelict bings often prominently located on skylines . More recently restored butimmature landscapes now lack the subtlety of landform and landscape features of th eundisturbed parts . During extraction the intrusion of the voids, working operations,plant, traffic and screening bunds and soil/overburden mounds can be conspicuous .

Roads are important elements in the landscape of Fife . For most of the area they form anetwork of small-scale rural roads which respect the topography and drainage pattern sand generally blend well with the landscape . Their roadside stone dykes and hedges ar eimportant linear features where they remain intact . In the Black Devon valley there is a narea characterised by narrow relatively straight roads with wide roadside belts of tree sforming a distinctive landscape pattern .

The A class roads are of larger scale and have been systematically improved to take th ehigh levels of traffic associated with the large urban areas and important industria linstallations . Most have been improved on their existing line but the A94 is a major dua lcarriageway that in part has been constructed on a new line through the lowlan dvalleys. The M90 runs north-south through the area towards the Forth Road Bridge an dforms a large-scale linear feature sweeping in curves, through extensive cuttings and o nlong embankments between Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath .

Other development in the countryside has included golf courses, caravan sites, countr yparks and other recreational developments, airfields, industrial factories and smaller -scale changes such as cemeteries .

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B .7 The Distinctiveness of FifeThis Section summarises the essence of the distinctiveness of the Fife landscape . It isbased on a summary of the Key Characteristics and Features of the 19 Landscap eCharacter Types described in more detail in Part C below .

Fife is an extremely varied area with a wide range of distinctive landscape types withinwhich there are many subtle differences which give most local landscape units a distinc tsense of place . Views across the lowlands are dominated by the uplands and other hil lranges with their distinctive skylines and shapes . From the uplands and the hills, view sextend across the lowlands, usually to the coast and often embracing many differin glandscape types . Views from the shores across the Firths or St Andrews Bay ar eextensive . Thus, each landscape type is inextricably linked with others and th elandscape is seen and experienced as a whole, with its physical, sensual, cultural an dhistorical dimensions . There is a strong sense of history and human influence on anatural environment that is still evident today .

The Uplands of the Ochil, Lomond, Cleish and Benarty Hills have an elevated, massive ,pronounced physical landform with distinctive silhouettes and skylines often wit hrecognisable shapes, peaks and slopes . They are open, large-scale, rolling hills ofupland pasture with peaks, knolls and ridges mainly covered in a green and brownpatchwork of grasses, bracken, sedge and rush with pockets of heather . They aredominated by their more extreme weather conditions which can rapidly change th eexperience of the upland landscapes . There is a lack of present day settlements bu tregular evidence of ancient human settlement with many historical and archaeologica lfeatures visible . Stone dykes, burns and occasional minor roads flow over and along th econtours and patterns are irregular, responding to the landform . The Uplands are alandscape of vast scale, exposure, openness, peacefulness and simplicity . They aretypically quiet, calm, harmonious, semi-natural, enduring landscapes .

The steep Upland Slopes of the Lomond, Cleish and Benarty Hills with their pronounced ,vertical landform are very conspicuous, often defining the edge of other landscape type sand the extent of views across the lowlands . They are the distinctive backdrops, edge sand skylines to other landscape types. They are typically open and exposed with semi -natural land cover, including woodlands often strongly related to landform . There is ageneral lack of built development and a lack of intrusive man-made features (except fo rsome afforestation) . The burns and occasional waterfalls, gullies and folds and steep -sided, narrow glens are important features in these balanced, harmonious, colourful ,many-featured, vertical, open, semi-natural landscapes . The ruggedness and rockyoutcrops of some of the slopes contrast with the sweeping patchwork of gentler ,smoother more regular landform and land cover of the slopes elsewhere .

Like the Upland Slopes, the Upland Foothills of the Ochils, Lomond and Cleish Hills ar every conspicuous, often defining the edge of other landscape types and the extent o fviews across the lowlands . The natural slopes of the landform of the Foothills aregentler and less pronounced than the Upland Slopes but usually steeper and higher tha nthe lowland hills. They too form distinctive backdrops to other landscape types . Thereis a lack of settlements but a general abundance of farmsteadings which, with the man ywoodlands are well related to landform, often in association with the frequent burn srunning down gullies or folds or narrow glens . The Foothills have several conspicuou spoint features, providing each area with its own identity . They are characterised by acombination of steep sided, rugged, open landform and land cover on the uppe rfoothills, and shallower, smoother, more vegetated or developed landform lower down .These are medium to large-scale, open, simple, sloping, curved, quiet and balance dlandscapes with smooth or varied textures and muted colours .

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The Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs at Blebocraigs, Ceres, Kettlebridge to Pea tInn, Largoward, Largo Law, Redwell Hill, the Cowdenbeath Hills, the Cullaloe Hills and a tKincraig form conspicuous, pronounced, often distinctive and recognisable hills or hil lranges sometimes protruding high above the lowlands or extending the uplands o rfoothills . They form important backdrops to the lowlands . Their distinctive shapes ,silhouettes and skylines, with recognisable shapes, peaks and slopes give Fife a stron gsense of place and direction . There is evidence of ancient human settlement withhistorical and archaeological features often visible but there is a lack of villages or large rsettlements . The farmsteadings and woodlands are well related to landform and there i sa variety of other individual buildings and structures, sometimes associated with theburns and contributing to the identity of the area . There are numerous small quarries ,most now disused and well screened but some large, exposed quarries which adversel yaffect the landscape character . The upper slopes of these Hills and Craigs can b esteeply sided, rugged and open, contrasting with the shallower, smoother, mor evegetated and more intensively used lower slopes . These are medium to large-scale ,open, simple, sloping, curved, quiet and balanced landscapes with smooth or varie dtextures and muted colours .

Much of southern and central Fife comprises a series of Lowland Hills and Valleys with avaried and subtle landform covered by open, regular farmland patterns of medium-scal efields of arable and pasture . There are extensive areas of plantations, shelter planting ,roadside planting and policies linked to large estates with a regular, often linear, patter nof steadings and larger settlements and towns, all of which are generally well related t othe landscape . So too is the network of minor roads and other linear and point feature sincluding plantations and tree groups, individual trees and local buildings . The fields arebounded by a variable pattern of post and wire fences and mostly tall hedges wit hhedgerow trees . This is generally a tended, safe, quiet, balanced and calm landscape ,but in the more urban, industrialised areas it can be a busy, random, disturbed and nois yone . It is a lowland, settled, farming landscape with variety, continuity, maturity an dsubtlety and a long history of settlement . However, locally, these characteristics hav ebeen lost through mineral working and urbanisation creating anonymous landscape slacking in distinctiveness and character .

The Lowland Open Sloping Farmland in eastern Fife comprises predominantly large ,open, sloping, arable fields, often with no field boundaries or with mainly wire fences ,low hedges or some stone dykes and little other vegetation cover with relatively fe wplantations and shelterbelts . There are isolated but regular farmsteadings, often wit hmodern agricultural buildings but only a few, generally very small and conspicuou ssettlements with a variety of building materials . This is a large-scale, open or exposedlandscape where the character is strongly influenced by the weather conditions an dviews of the sky . It is a simple, sloping, balanced, active, organised, tended, farmin glandscape with regular or geometric patterns .

The Lowland Dens are deeply incised sometimes narrow gorges or valleys (the dens) cu tby fast flowing burns across gently rolling Coastal Hills and Terraces on the north, eas tand south east coasts of Fife . Often they have extensive semi-natural woodland withbroadleaved trees and few buildings other than occasional steadings or large house swith policies. These are confined, small-scale, intimate, sheltered, textured, colourful ,balanced and calm landscapes .

By contrast, the Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys are 'U' shaped, flat bottome dchannel-like valleys with distinctive often pronounced and frequent eskers, kames an dmounds deposited by melting glaciers . Typically used for intensive arable cultivation ,the valley floor and lower slopes contrast with the mixed farming or grazing land on th erising slopes . There are medium to large-scale geometric field patterns enclosed by low ,gappy hedges or post and wire fences . Steadings are located along distinct lines o ftransition from fertile valley soils to the poorer soils of hill slopes . They have small ,

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sinuous, often inconspicuous burns or small rivers which appear to be too small for th esize of the valley . In parts, there are extensive conspicuous sand and gravel quarrie sdisrupting an otherwise generally organised, tended, balanced, open, locally busy an ddiverse landscape with regular patterns, smooth textures and seasonally variable colours

The Lowland River Basins of the Rivers Leven and Ore are flat, wide, relatively low-lyin gvalley basins contained by distant foothills or volcanic hills with an open, medium t olarge-scale, regular pattern of intensively cultivated arable fields with few animals . I nsome parts, there are extensive coniferous plantations on poorer soils but elsewher emany mature, narrow, linear, straight, predominantly coniferous shelterbelts form stron gvisual features and patterns . There is a general lack of maturity and subtlety in arelatively modern, planned or well organised landscape, with semi-natural vegetatio nconfined to the banks of the rather inconspicuous, seemingly undersized rivers . There i sa regular pattern of relatively modern, often extended or modified farmsteadings ,occasional single buildings in open countryside, a few, modern, planned settlements, awide variety of modern building materials and architectural styles . Dominated bystraight or angular horizontal lines and geometric patterns formed by cropping, and adense network of narrow, straight ditches and lanes with bridges and sharp corners .This is a diverse, flat, active, planned, organised, tended and regular landscape .

The Lowland Loch Basins of Lochs Leven, Fitty, Gelly, Ore and Kilconquhar are simple,shallow basins with large water bodies set generally within areas of gently sloping arabl eland and flat areas of marsh, associated with loch inlets and outlets . Woodlands anddeciduous belts of trees around or extending out from the lochs is a frequen tcharacteristic of these areas . There are open, large-scale, regular patterns of tende dfields . Away from the motorway and main roads, the lochs and their islands an dshorelines dominate a diverse, calm, settled, quiet, and balanced landscape wit hwildlife often on and around the lochs, and birds overhead in flight .

Around the coast of Fife there is a series of Coastal Hills mainly located above th eCoastal Cliffs, braes, and terraces, which slope gradually towards the sea offerin gpanoramic views of the Firths . They are characterised by their strong association wit hthe sights, sounds and smells of the coast and usually comprise large, undulating ,regular, open, arable landscapes with few hedges but some linear shelterbelts and polic yplantings. Settlements are infrequent, small, often exposed and conspicuous built o fstone or white or pale colourwashed render and grey roofs and single storey or tw ostorey houses with small windows to the sea . These are medium to large-scale, ofte nopen or exposed coastal landscapes where the character is always influenced by the se aand can be particularly affected by the weather conditions and views of the sky and th esea . Generally a simple, sloping, balanced, active, organised, tended, farming landscap ewith regular or geometric patterns . These hills mark the transition between coastal an dlandward areas of Fife sharing the characteristics of both .

Particularly around the east and south coast of Fife the Coastal Terraces / RaisedBeaches are mostly flat or gently sloping towards the coast . They are either extensivel ybuilt upon or relatively undeveloped comprising large, open, undulating, arable field swith infrequent or more regular steadings . They have little vegetation cover excep tpolicy planting and shelter-belts around the large houses and designed landscapes, or onthe steeper slopes often above burns . There are few field boundaries, limited to somehedgerows, or stone dykes or post and wire fencing primarily around the larger house sand farmsteads . These are coastal landscapes where the character is always influence dby the sea and typically they are a simple, undulating, balanced landscape with mute dcolours, varied textures and slow movement .

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Kincraig and the eastern coast of Fife have distinctive rocky Coastal Cliffs with narrow ,vertical, sometimes high and massive rocky outcrops or steep, grassy cliffs with smalle routcrops, above the shoreline and intermittently cut by narrow, steep sided dens usuall ylined with woodland or scrub. Dominated by the natural elements (sea, sky, climate ,geology) and dynamic natural processes of the tidal cycle, coastal erosion and erosio nby wind, rain, and ice the rock exposures and landform features often have geologica land geomorphological interest and a remarkable variety of vegetation cover and plan tand animal communities . The landscape experience may vary depending on weathe rconditions and whether looking out to sea from a sheltered or exposed position . Viewsare invariably extensive in the seaward direction and to landward are generally confine dby the cliffs, but from the cliff tops landward views can be extensive to the Coastal Hill sor Coastal Terraces .

The prominent, high, steep sided Coastal Braes of the north and south coasts are mainl ywooded, giving the unusual appearance, from a distance, of wooded cliffs . They hav erounded tops rolling on to the Coastal Hills marking an abrupt edge to landwar dcultivation. At the foot of some of the braes on the south coast there are raise dbeaches or wave cut platforms which form long, linear strips of land above the beaches ,some with small peninsulas of open space projecting seaward . On these narrow strip sare located some small, linear, traditional, bright and colourful coastal settlements wit hmaritime, navigation, and boating infrastructure and features and, in places, old lim ekilns . The settlements are served by narrow, sinuous coastal roads and steep, narro wroads down folds in the braes from the Coastal Hills . The landscape experience varie sconsiderably according to weather conditions but most of the time they are small-scale ,diverse, textured, colourful, calm and quiet landscapes with a contrast between th esheltered enclosure, vertical, sinuous lines of the Braes and the vast scale, exposed ,horizontal, landscapes of the Firths .

The Coastal Flats on the south coast are very flat, low-lying coastal landscapes claime dfrom the Firth of Forth . On the north east coast they are developed on blown sands andold dune systems and covered by a variety of land uses such as the afforestation a tTentsmuir Forest, the airfield at Leuchars and the world famous golf courses at S tAndrews . Self-evidently, therefore, they have a diversity of landscape character bu ttheir close association with the sea is ever present in these very flat, low-lying ,horizontal, open, large-scale, exposed coastal landscapes at sea level containing ,typically, intensively cultivated, geometrically laid out, large to medium-scale ,predominantly arable fields or forestry plantations with rectilinear, fenced enclosures ;straight ditches, sea walls and flood banks with small bridges ; slightly sinuous or angula rroads raised above the fields with stone dykes or open sides and isolated, scattered o rregularly spaced farmsteads, conspicuous due to their lack of screening, in contrast tothe designed landscapes which are well screened by policy planting and shelterbelts .

The extensive areas of Intertidal Shores all around the Fife coast are natural landscapesdominated by the sea and the tidal cycle . At low tide the low lying, dull brown orbrown-grey sheets of the mudflats with the meandering outwash channels or th erougher texture, more colourful shingle bays and rocky shores with their deep striations ,or the lighter colour and smooth, even slope to the sea of the sandy beaches with thei rgroynes and other structures are conspicuous . These are large-scale, flat, open o rexposed, uniform or simple landscapes with smooth textures, sinuous lines and mutedcolours dominated by all of the natural elements. Here may be found solitud edominated by natural noises and the naturalness of the areas, with sometimes hug eflocks of birds and a wide range of landscape experiences depending on the weatherconditions and the local permutations of mud, sand, shingle and rock, estuary o rharbour . In places, on hot summer days, these are busy, noisy and colourful places .

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The North Sea is an enduring, vast scale, horizontal and natural landscape dominated b ythe weather conditions and the colour of the sea and the sky and the movement o fwaves . There are small off-shore islands, the largest and most prominent of which i sthe Isle of May which, with its distinctive lighthouse, is a key feature of all coasta lviews along the East Neuk of Fife . There are frequent but very slow movements of avariety of vessels and navigation and shipping artefacts on the water . There areinvariably extensive views of and across the intertidal landscapes to the Coastal Cliff sand Braes, Coastal Hills and Coastal Terraces with their many coastal settlements ,varied features, colours and textures .

The Firths of Forth and Tay are maritime landscapes studded with off-shore islands ,navigational infrastructure and slow moving ships and vessels of many kinds . Dominatedby the spectacular bridges these are a calm, bright, colourful and smooth landscap ewith extensive views dominating the coastal scenery from north and south shores . Itcan also be a forbidding landscape in storms and may be concealed altogether by haars .A very large-scale, flat, horizontal and natural landscape dominated by the weatherconditions and the colour of the sea and the sky and the movement of waves .

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PART C THE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPESThe Analysis of the Landscape Type sThis part of the report identifies and describes the 19 basic landscape types of the study area .Sections B .1 to B .3 and Appendix 1 describe the method used to draw up, describe an danalyse the landscape types . For each of the Landscape Types this section includes a list o ftheir key characteristics and features, their distribution in Fife, the natural processes affectin gthem, a description of their physical characteristics and of their landscape experience and th emain forces or pressures for change that may affect their character .

Key Characteristics and FeaturesDrawing out of the description and analysis of the landscape types those key characteristic sand features which are the most important positive contributions to the character of th elandscape, helps to distinguish between landscape types and to understand how to manag echange in the landscape positively .

Changes in the Landscap eBy their very nature, landscapes are dynamic . They are always changing : daily, as a result ofclimate or light ; seasonally ; annually and over longer periods of time . The key changes thatmay affect the essential character of each landscape type are identified. These tend to be themore permanent forms of change e .g . development or changes in land use and lan dmanagement that may be widespread or may have a marked effect on the landscape characte rbecause they affect the key characteristics and features . Changes may be positive or negativ ein terms of their effect on the landscape . The aim is to gain a clearer understanding of thenature and direction of change and its likely impact on the key characteristics and features o fthe landscape . This analysis provides the basis for management guidelines set out in Part D, t oenable more detailed policies to be formulated, and a basis for informing development contro land other decisions relating to land use change and management .

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C.1 THE UPLAND S(Dolerite and other Igneous Hills )

See Figure 5 (page 175) and Figures 14 and 15 (sheets 1-5) at the back of the report .

Key Characteristics and Features of the Uplands :

elevated, massive, pronounced physical landform ;

distinctive silhouettes and skylines ;

recognisable shapes, peaks and slopes ;

open, large-scale, rolling hills of upland pasture with peaks, knolls and ridges ;

the evidence of active natural systems and processes e .g. weathering and erosion ;

varied texture and mainly green/brown colour patchwork of the grasses, bracken, sedge an drush communities with pockets of heather ;

stone dykes, burns and occasional minor roads flowing over and along the contours ;

lack of present day settlements but regular evidence of ancient human settlement with man yhistorical and archaeological features visible ;

vast scale, exposure, openness, peacefulness, simplicity;

generally quiet, calm, harmonious, semi-natural, enduring landscape with irregular patternsresponding to the landform ;

Weather conditions are important and can rapidly change the experience of the uplan dlandscapes ;

extensive, panoramic and elevated views across substantial distances and many othe rlandscape types .

DistributionFour localities in the study area, on the tops of the Ochil Hills (UP1), Lomond Hills (UP2) ,Benarty Hill (UP3) and Cleish Hills (UP4) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesGeologically the Uplands are relatively stable areas in the longer term . They are importan twatersheds containing the sources of the river systems . There are active and modified areas o fpeatland, the bedrock is at or near the surface, drainage is generally poor on the higher plateau xand tops. The Uplands experience the most extreme climatic conditions with high exposure ,wind speeds, rainfall and snow retention which makes them distinctive landscape features i nthe winter .

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DescriptionPhysical Characteristics

C.1 .1 The Uplands extend across most of the north of Fife, forming high land masse sand an almost continuous skyline from the western edge of the Cleish Hills t othe eastern edge of the Ochils .

C.1 .2 The Ochils and Lomond Hills rise to over 500 metres AOD . The Cleish Hills riseto 379m and the highest point of Benarty Hill is 356m . With the general level ofthe lowlands averaging about 100m to 200m AOD, the hills variously rise som e250 - 400m above the surrounding lowland valleys and basins .

C .1 .3 The effect of the Uplands on the Fife landscapes is considerably reinforced b ythe very distinctive skylines . Each of the hill masses has a clearly recognisabl eshape which lends distinction and a strong sense of place and orientation . Fromany pan of the study area an observer has a readily appreciated landmar kindicating direction, distance and location. Landform on the tops varies fro mgently rolling hills, to upland plateaux with distinct peaks, spurs and ridges .Topographically they are all distinctly different . The Lomond Hills, for example ,have two distinct hill masses one at each end of the range, being West Lomon d(522m AOD) and Bishop Hill (456m) . The landform on Benarty Hill, a ridge withtwo indistinct peaks, is relatively simple in comparison with the range oflandforms found within the larger area of the Ochils with many rounded dome sand the Cleish Hills, with numerous peaks, ridges, upland lochs, and areas o fplateaux. The characteristic skylines of the upland landforms are immenselyimportant natural features of Fife .

C .1 .4 The Uplands consist of weathered and glaciated rocks of mainly Carboniferou sorigin which were more resistant than the sedimentary Old Red Sandstone of th eBasin. The Ochils comprise igneous extrusive andesite and basalt whilst th eCleish, Benarty and Lomond Hills are formed from resistant sills of igneou squartz dolerite .

C .1 .5 Drift geology in these areas is frequently thin or non-existent although on th eflatter plateaux of the Cleish Hills extensive areas of peat have developed. Soilson the Ochils are thin, peat podzols with brown forest soils with gleying derive dfrom the Old Red Sandstone . Soils on the Cleish Hills are also thin, poor, brow nforest soils but derived from Carboniferous sandstones . Benarty Hill has poor ,thin, brown forest soils derived from basaltic rocks and the Lomonds have peatypodzols and humus iron podzols with peat also derived from basaltic rocks .

C .1 .6

The Uplands are open, exposed and climatically rigorous .

Land Cove rC .1 .7

The Uplands are dominated by poor, mainly unimproved or semi-improve dpermanent grasslands used for rough hill grazing of sheep and some beef cattle .Arable land and improved grassland is virtually absent . Bracken is locallydominant and the wettest ground is dominated by coarse grass/sedge/rus hcommunities . There are some bogs with sphagnum and some heathy areas wit hgorse and coarse grasses the main constituents, particularly on the Lomon dHills . Thus, there tends to be a summer patchwork of greens with smoothe rtextures and lighter colours on the better pastures and rougher textures wit hsummer greens and winter browns on the poorer pastures and wet areas .

C .1 .8 Afforestation of coniferous, softwood, mainly evergreen (locally there ar esignificant areas of larch) plantations is extensive on parts of the Ochils, ove rmost of the Cleish Hills below the peaks, and on Munduff Hill on the Lomonds .However, the eastern, lower parts of the Ochils, the area around Dow Loch o n

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the Cleish Hills, all of Benarty Hill top and the majority of the tops of th eLomonds are not planted . Broadleaved and mixed plantations/woodland arevirtually absent on the Uplands but the restructuring of the coniferou splantations will introduce mixed and broadleaved woodlands .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .1 .9 There are no settlements on any of the Uplands . Occasional steadings in the

Ochils are located along the minor roads outside of the area of Fife, e .g . atPathstruie. Elsewhere, all upland areas are generally free of built developmen twith the exception of Knockhill Motor Racing Circuit, telecommunication mastse.g. on Knock Hill and near Craiggaveral, and some cairns and othe rarchaeological features . Apart from Knockhill Motor Racing Circuit and informa lrecreational activities, the Uplands are used for agriculture and forestry . TheLomonds are an important Regional Park .

Linear and Point FeaturesC.1 .10 The Uplands are generally open with few field boundaries . Where field or estate

boundaries do occur they are mainly stone dykes, often but not always in goo drepair . The roads are narrow and sinuous and generally defined by narrow vergesand stone dykes with occasional post and wire fencing . Where dykes have bee nneglected they are supplemented by post and wire fencing where a stockproo fboundary is needed . The few roads and stone dykes rolling over the landformare prominent landscape features emphasising topography .

C .1 .11 With the exception of the Ochils below Tillyrie and Golloch Hills the Uplands ar enot generally affected by high voltage overhead lines. Low voltage line sgenerally follow the few roads in the Uplands and are not conspicuous .

C.1 .12 The edges of the forestry plantations form strong linear features . In most of th eolder plantations the edges are straight and some on the Ochils and Cleish Hill spay little or no regard to landform . The edges themselves are conspicuous a tconsiderable distances and exacerbate the artificial, blanket appearance of som eof the older plantations in the Ochils and the Cleish Hills . These were mainlyplanted in the period 1950-1980 when forestry policies, objectives an denvironmental criteria were very different to those of today . These woodlandssuccessfully met those former policies and criteria but with each crop growin gover a 40 to 50 year period the results are still evident on the landscape .Amelioration of their effects is an ongoing process, underpinned by restructurin gplans overseen by the Forestry Authority, which meet a more stringent set o fcriteria including landscape design .

C.1 .13 Some of the individual peaks are important and distinctive point features, fo rexample the double peaks on Benarty Hill and Bishop Hill and West Lomond o nthe Lomond Hills .

C .1 .14

The telecommunications masts on the Cleish Hills are visually prominen tfeatures .

Characteristics of Landscape Experienc eC .1 .15 The experience of the upland landscapes falls sharply into two contrasting types .

In or close to the forestry plantations from about 10 years after planting unti lcommercial maturity the experience is of a uniform, monochrome, dark, silent ,intimate, tightly enclosed space dominated by the vertical lines and forma lregularity of the trees, seasonal changes are limited . In windless condition smovement is dead or still . Walking along the rides or edges gives a contras twith views of the open hills and relieves the uniformity but not the regula rformality and straight, sharp vertical and horizontal lines. Many of the upland

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woods are at pre- or early thinning stage and their character and amenity wil lchange as thinning and restructuring progresses .

C .1 .16 Away from the plantations the upland experience is of a vast, exposed, rathe runiform or simple landscape of rough (occasionally craggy) texture ,predominantly green or brown, vertical or sloping form and curving or sinuou slines . It is generally a still (wind dependent), balanced, quiet landscape which i sirregular in pattern, being responsive to natural topography. It is a quiet andpeaceful, safe landscape except in poor weather conditions when it can becom edisturbed, isolated and hostile .

C .1 .17 The Uplands can evoke strong spiritual feelings ranging from awesome respec tto inspiring, tranquil appreciation . These and other characteristics and qualitie sare heightened by the extent and scale of views, often across one upland rang eto others on the distant skyline. In reverse the hills provide an indispensabl ehorizon, permanent backdrop, identity and sense of place to the lowlands below .

Pressures for Change

C .1 .18 The Uplands tend to have an enduring quality with changes being gradual i nresponse to the longer term effects of management change . Agricultura limprovement is limited in extent and potential . Adverse weather and isolatio ndeter pressure for built development . Access and communications are limited .Small-scale quarries have been opened for hard rock extraction but most ar enow derelict, none is currently operational and they are of local impact owing t otheir small size, weathering and recolonisation with vegetation .

C .1 .19 The most profound change in the Uplands has been afforestation, especially i nthe Ochils and Cleish Hills. The older plantations (i .e . over 40 years) wereimposed on the hills with little regard to landscape design and conservation .These older plantations changed the experience and appearance of the hills .Their impact on the Ochils is particularly striking when viewed from the Cleish o rLomond Hills, from where some of these older plantations form insensitiv egeometric patterns interrupting the flow of the landform and changing thei rcharacteristic colour, texture, patterns and skylines . Again, with restructuringplans, a more sympathetic pattern reflecting landforms should emerge .

C .1 .20 One further change which to date has affected only the Cleish Hills is th eerection of telecommunication masts . Whilst not in themselves bulky structure stheir height, materials, colour, texture and inelegant shape tend to make the mconspicuous and uncharacteristic features in these prominent hill top locations .At close quarters their presence is an alien intrusion, entirely out of characte rwith the landscape experience . From the slopes and foot of the hills they areobscured by landform but from the basins and low hills below they ar enoticeable over a wide area . The Uplands are also vulnerable to proposals fo rwind driven power generators (wind turbines) .

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C .2 THE UPLAND SLOPES(Steep and Scarp Slopes of the Dolerite and other Igneous Hills )


Key Characteristics and Features of the Upland Slopes :

highly conspicuous slopes and skylines, often defining the edge of other landscape types an dthe extent of views across the lowlands;

the natural, steep, massive, often dramatically contrasting and pronounced vertical physica llandform ;

distinctive backdrops, edges and skylines to other landscape types ;

the burns and occasional waterfalls, gullies and folds and steep-sided, narrow glens ;

the evidence of active natural systems and processes e .g . weathering and erosion ;

the generally open semi-natural land cover ;

woodland cover strongly related to buildings and both buildings and tree cover strongly relate dto landform, aspect, shelter etc ;

the general lack of built development and the lack of intrusive man-made features (except fo rsome afforestation) ;

the gentler, smoother, open, regular landform and land cover of the Benarty slopes and Cleis hslopes west ;

the balanced, harmonious, colourful, many-featured, vertical, open, semi-natural uplan dcharacteristics of the slopes with the ruggedness of the Benarty and Cleish slopes north and th e

sweeping patchwork of regular but not geometric patterns of the Cleish slopes west ;

extensive, panoramic and elevated views across substantial distances and many othe rlandscape types .

DistributionSix localities in Fife, on the northern (US5) and eastern (US6) slopes of the Lomond Hills, on th esouth facing slopes of Benarty Hill (US7), and the north (US8), west (US9) and east (US10 )facing slopes of the Cleish Hills .

Natural Systems and ProcessesSteeply sloping edges to the Uplands, densely wooded in parts and including burns flowin gdown into the surrounding water catchments .

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DescriptionPhysical Characteristic s

C.2 .1 The north (US5) and east (US6) facing slopes of the Lomond Hills are steep ,scarp slopes rising sharply above the lowlands to a break of slope at about350m AOD from where they roll less steeply towards the upland plateau an dpeaks . To the north of the hills the slopes are open, exposed and quite rugged .To the east, overlooking Falkland, however, they are largely covered i nafforestation which tends to mask the landform of the slopes . The slopes arecut by a number of burns running down gullies or folds in the slopes from th ehigher Uplands.

C .2 .2 The north facing Cleish slopes (US8) are also steep, rising in the study area t oapproximately 280m AOD. They define the northern extent of the Cleish hills ,outside the study area, and they are characterised by extensive softwoo dplantations and numerous burns and waterfalls flowing northwards into the Po wBurn in the Loch Leven catchment . In unplanted areas, the Cleish slopes arerugged but with a generally good soil cover . They have distinctive breaks o fslope at their base, where gradient suddenly changes to the gentler slopes of th eLowland Hills and Valleys . The slopes also have distinctive breaks of slope a tthe tops, where the almost cliff-like steepness suddenly gives way to the uplan dplateaux and peaks . The tops of the slopes form the skyline in views from th enorth, south and west .

C .2 .3 By contrast, the east and west facing Cleish slopes and south facing Benart yslopes are less steep and less well defined . The east facing Cleish Slopes(US10) are dominated by the extensive coniferous plantations covering part o fthe Blairadam designed landscape . These woodlands mask the natural landform .The west facing Cleish slopes (US9) generally fall gradually, although quit esteeply in parts, to the Black Devon, fed by small burns flowing down th ehillside . Thus these slopes are characterised by the glen-like landform aroun dthe Devon, with the higher Cleish Uplands on two or three sides . The lowerslopes, close to the river, contain isolated properties and in parts dens ebroadleaved woodland, and are in part notified as a SSSI . The extreme northernsection of the west facing Cleish slopes rises to Cult Hill, a peak of intrusiv eigneous rock rising to 264m AOD . The undulating, hummocky landform is adistinctive feature of the Upland Slopes .

C .2 .4 The south facing slopes of Benarty Hill (US7) are similarly less steep and lesswell defined than the Cleish slopes north, falling from around 280m to the basinof Loch Ore at around 190m AOD . The tops, however, are very steep, in partscovered by Benarty Wood and elsewhere more exposed and undulating . Thelower slopes give way to the Loch Ore basin edge with a series of minor peak sand ridges . There are few obvious signs of any surface water drainage syste mon the south facing Benarty slopes .

Land Cove rC .2 .5 The northern and much of the eastern Lomond slopes are extensively covered b y

coniferous afforestation running down to the estate at Falkland . Only the nort heastern slopes in Fife are open, predominantly steep, locally rugged, unimprove dor semi-improved grasslands with a large block of coniferous planting a tLacesston Muir .

C .2 .6 The Cleish slopes north are extensively planted, between Wether Hill and Hil lEnd . Outwith this woodland, short grasslands and other semi-natural vegetatio ndominate the rocky and hummocky slopes .

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C .2.7 The Cleish slopes west, being less steep, are a patchwork of semi-natura lvegetation with occasional outcrops, hillside pasture, semi-improved an dimproved grassland and occasional arable fields . The slopes around the BlackDevon are almost entirely covered with broadleaved trees, in sharp contrast t othe surrounding softer textured cover of the smooth landform . Two areas onthe slopes of Cult Hill have been planted under the WGS .

C.2 .8 Land cover on the south-facing Benarty slopes is dominated by Benarty Wood .Elsewhere, the steep tops are characterised by thin, poor soils with bedrock a tor near the surface . Being much more open, they are easily weathered by activ eerosion processes, and they include short turfed grasslands with pockets ofbracken, gorse and other semi-natural vegetation . The open, undulating slopesaround Ballingry include improved and semi-improved grassland for grazing, an dlarge, regularly-shaped fields, with stone dykes, in arable production . Roadsideplanting has been undertaken since 1991 under the WGS .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .2 .9 There is built development on or close to all the Upland Slopes . The Cleish

slopes north have a few settlements along the foot of the slope, which i scharacteristic of the north-facing slopes outside the study area also . Otherwisethey are free of any buildings . The smoother west-facing Cleish slopes contai nnumerous, isolated steadings, often at the end of long, narrow tracks . Morenucleated, small settlements occur around Balgonar and Killernie, to the north ofSaline . The open western edge of Ballingry allows uninterrupted views up th eBenarty slopes towards Benarty Hill . There are one or two isolated farms on theslopes .

C .2.10 The northeastern slopes of the Lomond Hills are largely free of built developmen tand the northern and eastern slopes have few buildings above Falkland which i stucked into the shelter of the slopes .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .2.11 The most important linear features of the Upland Slopes are their tops, where

the landform cuts back sharply to the Uplands, like a cliff top . These form theskyline and visual horizons from extensive parts of the Lowland Hills and Valley sfrom which the tops of the Uplands are not always visible . There are no highvoltage power lines along the face of the slopes, which would be visuall yconspicuous being in particularly open, sensitive landscapes with importan tskylines . Powerlines, however, can be seen to the east of Ballingry an dLochore. The straight edges of the older plantations form regular, geometri cpatterns insensitive to the bold, rugged and irregular landform, and the mino rroads and tracks across the Cleish slopes west and Benarty slopes south .

C .2.12 Point features on the slopes are inevitably very conspicuous . The slopesthemselves are conspicuous across much of the lowland hills, and features ca nbe prominent at distances of over 10km . The main point features are the peak sand rocky crags and occasional buildings where not obscured by woodland .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC.2 .13 There are two important experiences of the Upland Slopes . Firstly, on the

slopes themselves, and, secondly looking to the Slopes from the low hills, Loc hBasins and from other slopes and Uplands . Where not obscured by planting, th eslopes themselves offer some of the most exhilarating landscape experiences i nthe study area with long distance, clear and often dramatic views across to theUplands beyond, sometimes over 20km away . Away from the Regional Park o nthe Lomonds and notable viewpoints such as those on the east Lomond slopes ,access to the Upland Slopes is limited, and many of the minor tracks are private .

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In many places, access is only possible on the minor roads passing through theCleish slopes west and Benarty slopes south .

C.2 .14 Consequently, except on the eastern Lomond slopes the main experience of th eslopes is as the backdrop to views from the east, south and west . Theseexperiences are common, everyday perceptions for residents and local worker sand vital to tourists and other travellers because of the prominence of th eslopes . They are of a large-scale, exposed, simple, rough, rugged, robust ,vertical and curving landscape background dominated by quasi-natural or uplan dtype landscapes readily experienced from the lowlands . They are balanced ,harmonious, colourful, many-featured landscapes ranging from the rando mnaturalness of the west Cleish slopes around the glen to the more regular ,tended slopes of the south Benarty slopes .

C .2.15

The slopes are a strong influence on the landscape experiences of the stud yarea and sustaining that contribution is critical to much of the study area .

Pressures for Change in the Landscap e

C.2.16 The Cleish and Benarty slopes have changed little except for some afforestatio nand consolidation of tracks . The nature of the slopes deters most forms o fchange but there may be pressure and opportunities for sensitive planting an drecreational access. There is some evidence that the scattered open semi -natural tree cover that does occur infrequently may have been more widespreadat the foot of the hills and alongside the burns, and has been lost throug hgrazing .

C .2 .17 The Cleish slopes north and much of the northern and eastern slopes of th eLomond Hills have been so extensively planted that only relatively small area sremain unplanted . The maturing plantations are masking the rocky outcrops, clif fexposures, subtle, hummocky landform, and some of the burns . Additional newsteadings are evident on the Cleish slopes west, and recent planting under th eWGS has occurred .

C .2 .18 Ballingry has spread westwards towards the Benarty slope, and the transitiona larea between the slopes, and the Loch Ore basin has been subject to open-cas tcoal mining . One site is being restored and another is currently operational .

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C .3 UPLAND FOOTHILLSSee Figure 6 (page 177) and Figures 14 and 15 (sheets 1-5) at the back of the report .

Key Characteristics and Features of the Upland Foothills :

highly conspicuous, the Foothills (often with the Upland Slopes), define the edge of othe rlandscape types and the extent of views across the lowlands ;

the natural slopes of the physical landform which are gentler and less pronounced than th eUpland Slopes but usually steeper and higher than the lowland hills ;

the evidence of active natural systems and processes e .g. weathering and erosion ;

distinctive backdrops to other landscape types ;

the burns, often in gullies or folds or narrow glens ;

woodlands, steadings and other buildings well related to landform ;

the lack of settlements but the general abundance of farmsteadings ;

the presence of point features, providing each area with its own identity ;

the combination of steep sided, rugged, open landform and land cover on the upper Foothills ,and the shallower, smoother, more vegetated or developed landform lower down ;

medium to large-scale, open, simple, sloping, curved, quiet and balanced landscapes wit hsmooth or varied textures and muted colours ;

some extensive views across other landscape types .

DistributionEleven local landscape units in Fife, comprising the foothills of the Ochils at Newport (UF11) ,Craigie Hill (UF12), Gauldry (UF13), Lucklaw Hill (UF14), Brunton (UF15), Moonzie (UF16) ,Kilmaron (UF17), Letham (UF18), and Black Hill (UF19), the Lomond Foothills (UF20) and th eCleish Foothills (UF21) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesLarge but lower hills or extensive hill ranges covered with boulder clay and brown drift soils o rwith bedrock at or near the surface . Mainly of volcanic origin they extend the Ochils acros snorthern Fife and rise above the lowlands between the Cleish and Lomond Hills and the Lowlan dHills and Valleys . The hard underlying bedrocks are relatively resistant to weathering but th eeffects of wind and water erosion are evident especially on the thin soils and exposed outcrop son the upper slopes and tops . The hills are drained by a series of small, often fast flowin gburns that run in shallow channels down the steep slopes . The Ochil Foothills in particula rcontain many dry valleys which were glacial meltwater channels .

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C.3 .1 These hills comprise three hill masses which are physically lower than the relate dUplands and which do not exhibit the same degree of elevation, exposure ,openness or other characteristics of the Uplands but, nevertheless, for mimportant lower ranges of distinctive hills . The Ochils extend across norther nFife, to Tayport, but they are generally lower than in Tayside . Thus, UP1 is theonly true upland part of the Ochils in Fife and the rest of the range is classed a sUpland Foothills (UF11 to UF19) to recognise the physical differences and th evariations in land cover and land use .

C.3.2 Similarly, both the Lomond Hills and Cleish Hills have areas characteristic o fhigh, substantial Foothills rather than exposed Uplands, and these are identifie das landscape units UF20 and UF21 respectively .

C.3 .3 Typical of the Ochil Foothills are the Logie Hills at Lucklaw (UF14) whic hcomprise a series of bedrock outcrops with distinctive peaks at either end ,namely Lucklaw Hill rising to 190m AOD in the north, to Craigfoodie Hill rising t o169m AOD to the south . There is also a smaller peak, Airdit Hill, rising t oaround 150m AOD towards the centre of the hill mass . Lucklaw Hill is steepl ysided and well wooded on its north facing side, falling to approximately 45 mAOD after having peaked slightly to 140m AOD at Straiton Hill . Airdit Hill i sshallower, ranging from approximately 130m AOD to 150m AOD on its nort hside but steeper on its southern side, ranging from 55m AOD up to its peak . Ittoo is characterised by a densely wooded peak . At the southern end of this hil lmass, Craigfoodie Hill is also much steeper on its southern side as it falls beyon dCraigfoodie to the Moonzie Burn .

C.3 .4 This pattern of a very varied range of distinctive hills, separated by rivers, burn sand glacial meltwater channels and with open or wooded peaks and a comple xlandform and land cover is typical of the Ochil foothills . Some of the Foothill sare quite rugged, especially on the western and northern slopes, with rock youtcrops and rough grazing . Other hills are more rounded with extensive tre ecover .

C.3 .5 The Cleish foothills (UF21) are a complicated series of peaks, ridges and valleyscovering an extensive area between the lowlands and Uplands . They compris egenerally gradually sloping hillsides, from around 150m AOD but risin goccasionally very steeply to up to 245m . Numerous burns flow in a westerl ydirection in the lower-lying valleys between the hills, towards the Bluther Burn .There is also a series of reservoirs and small lochs . Distinctive breaks of slopecontrast with more undulating areas in between, giving a varied landform, whic his predominantly open and exposed with the exception of Carnock Moor Forest .Other lower-lying areas have been planted alongside the burns .

C.3 .6 The strong physical mass and height of the Foothills and their rise above th eadjoining lowland landscapes makes them very conspicuous, often, with th eUpland Slopes, defining the edge of other landscape types and the extent o fviews across the lowlands . The natural slopes of the physical landform ar egentler and less pronounced than the Upland Slopes but usually steeper an dhigher than the lowland hills . There is evidence of active natural systems an dprocesses e .g . weathering and erosion . The burns, often in gullies or folds o rnarrow glens are important but not necessarily conspicuous features . There i sevidence of former natural processes in the many glacial meltwater channels cu tby the retreating glaciers . The Foothills form distinctive backdrops to othe rlandscape types .

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Land Cove rC.3 .7 Woodlands are frequent in the Foothills and the large majority are well related to

landform . The combination of steep sided, rugged, open landform and land cove ron the upper Foothills, and the shallower, smoother, more vegetated o rdeveloped landform lower down is distinctive .

C .3.8 Again, typically, the land cover in UF14 (Lucklaw) reflects the varied an dirregular pattern of the Ochil Foothills generally, with bare or wooded hilltops ;relatively open upper slopes dominated by grasslands with pockets of semi -natural vegetation; extensive improved and semi-improved grasslands and som earable on the middle slopes ; and a mixture of arable and improved pasture on th elower slopes of the Foothills. At Lucklaw, the majority of land cover on th emore easterly hill masses comprises fields in arable use, with hedgerows andhedgerow trees, stone dykes and fences . The extreme peak of Lucklaw Hill i nthe Logie Hills comprises open, rough grassland, but this is overshadowed by a nextensive area of mixed deciduous woodland and coniferous plantations on thesteep north facing slopes . In contrast, the extreme peak of Airdit Hill isconspicuous owing to its mixed woodland . Craigfoodie Hill, at the southernextremity of the Logie Hills, is more rugged and exposed over a larger area, wit hrough grassland and scrub, and some deciduous planting down the south facin gslope .

C.3 .9 At several locations in the Foothills new woodland, quite extensive in places ,has been planted under the Forestry Commission's WGS on the north and wes tfacing slopes.

C .3 .10 As elsewhere in the Foothills, land cover within the highest parts of the Cleis hfoothills are exposed with thin, poor soils being constantly and activel yweathered . Carnock Moor woodland is a distinctive hillside feature in th eFoothills, being a softwood plantation . By contrast, other hillside and burnsid etrees are deciduous, broadleaved areas, although there have been severa lplantation schemes undertaken . Other land use comprises a mix of pasturegrassland and rough grazing on the steeper areas, with arable production on th emore shallow slopes .

C .3 .11 Geometric, regularly shaped roadside planting belts are common amongst th eFoothills . Mostly they are poorly related to landform and would benefit fro madditional planting to improve both their structure and shape .

C .3 .12 The Foothills contain many examples of designed landscapes and, in parts ,reflect the distinctive land management of the private estates with extensiv elandholdings .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land Us eC .3 .13 There is a general lack of settlements in the Foothills, with occasional smal l

villages in sheltered dips and shallow valleys but there is a general abundance o ffarmsteadings, cottages and, quite frequently, large houses . The steadings an dother buildings and the few villages are well related to landform . The steadingsvary from relatively small, traditional farms to large estate farms with substantia lnew agricultural buildings .

C.3.14 For example, the three highest areas of the Logie Hills are devoid of an yproperties, although there are isolated farms and cottages scattered on th eslopes close by . There are large houses such as Logie House, Hayston, ParkKnowe, Pitculla and Pittormie . There are quarries at Lucklaw Hill (active, larg eand extremely visible and intrusive) and Craigfoodie Hill (disused), and a restore dcastle and dovecot at Pitcullo .

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C .3 .15 Within the Cleish Foothills, Steelend lies at the change from the Upland Slope sto the Foothills, and there are numerous isolated steadings, often at the ends o ftracks off the A and B roads or minor roads running throughout the area . Aformer depot, now comprising several small commercial units, lies on flat groun deither side of a small burn and is generally well screened by dense vegetation o nslopes above the burn .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .3 .16 The presence of many point features provides each area with its own identity .

The features include distinctive peaks, rocky outcrops, woodlands, large houses ,steadings, isolated cottages, historic buildings and artefacts and even singl etrees .

Characteristics of the Landscape Experienc eC .3 .17 The Foothills, typically, are medium to large-scale, open, simple, sloping, curved ,

quiet and balanced landscapes with smooth or varied textures and mute dcolours. There are often extensive views across other landscape types . Someof the Foothills however, especially around Lucklaw Hill, lie on the flight path fo rRAF Leuchars, and consequently at times the hills are very noisy .


Agricultur eC .3 .18 The pattern of agricultural land use is entirely compatible with, and forms a n

important element of the character of, the landscape . It contrasts effectivel ywith the more fertile areas of surrounding lowlands . Changes in agricultura lpractice have been less marked here owing to the generally poorer conditions ,and large-scale agricultural change is unlikely, even if there are significan tchanges in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) . Options are restricted by th epoor soils, relatively exposed and elevated nature of the landscape and grazing i slikely to continue to be the main use of the upper slopes . However, if supportfor hill grazing was reduced there could be a consequent abandonment of th epoorest areas on the tops and higher slopes . Similarly, changes in arablesubsidies could trigger reversion to grazing on some of the lower slopes currentl yunder arable cultivation .

C .3 .19 The effect of such changes, if they occurred, would tend to reinforce th eexisting character by extending the semi-natural grasslands and other habitat son the tops and highest slopes of these hills and extending the distribution o fpastures down hill with the effect of increasing the contrast between the hill sand the arable lowlands around .

C .3 .20 There is evidence of the neglect of many of the stone dykes on the upper slope sand some of the hedgerows on the lower slopes . Where dykes have collapse dthey are only rarely repaired in traditional form, more often the temporary, lowe rcost solution of erecting post and wire fencing is used . This could lead to thelong term loss of an important linear feature of the hills .

C .3 .21 Some of the agricultural steadings have had large new or replacement building serected . By their very location, unless screened by shelterbelts or tree groups ,the steadings and their buildings are conspicuous . The range of non-traditiona lbuilding styles and materials has locally reduced the distinctiveness of th esteadings and the landscape character .

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ForestryC.3 .22 Woodland makes an important contribution to this landscape, enhancing it s

character by, for example, reflecting the pronounced landform or emphasisingpatterns or linear features such as the burns. However, a number of th econiferous plantations are so large as to conceal the subtle landform . They wer eplanted many years ago, under very different circumstances and with different ,much narrower objectives than apply today . Their location, scale, poor design ,even age and narrow species composition have had a significant adverse effec ton the landscape character in some places . As the existing plantations reac hmaturity, there will be a phased programme of felling and replanting which wil lallow a more varied and 'natural' woodland form to be created, respectin gtopography and local variations in soils and drainage and with a much mor evaried species and age mix, and a higher proportion of open space .

C .3.23 The low fertility of the soils on the tops and upper slopes and the suitability o ftheir climate to tree growing means that a continued interest in new plantin gmay be expected . Interest in planting the middle and lower slopes could alsoincrease as changes in farming support are likely to affect long ter mmanagement decisions .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentC.3.24 The elevation and exposure of the tops and upper slopes and the presence o f

nearby lowland settlements means that the Foothills are sparsely settled .Generally, there has been very little building in the open countryside other tha nthat related to agriculture but isolated, sporadic or scattered development woul dbe conspicuous and out of character with the landscape . The proximity of th earea to sources of employment and the attractive nature of the hills and th eviews that they offer, means that pressure for single dwellings or small buil tdevelopments is unlikely to disappear . However, it is unlikely that pressure fo rlarger new built developments would occur .

Other Forms of Development and Structure sC.3.25 The proximity of the Foothills to a number of centres of population means tha t

there is an opportunity to facilitate countryside and informal recreation, thereb ytaking the pressure off other more sensitive areas . While some areas of publi caccess already exist, woodlands and the higher slopes and tops with thei routstanding views offer considerable potential for countryside recreation an daccess, subject to landowner agreements .

C .3.26

Most minor roads remain unimproved but it is important that the small scale an drural character of these roads is retained .

C.3.27 The elevation of the Foothills and their proximity to centres of population an dmajor transport corridors makes them technically well suited as locations fo rtelecommunications and other masts and aerials . Several of the hilltops arecrowned with one or more masts, introducing strong vertical and industria lstructures into the landscape . The masts are frequently visible over aconsiderable distance . It is possible that the growth of the telecommunication sindustry will be reflected in pressure for additional masts and aerials .

C .3.28

The Government's commitment to the promotion of renewable energy is likely t oresult in more proposals for electricity generation by way of wind, water o rbiomass . Whilst these hills could probably only support very small hydro -electric schemes, their elevated nature and proximity to the coast and t oelectricity transmission infrastructure is likely to lead to pressure for th e

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construction of wind turbine generators, either singly, in small groups or i n"windfarms" .

C .3.29 Small-scale biomass electricity generators could be accommodated in th elowland areas around the Foothills and the conversion of farmland to th eproduction of short rotation timber crops for their fuel could, if appropriatelylocated, enhance the character of the middle and lower slopes of the hills .

Mineral Workin gC .3 .30 The hard volcanic and other rocks of these hills have been extracted over man y

years, mainly in small-scale and now disused quarries which are scatteredthroughout the hills . These old, disused quarries are generally well conceale dbecause they have revegetated naturally, or they are screened by trees or thei rexposed rock faces have weathered over decades to blend with the colour an dtextures of the hills . They do not have a significant impact on the wide rlandscape .

C.3 .31 However, some quarries are still operational and these tend to be of a very larg escale . Some have been subject to partial or phased restoration but generall ythey are extremely conspicuous being large, elevated above the surrounding landand comprising a range of uncharacteristic industrial buildings and structures ,noise and activity, spoil heaps and exposed rock faces, creating an unnatura llandform and a major industrial feature in what is often otherwise largel yundisturbed, characteristic countryside, e .g . at Lucklaw Hill and south o fNewburgh .

C .3 .32 Demand for hard rock quarry products, including crushed rock aggregates, i sexpected to continue in the area and this is likely to lead to proposals for large -scale new or extended quarries .

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C .4 PRONOUNCED VOLCANIC HILLS AND CRAIG S


Key Characteristics and Features of the Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs :

conspicuous, pronounced, often distinctive and recognisable hills or hill ranges sometime sprotruding high above the lowlands or extending the Uplands or Foothills so defining the edge of

other landscape types and the extent of views across the lowlands ;

important backdrops to other landscape types ;

distinctive shapes, silhouettes and skylines, with recognisable shapes, peaks and slopes ;

the evidence of active natural systems and processes e .g . weathering and erosion ;

burns, often in gullies or folds or narrow glens ;

woodlands, steadings and other buildings well-related to landform ;

farmsteadings and other individual buildings and structures and the lack of villages or large rsettlements ;

evidence of ancient human settlement with historical and archaeological features visible ;

the presence of occasional point features, contributing to the identity of some landscape units ;

the presence of numerous small quarries, most now disused and well screened but some large,exposed quarries that detract from the landscape character ;

the combination of steep sided, rugged, open landform and land cover on the hills, and th eshallower, smoother, more vegetated and more intensively used lower slopes ;

medium to large-scale, open, simple, sloping, curved, quiet and balanced landscapes wit hsmooth or varied textures and muted colours ;

some extensive views across other landscape types .

DistributionNine Landscape Units in the study area, including the hills at Blebocraigs (UV22), Ceres (UV23) ,Kettlebridge to Peat Inn (UV24), Largoward (UV25), Largo Law (UV261, Redwell Hill (UV27) ,Cowdenbeath Hills (UV28), the Cullaloe Hills UV 29) and Kincraig (UV30) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesLarge hills or extensive hill ranges covered with boulder clay and brown drift soils or wit hbedrock at or near the surface . Mainly of volcanic origin but including some peaks o fcarboniferous sandstone . The hills sometimes protrude high above the lowlands and may for mfree-standing hill masses or may appear to extend the Uplands or Upland Foothills. The hardunderlying bedrocks are relatively resistant to weathering but the effects of wind and wate rerosion are evident especially on the thin soils and exposed outcrops on the upper slopes andtops . The hills are drained by a series of small, often fast flowing burns that run in shallow

channels down the steep slopes .

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C .4.1

These are conspicuous, pronounced, often distinctive and recognisable hills o rhill ranges standing out from the surrounding lowland landscapes .

C .4.2 For example, the Clatto, Ladeddie and Drumcarrow hill mass (UV22, UV23 andUV24) comprises a series of bedrock outcrops of volcanic origin with reddish til lon carboniferous sandstone between . It also has distinctive peaks at either end ,namely Clatto Hill rising to 166m AOD in the north, to Ladeddie Hill an dDrumcarrow Craig rising to 217m AOD to the south . In between, the land rise sto 149m AOD at St Andrews Wells . Clatto Hill is an evenly sided peak, slopin gat similar gradients on all sides when seen from the east and St Andrews . It isnot densely wooded on the top but Kenback Woods cover its steep north-wes tfacing slopes . The peak at St Andrews Wells is shallow in comparison, an dgently runs southwards to rise up to the southern peak of Drumcarrow Craig ,after having risen slightly to 165m AOD at Denork . Although the sides of thi sminor peak are densely treed around the edge of the reservoir and the designedlandscape at Denork, Drumcarrow Craig is open, rugged and barren . It is furthe rcharacterised by the TV station and masts on the top. There is also the remain sof the hill fort of Drumcarrow Broch, a Scheduled Ancient Monument . Itssouthern slopes fall relatively gradually to the Kinninmonth Burn south o fDrumcarrow .

C .4.3 The smallest area, Redwell Hill (Landscape Unit UV27) is relatively shallow risin ggradually from around 100m to a peak at 192 m AOD . It is enlarged in an east-west direction, with steeper slopes to the north of Kinglassie and along the Loc hLeven basin . It drains eastwards to the River Leven, although there are fe wobvious signs of exposed drainage systems .

C .4.4 The Cowdenbeath Hills (Landscape Unit UV28) are a series of bedrock outcrop sto the west of Cowdenbeath, with distinctive peaks at either end, i .e. Hill ofBeath in the south rising to 240m, and Tollie Hill rising to 162m AOD in th enorth . They are exposed, steep sided hills with a series of peaks and trough sbetween, ranging from around 145m to 190m AOD . A series of wells feeds anumber of burns that flow eastwards to the River Ore .

C .4.5 The Cullaloe Hills (Landscape Unit UV29) comprise a series of hills generall yfalling towards the coast, with a steep sided, densely wooded ridge along it swestern edge (Cullaloe Woods) . The ridge generally extends from around 170mto up to 219m AOD at its highest . Ground levels in between the ridge and th ecoast vary between 35m AOD and 175m at Hawk Hill to the east . Two lochs, aseries of springs, waterfalls and numerous burns provide drainage down to th ecoast .

C .4.6 Drainage patterns within the hill masses are similar, each having a series of well sand springs, and minor burns falling towards the larger burns on the breaks o fslope .

C .4.7 At Kincraig (UV30) the hills rise dramatically directly from sea level to form aparticularly prominent and distinctive though relatively smaller volcanic hill wit ha cliff (CC89) to the south .

Land Use and Land Cove rC .4.8 Redwell Hill is characterised by its open, exposed form covered predominantl y

by unimproved grassland, poor soils and in places exposed outcrops of bedrock .Regular field patterns with regularly spaced post and wire fences over the hil laccentuates its landform . Blythe's Tower, a folly close to the top, is a loca l

47

landmark and visible for some distance around . Relatively small copses andplantations are found alongside the minor road, between the hill and the LochLeven basin .

C .4.9 The highest of the Cowdenbeath Hills is exposed with thin, poor soils bein gconstantly and actively weathered . Land cover comprises a mix of hill pastureand rough grazing on the steeper areas, with arable cultivation on the shallowerslopes .

C .4.10 Geometric, regularly shaped roadside planting belts are common amongst th eCowdenbeath Hills and Cullaloe Hills . Mostly they are poorly related to landfor mand would benefit from additional planting to improve both their structure an dshape.

C .4.11 Land cover in the southern hill mass is similar to that of the Logie Hills, bein gpredominantly arable fields with rough grassland, improved grassland and smal lblocks of coniferous and broadleaved planting . Kemback Wood, an extensivemixed woodland lies at the foot of the west facing slopes of Clatto Hill . I ncontrast, Drumcarrow Craig is predominantly open, exposed and covered wit hrough or semi-improved grassland .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .4.12

The Redwell and Cowdenbeath Hills are devoid of any settlements, but includ eseveral isolated steadings on the lower ground .

C .4.13 In the Pilkham Hills to the north east of the Cullaloe Hills, lies the town ofAuchtertool . Other settlements include numerous farms and steadings, an dsmall cottages previously housing farm workers . There are also the remains ofseveral dovecots close to large houses and estates . One estate, The Murrel, i sincluded on the inventory of gardens and designed landscapes (Land UseConsultants (LUC), 1987) . It is sheltered in the deeply incised valley of the Dou rBurn and is not easily visible from surrounding roads .

C .4.14 St. Andrews Wells and Drumcarrow Craig are similar, with few properties othe rthan isolated farms and cottages on the slopes . Clatto Hill has more builtdevelopment closer to its peak, i .e. Clatto and numerous properties on itswestern slopes within Blebocraigs and Thornbank . Some have conspicuous ne wbarns. The area between Clatto Hill and Kemback at the foot of its wester nslopes is dotted with numerous small disused quarries and woodlands. DenorkHouse and its designed landscape including reservoir, disused curling pond ,surrounding coniferous woodland and hillfort (a Scheduled Ancient Monument )lies close to the peak of Drumcarrow Craig, which in contrast, as previouslymentioned, is open and undeveloped apart from its TV station and masts ,Scheduled Ancient Monuments and hut circles .

C .4.15

All areas except Redwell Hill include some quarrying and tipping activities, eithe rexisting or disused .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .4.16 The most obvious point features are the tops of the hills themselves . Several

are distinctive, local landmarks, such as Hill of Beath, Largo Law, Kincraig andDrumcarrow Craig etc. (the latter even more so because of the TV mast sperched on top) . Blythe's Tower close to the top of Redwell Hill is also a nobvious feature and local landmark .

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C .4 .17 The pylons of power lines close to the top of Clatto Hill are conspicuou sfeatures . The restored Castle at Pitcullo and remains of Cruivie Castle north o fLucklaw Hill are other point features, as are the disused quarries where visible .Some buildings, especially large houses, where exposed, are obvious features ,although most are on lower ground and screened .

C .4.18 Linear features are the flat ridgelines, such as at Redwell Hill and the densel ywooded Cullaloe Hill, and straight edges of plantations, and roads and track swhere these are not screened by trees . The M90 is a distinctive linear featur eon the edge of the Cowdenbeath Hills . High voltage powerlines directly to th enorth and south of the Cowdenbeath Hills are obvious linear features, althoug hnot generally on the highest ground .

C .4.19 Minor roads in the Logie Hills take advantage of the topography by following th elower ground, for example between Airdit Hill and Craigfoodie Hill, with the mai nA92 close to its base to the east .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC.4.20 Characteristics of the landscape experience self-evidently vary depending o n

location within the hills . Where access is available to the highest points ,experiences gained are due to the extensive views across the lowland valleys.Here, there are large-scale, exposed, diverse, textured, sloping balanced, calm ,regular and tended landscapes, with muted colours . On the other hand, from alocation confined by higher hills, the landscape can be more enclosed o rintimate, simple, rough, angular and locally discordant and disturbed with littl evariation in colour and texture .

C .4.21 Access is not possible in Redwell Hill other than on the minor roads along th ebottom of its slopes. From here the land falls away, and the hill acts as abackcloth to extensive views out to the north and east . In the other areas road spass through, allowing the traveller to experience the changes in slope and th erange of characteristics mentioned above .

Pressures for Change in the Landscape

AgricultureC.4 .22 The higher parts of the Hills and Craigs are generally used for grazing, and i n

places the land is so poor it supports little more than rough hill grazing ; thelower slopes have improved pastures and arable cultivation. This pattern o fagricultural land use is entirely compatible with, and forms an important elemen tof, the character of the landscape . It contrasts effectively with the more fertileareas of surrounding lowlands . Changes in agricultural practice have been lessmarked here owing to the generally poorer conditions, and large-scaleagricultural change is unlikely, even if there are significant changes in the CAP .Options are restricted by the poor soils, relatively exposed and elevated natureof the landscape and grazing is likely to continue to be the main use of the uppe rslopes . However, if support for hill grazing was reduced there could be aconsequent abandonment of the poorest areas on the tops and higher slopes .Similarly, changes in arable subsidies could trigger reversion to grazing on som eof the lower slopes currently under arable cultivation .

C .4.23 The effect of such changes, if they occurred, would tend to reinforce th eexisting character by extending the semi-natural grasslands and other habitat son the tops and highest slopes of these hills and extending the distribution ofpastures down hill with the effect of increasing the contrast between the hill sand the arable lowlands around .

49

C .4.24 There is evidence of the neglect of many of the stone dykes on the uppe rslopes. Where they have collapsed they are only rarely repaired in traditiona lform, more often the temporary, lower-cost solution of erecting post and wirefencing is used. This could lead to the long term loss of an important linea rfeature of the hills .

C .4.25 Some of the agricultural steadings have had large new or replacement building serected . By their very location, unless screened by shelterbelts or tree groups ,the steadings and their buildings are conspicuous . The range of non-traditiona lbuilding styles and materials has reduced the distinctiveness of the steading sand the landscape character .

ForestryC.4.26 Especially on the middle and lower slopes, woodland makes an importan t

contribution to this landscape, enhancing its character by, for example,reflecting the pronounced landform or emphasising patterns or linear feature ssuch as the burns . However, a number of the coniferous plantations wereplanted much higher where they are very noticeable and most were plante dmany years ago, under very different circumstances and with different, muc hnarrower objectives than apply today . Their location, scale, poor design, eve nage and narrow species composition have had a significant adverse effect on th elandscape character in some places . As the existing plantations reach maturity ,there will be opportunities to implement a phased programme of felling an dreplanting which will allow a more varied and 'natural' woodland form to b ecreated, respecting topography and local variations in soils and drainage an dwith a much more varied species and age mix, and a higher proportion of ope nspace .

C.4 .27 The low fertility of the soils on the tops and upper slopes and the suitability oftheir climate to tree growing means that a continued interest in new plantingmay be expected . Interest in planting the middle and lower slopes could alsoincrease as changes in farming support are likely to affect long ter mmanagement decisions .

C .4 .28 The current policy implemented by the Forestry Authority is to promote multi -purpose woodlands which can, if appropriately located, consolidate and expandexisting semi-natural and planted woodland particularly on lower ground and i nmore sheltered locations . New woodland could also provide the opportunity tocreate new habitats, and establish new areas for informal recreation .

Settlements and Built Developmen tC .4.29 The elevation and exposure of the tops and upper slopes and the presence o f

nearby lowland settlements means that the hills are very sparsely settled .Generally, there has been very little building in the open countryside other tha nthat related to agriculture, but isolated or sporadic or scattered developmen twould be conspicuous and out of character with the landscape . The proximityof the area to sources of employment and the attractive nature of the hills an dthe views that they offer means that pressure for single dwellings or small buil tdevelopments is unlikely to disappear . However, it is unlikely that pressure fo rlarger new built developments would occur .

Other Forms of Development and StructuresC .4 .3O The proximity of the hills to a number of centres of population means that ther e

is an opportunity to facilitate countryside and informal recreation, thereby takin gthe pressure of other more sensitive areas . While some areas of public acces salready exist, woodlands and the higher slopes and tops with their outstandin g

50

views offer considerable potential for countryside recreation and access, subjec tto landowner agreements .

C.4 .31 Some of these hills are crossed or skirted by minor roads, often bordered b ydrystone dykes . The alignment of many of these roads reflects the gradient o fthe landform and enhances the importance of the topography in the landscap echaracter . Most of these roads remain unimproved but it is important that th esmall scale and rural character of these roads is retained . Walls should beconserved and unnecessary signage and 'improvements' such as widening o rkerbing resisted . The hills would not easily accommodate major new roa dschemes or other large-scale engineering projects owing to their landfor mfeatures being such an important contributor to their character and their ver yprominent nature .

C.4 .32 The elevation of the hills and their proximity to centres of population and majo rtransport corridors makes them technically well suited as locations fo rtelecommunications and other masts and aerials . Several of the hilltops ar ecrowned with one or more masts, introducing strong vertical and industria lstructures into the landscape . The masts are frequently visible over aconsiderable distance . It is possible that the growth of the telecommunication sindustry will be reflected in pressure for additional masts and aerials .

C .4 .33

The Government's commitment to the promotion of renewable energy is likely t oresult in more proposals for electricity generation by way of wind, water o rbiomass . Whilst these hills could probably only support very small hydro -electric schemes, their elevated nature and proximity to the coast and t oelectricity transmission infrastructure is likely to lead to pressure for th econstruction of wind turbine generators, either singly, in small groups or i n"windfarms" .

C.4.34 Small-scale biomass electricity generators could be accommodated in th elowland areas around and the conversion of farmland to the production of shor trotation timber crops for their fuel could, if appropriately located, enhance th echaracter of the middle and lower slopes of the hills .

Mineral WorkingC .4 .35 The hard volcanic and other rocks of these hills have been extracted over man y

years, mainly in small-scale and now disused quarries scattered throughout th ehills . These old, disused quarries are generally well concealed because they hav erevegetated naturally, or they are screened by trees or their exposed rock face shave weathered over decades to blend with the colour and textures of the hills .They do not have a significant impact on the wider landscape .

C.4 .36 However, some quarries are still operational and these tend to be of very larg escale . Some have been subject to partial or phased restoration but generall ythey are extremely conspicuous being large, elevated above the surrounding landand comprising a range of uncharacteristic industrial buildings and structures ,noise and activity, spoil heaps and exposed rock faces, creating an unnatura llandform and a major industrial feature in what is often otherwise largel yundisturbed, characteristic countryside .

C.4.37 Demand for hard rock quarry products, including crushed rock aggregates, i sexpected to continue in the area and this is likely to lead to proposals for large -scale new or extended quarries .

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C .5 Lowland Hills and Valleys


Key Characteristics and Features of the Lowland Hills and Valleys :

the variety and subtlety of landform ;

the open, regular farmland patterns of medium-scale fields of arable and grasslands ;

the variable pattern of post and wire fences and mostly tall hedges with hedgerow trees ;

the extensive areas of plantations, shelter planting, roadside planting and policies linked to larg eestates ;

the regular often linear pattern of the distribution of steadings and larger settlements and town sall of which are generally well related to the landscape ;

the network of roads often well related to landform ;

other dominant linear and point features of plantations and tree groups, individual trees or loca lbuildings ;

a generally tended, safe, quiet, balanced and calm landscape, but also a busy, random,disturbed and noisy one in the more urban, industrialised areas ;

the variety of interrelated middle and long distance views of, from and across the low hills ;

the variety, continuity, maturity and subtlety of the landscape with its long history o fsettlement .

DistributionAn expansive area including much of lowland Fife, running the length of the study area betwee nthe volcanic uplands and Foothills and the coastal systems, and comprising 15 local unit snamely : North West Cupar (LH31), East Cupar (LH32), Tarvit Mill (LH33), Strathmiglo (LH34) ,North and East of Dunfermline (LH35), Fordell (LH36), West Dunfermline (LH37), SouthDunfermline (LH38), South Oakley (LH39), Black Devon (LH40), Bluther Burn (LH41), Devill aForest (LH42), Cameron (LH43), Prior Muir (LH44) and Falkland (LH45) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesA series of low hills and valleys predominantly of boulder clay with outcrops of bedrock, th evalleys closely associated with the main river systems (see Figure 2) and a number of burnsdraining to the coast .

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C .5 .1 This extensive landscape type extends across the whole of Fife in a wide ban dbetween the Upland Slopes, Foothills, Volcanic Hills, Coastal Hills and coasta lBraes. The landscape type is locally interrupted by volcanic hills and by riverand loch basins and designed landscapes . It includes 15 local landscape unit s(LH31 to LH45) . It forms a series of valleys with ridges of low, rounded hill srising on average up to 100m to 150m AOD . The hills and valleys consis tmainly of boulder clay overlaying the Millstone Grit of the sedimentar ycarboniferous rocks with smaller areas of limestone and coal measures . Theirlandform is very variable but typically consists of gently undulating, rounded ,low hills often with relatively large areas of plantations, and policy plantin gassociated with large estates .

C .5 .2 Most of the areas lie within the main river valleys of the Eden, Ore and Leven o rthey drain to the Firth of Forth via a series of small rivers and burns which flo win a network of sinuous valleys between the hills . However, some areas in th enorth of this character type drain westwards to the Rivers Devon and BlackDevon .

C.5 .3 LH40 the Black Devon Valley and LH42 Devilla Forest and Bath Moor Plantatio nare distinctive areas to the west of this character type . The Black Devon Valle yhas extensive areas of broadleaved woodland on relatively unspoilt, gentl yundulating grasslands. It is designated an AGLV . The Black Devon and severa lsmaller burns drain westwards across this unit, with a regular scattering oftraditional steadings. Devilla Forest and Bath Moor Plantation have been plante don poor soils to the west of the study area, the former having been planted afte rthe felling of woodland once part of the Tulliallan estate .

C .5.4 Unit LH36 (Fordell) is a distinctive area between the M90 and the Cullaloe Hills .The undulating and, in parts, steep landform includes extensive areas o fbroadleaved and softwood plantations, associated with the Fordell Estate .Fordell Castle lies adjacent to the Fordell Burn which flows southwards to th ecoast .

C .5 .5 To the south of Dunfermline (LH38), to the east of Devilla Forest (LH42) and t othe south of Oakley (LH39) there are substantial parts of the landscape typ ewhich have a typically varied topography and land cover which, in places, havebeen enhanced by policy planting, and which lie close to the Coastal Hills .They are largely intact in character with all the variety, maturity and continuit ytypical of the landscape character type . Units LH35 and LH37 are the large rexpanses to the west (LH37), and the north, north east and east of Dunfermlin e(LH35) . In respect of landform these areas are typical of the character type ,being a series of low, rounded hills and valleys associated with the burns . Theyinclude many of the larger settlements within the study area (except those o nthe coast) . Unit LH37, to the west, is a relatively natural, unspoilt landscap ewith several large plantations, woodlands and remnant policy plantings, an doccasional areas of mineral working and former bings . Unit LH35, to the nort hand east of Dunfermline, is a much more industrialised, despoilt landscape ,including large areas of previously worked open-cast mines, the Mossmorra nChemical Works and other industrial works .

C .5 .6 Three further units of this landscape type are located in the Eden Valley :between the Ochil Foothills to the north west of Cupar (LH31) ; east of Cupar ,between the town and the coastal areas (LH32) ; and in a narrow section of th eEden Valley south of Cupar at Tarvit Mill (LH33) .

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C.5 .7 Unit LH34 is a large area which extends from the Eden river basin at Collessi ewestwards to the north of Auchtermuchty around Strathmiglo and up the Ede nValley to the Fife boundary . Units LH43 and LH44 comprise a large area of hill swith shallow valleys (including the Cameron Burn and Cameron Reservoir) on th elandward (south) side of St Andrews to Kinaldy Den (LD50) . Finally, there is arelatively narrow belt of Lowland Hills and Valleys between the Howe of Fif e(LR56) and the Upland Slopes of the Lomond Hills, at Falkland (LH45) .

Land Cove rC.5.8 Over such extensive areas it is to be expected that land cover is highly variable .

However, all the areas are dominated by arable land including grass leys i nrotation . Permanent pasture is locally dominant but the overall impression is on eof a regular, medium-scale field pattern of mixed but mainly cultivated farmland .There are infrequent areas of peat, the resulting acid soils being very poor an dsupporting patches of gorse, tufted grass and birch trees .

C .5.9 Woodlands are variable in extent, but rarely absent . There are extensive area sof afforestation, plantations and policy planting to the west and some to th eeast (e.g . to the south of Cardenden, around Fordell and in the Eden Valley .Regularly shaped shelterbelts have been planted, e .g . on restored land to th eeast of Loch Ore and in the west of the Black Devon unit which are out o fkeeping with the rest of the area .

C .5 .10 Small woodlands, roadside trees, linear belts, hedgerow trees, tree group saround steadings and individual trees form important components in thelandscape .

C .5 .11 The field pattern is also a strong characteristic, defined by a variable pattern o fpost and wire fences and hedges . Hedges are generally left to grow unchecked,although some roadside hedges are trimmed regularly .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UseC .5 .12 The low hills and valleys are a busy landscape, bisected by many roads, railway s

(some dismantled) and overhead power lines and pylons . There is a regula rpattern of steadings generally well related to landform and often with shelte rplanting . In some areas the steadings and small numbers of dwellings aregrouped into small hamlets, e .g . Gowkhall and Kingseat . Elsewhere, there areindividual residential properties standing in substantial grounds, some of hig harchitectural merit, e .g . Valleyfield and Inzievar in the west and Fordell . Otherindividual buildings and steadings are more closely associated with agriculture ,such as West Grange, Middle Grange and East Grange, taking advantage of th eareas of prime agricultural land .

C .5 .13 This part of the study area also includes most of the larger towns (except thos eon the coast) . To the west of Dunfermline lie the towns of Blairhall, Crossford ,Cairneyhill, Pattiesmuir, Carnock, Comrie, Oakley, Saline, Wellwood, Milesmar kand Parkneuk . To the east of Dunfermline lie the towns of Townhill, Halbeath ,Hillend, Cowdenbeath, Crossgates, Lochgelly, Cardenden/Auchterderran an dKinglassie . Cupar too lies mainly within this landscape type . Thus most of thelarger settlements lie within Unit LH35, to the north-east of Dunfermline, an dthese have developed mainly as a result of the coalfields . This unit has moreurban-fringe type landscapes and either unused, despoilt land or areas used forrecreational purposes such as playgrounds, horse riding and golf courses .

Linear and Points FeaturesC.5.14

The predominant linear features throughout most of this landscape characte rtype are the numerous tracks and roads, including the motorway . The area to

54

the east of Dunfermline also includes the main railway lines, and numerou soverhead power lines, which also cut across the southern part of LH37, radiatin gout from Longannet and Kincardine Power Stations on the coast . These aremost obvious on the higher ground and where not screened by woodland . Theygenerally run across the valleys containing the burns, and not on the lowe rground parallel to them, and are thus for the most part, conspicuous features .Where power lines pass through the Devilla Forest (LH42) they are generall yscreened by the trees . In the Eden Valley the river is a noticeable but no tconspicuous feature .

C .5 .15 Single point features, which draw the eye in this busy, rolling landscape, ar efew. Most obvious examples are the large chimneys with plumes of gaseou semissions at the power stations and the other chemical works such as th eMossmorran plant . Otherwise, views of individual buildings, plantations, group sor individual trees can be locally important .

Characteristics of Landscape Experienc eC .5 .16 Generally the landscape of the Lowland Hills and Valleys is typically of a medium

or large-scale, open, regular landscape with linear and geometric field pattern soverlaying a rolling or undulating topography with linear, curving roads .Particularly in the very rural eastern units it is generally a tended, safe, quiet an dcalm landscape with a variety of seasonal colours and textures . It is generally abalanced and simple or diverse landscape . However, the central more urbanise dareas, being more affected by mineral working and industrialised, result in abusy, random, disturbed and noisy landscape in some parts .

C .5 .17 Typically the low hills are seen with the Uplands, Upland Slopes, Foothills o rvolcanic hills in the background, bringing vertical relief and a tiered impression o fthe landscape. Characteristics can vary greatly from one area to another ,depending on the location and direction of view . These are the most varied o fthe units within one landscape character type, but the landform and land us eand landscape patterns are sufficiently similar to consider the Lowland Hills an dValleys in a single landscape type . Furthermore, the low hills are strongl yinfluenced by the other landscape types . Middle and long distance views to th eUpland Slopes and Foothills, and the Uplands themselves are invariably present .From many parts of the low hills there are also clear views of and across th eLoch Basins .

C .5 .18 Thus, the landscape experience of the low hills is probably the most comple xand variable in the study area . These are subtle landscapes with variety being akey characteristic that should be valued . The relatively high density o fsettlement and the busy nature of the landscape, with many people living ,working and travelling in the area, mean that the intrinsic landscape value of th eLowland Hills and Valleys is very high . They are the background and context t omuch of every day He in Fife, for most of the area's residents . They arelandscapes familiar to many people and the landscapes which provide individual sand communities with their sense of belonging . The variety, continuity, maturit yand subtlety of the landscape, with its long history of settlement and rural lan duse, is the essence of the landscape type .


C.5 .19 The variety, continuity, maturity and subtlety of the landscape, with its lon ghistory of settlement and rural land use, which is the essence of the landscap etype is changed but not necessarily destroyed by built development . Where newbuilding retains the close relationship between the landscape and the settlemen t

55

pattern, as is generally the case now, the landscape type is not diminished ; theinterrelationship of built and natural heritages continues. It is lost where minera lextraction removes the record of human activity and the maturity and subtlety o fthe landscape which is then replaced neither by the permanent change to a buil theritage or to a compatible natural heritage . The variety, continuity, maturityand subtlety of the landscapes so far disturbed by mineral operations has no tbeen restored .

C .5 .20 Parts of this landscape character type are relatively stable and remain largelyunchanged, whilst others have seen extensive changes . Units LH36 (Fordell )and LH40 (Black Devon Valley) remain relatively unaltered . Fordell exhibits th echaracteristics of its estate, although this was probably larger than that whic hremains today . Pressures from open-cast mining to the north, up to Crossgates ,have resulted in changes to the landscape . Black Devon Valley is also relativelyunspoilt, although again previous open-cast mining to the west of this area ha sresulted in the landscape being restored in a less than sensitive way, wit hregularly shaped, straight sided plantations .

C.5 .21 Devilla Forest and Bath Moor Plantation are also relatively stable now, havin gbeen planted around 1900 . However, they are commercial forests in variou sownerships, liable to continued change in the future .

C.5 .22 Unit LH37, to the west of Dunfermline, is a predominantly agricultura llandscape, but with locally significant changes due to changes in agricultura lmanagement and in several parts by mineral working . Units LH31, LH32, LH34 ,LH38, LH39, LH41, LH43 and LH44 have seen fewer changes and exhibit amore stable agricultural landscape, less influenced by industrialisation andmineral working . Minor planting schemes have occurred under the WGS . Therehave been generally small and sensitive extensions to settlements and none o fthe settlements are planned for any significant expansion in the foreseeabl efuture. Overhead transmission lines passing through the area from the powerstations on the coast, and the coal extraction activities (including a number o fskyline bings) are obvious features detracting from the otherwise rural setting .

C.5 .23 The area to the north-east of Dunfermline, LH35, has seen much more change ,both in scale and kind . Open-cast mining, and industrial and chemical plant shave brought with them road improvements and increases in the size of towns .Further expansions are planned to the east of Dunfermline, around Cowdenbeat hand Kelty, with minor expansions to Lochgelly . Other areas aroundCowdenbeath and Auchterderran/Cardenden are planned for restoration fro mcoal mining to recreation/leisure or agricultural use .

C .5 .24

Unit LH33 at Tarvit Mill lies mainly in the flood plain of the River Eden and is les svulnerable to the effects of urban expansion . Unit LH45 contains thesettlements of Falkland and Freuchie and has seen some changes to agricultura lland use patterns with larger arable fields more like those of the adjacent rive rbasin (LR56) .

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C .6 Lowland Open Sloping Farmlan d


Key Characteristics and Features of Lowland Open Sloping Farmland :

predominantly large, open, sloping arable fields, often with no field boundaries or with mainl ywire fences, low hedges or some stone dykes and little other vegetation cover ;

isolated but regular farmsteadings often with modern agricultural buildings ;

sometimes extensive seaward and landward views owing to elevation and openness ;

distant or occasional views of the sea, the Firths or the estuaries ;

views across or to the Coastal Hills or the Lowland Hills and Valleys ;

general lack of tree cover, with relatively few plantations and shelterbelts ;

few, generally very small and conspicuous settlements with a variety of building materials ;

the network of minor roads often running up or down the contours with inexplicable changes i ndirection ;

some dominant point features mainly buildings, structures or tree groups ;

a large-scale, open or exposed landscape where the character is strongly influenced by th eweather conditions and views of the sky ;

generally a simple, sloping, balanced, active, organised, tended, farming landscape with regula ror geometric patterns .

DistributionTwo areas in Fife, on the extensive East Fife Slopes from Carbee to Crail (LF46) and a muc hsmaller unit at Strathkinness (LF47) .

Natural Systems and Processe sA series of gently undulating slopes of predominantly carboniferous sandstone with reddis hbrown till soils above . A series of small burns drain to the adjacent Dens or to the coast .

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Description

Physical Characteristics and Land Cove rC .6.1 The Open Sloping Farmland is a distinctive landscape type associated with th e

eastern part of Fife . It is lower than the Volcanic Hills but generally higher tha nthe Coastal Hills, broadly within the range of about 30m to 160m AOD .Although local landform varies in detail, with burns cutting small dens or shallo wvalleys, the overall impression is of a gradual, gently undulating, but distinct ,seaward down slope .

C.6 .2 The slopes differ from the adjacent Coastal Hills because although there ar esome distant views of the North Sea or Firth of Forth, they are not dominated b ythe sights, sounds and smells of the coast in the way that the Coastal Hills are .

C.6 .3 The East Fife Slopes (LF46) are incised by the dens of the Kenly Water an dKilduncan Burn (LD50) . At Strathkinness (LF47) the Sloping Farmland forms anarrow ridge running from about l km west of the village to the outskirts of S tAndrews .

C .6 .4 As implied by their name, the Sloping Farmlands are characteristically very open ,again a distinguishing feature . Large, and sometimes very large, open arablefields are dominant, often with no field boundaries or with mainly post and wirefences, low hedges of hawthorn or occasionally beech or low stone dykes .Despite their relative exposure to coastal winds, shelterbelts are few, bu tprominent where they occur . There are a few coniferous plantations, and semi-natural or broadleaved woods are even more rare, and mainly related to the smal lburns .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land Use sC .6.5 The Strathkinness unit (LF47) includes the town of Strathkinness itself . One or

two outlying farms lie to the west of the town, such as Bonfield, and to th eeast, such as Easter Strathkinness . Other land uses include those typical of a nurban edge area, including a play area and nursery, and some horse-grazing i nfields close to the town . A disused quarry lies on the edge of this landscapecharacter unit .

C .6 .6 The East Fife slopes have no sizeable settlements . There are a number of small ,very conspicuous hamlets which appear isolated and exposed and seemingl yunrelated to features in the landscape. Their architectural style and buildin gmaterials are varied, lacking any distinct character but grey stone is probably th etraditional material . Again, this contrasts with the settlements on the Coasta lHills .

C .6 .7 Farmsteadings are generally quite large with a mix of old and new buildings .They are not frequent but regularly spaced and, in this open landscape ,conspicuous . There are a few old small quarries mainly on the upper edge of th eslopes. Apart from some local businesses in old steadings and settlements thi sis a predominantly agricultural landscape .

Linear and Point Feature sC.6 .8

The predominant linear features throughout this landscape character type are th enumerous tracks and roads, the minor roads often running up and down th econtours with inexplicable changes in direction . There are few obviousfootpaths/bridleways, and only a few low voltage power lines and telephon elines. Colourful beech hedges make interesting, conspicuous features, an demphasise the rolling nature of the landform .

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C .6 .9 Single point features, which draw the eye in this generally open, slopin glandscape, are almost any of the steadings and settlements, houses, an doccasionally small groups of trees or individual windblown trees .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC.2 .10 Generally the landscape of the Open Sloping Farmland is typical of a large-scale ,

open, rather exposed, simple, balanced, smooth or textured landscape, wit hlinear and geometric field patterns overlying a sloping, undulating topography ,with linear, curving roads. Where field boundaries have been removed, fields ar every large, allowing middle distance views across the minor hills and valley stowards the Coastal Hills and St Andrews and the other landward hills to th esouth, or Volcanic Hills and Craigs to the west . There are occasional views o fthe sea and Firth of Forth .

C .6 .11 The slopes are generally a safe, tended, quiet and still landscape, with a variet yof seasonal colours and textures. The areas can be disturbed by the noise fro mRAF Leuchars and traffic on the main roads into/out of St Andrews. Theselandscapes are also strongly influenced by the weather conditions and views ofthe sky .


C .6 .12 The characteristic landscape of the slopes has probably changed little over time .Agricultural changes are the most obvious, with hedgerows and stone dykesdisappearing and the resulting increase in the amount of post and wire fencin gor simply larger fields . Urban development has been limited to minor alterationson the farmsteads, to some new build around old existing farm houses, such asat Feddinch, and the expansion of Strathkinness, primarily to the east . Therehas been little in the way of new planting, all of which has been carried ou tunder the WGS.

C .6 .13 Small quarries have been developed but are now disused, and have not generall yleft a scar on the landscape . Thus this landscape character type is relativel ystable and remains largely unchanged although further modification of the fiel dpattern is to be expected .

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C .7 Lowland DensSee Figure 8 (page 181) and Figures 14 and 15 (sheets 1-5) at the back of the report .

Key Characteristics and Features of the Lowland Dens :

the narrow, deep, gorge-like valleys cut deep into the Coastal Hills and Terraces and East Fif eslopes by fast flowing burns ;

the steeply sloping, often semi-natural, woodlands on the banks of the Dens ;

their confined, intimate, sinuous, sheltered environments which are generally quiet and cal mlandscapes with a variety of irregular patterns, colours and textures;

their very small villages, occasional ribbons of development or the absence of settlements bu tmany historical buildings and other features .

DistributionFive locations in Fife, one to the west and south of St Andrews comprising the Dens of th eKinness and Claremont Burns, the Cairnsmill Burn and that running through the Lumbo De n(LD49), one to the south-east of St Andrews comprising the Dens of the Kenly Water an dKilduncan Burn (LD5O), one on the north coast at Hazelton Walls, the Corbie Den (LD481, on eon the south bank of the Eden Valley east of Cupar, the Dura Den (LD48a) and one on th esouth coast at Largo (LD51) forming a series of Dens from Methil eastwards to Elie . However ,it should be noted that many other dens occur in eastern Fife but are too small to map at thi sscale .

Natural Systems and ProcessesThe gently rolling coastal hills of predominantly glacial till or bedrock overlying carboniferou ssandstone have active and sometimes fast flowing burns which have cut narrow and, in places ,deep incisions into the hills . They run from the coastal and landward hills to the sea .

Description

Physical Characteristics and Land Cove rC .7.1 This landscape character type is a very distinctive feature of the Fife landscape .

It comprises the gorge-like valleys which have been cut deep into the coasta lhills and terraces and East Fife slopes by fast flowing burns . The Dura Den i sunusual in that it is cut into the slopes of the volcanic hills and flows into th eRiver Eden . These deep and often narrow and steep sided gorges have generall ydeterred settlement and intensive farming and are usually well wooded areas .

C .7 .2 The Kinness Burn (LD49) flows eastwards from Clatto Hill in two valleys whic hjoin south of Strathkinness . From here it runs in an open, poorly vegetate dvalley with arable land gently rising on either side and falling eastwards toward sSt Andrews. It is joined by the Claremont Burn flowing from the landward hill sat a point east of Windward Farm . The valley of the Claremont Burn is steepe rand more wooded, running north-eastwards where it joins the Kinness Burn toflow through the coastal terrace of St Andrews and into the harbour and th eNorth Sea .

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C .7 .3 The Lumbo Den (LD49) is a well wooded, deeply and narrowly incised valley ,through which a burn flows northwards from Craigtoun Park . The Cairnsmil lBurn flows northwards from a reservoir at Cairnsmill in a sinuous line toconverge with the Lumbo Den just south of Hallow Hill . The now dismantle drailway followed a similar course . The Cairnsmill Burn and Den form a relativel ywide, well wooded green finger extending through recent housing in the town .Gently rising arable land to around 65m AOD lies in between the Cairnsmill Bur nand Lumbo Den, with a disused quarry close to the southern boundary .

C .7 .4 Corbie Den is the largest den on the north Fife coast falling steeply through th ecoastal hills to the Tay. It is particularly well wooded and includes the estat elands at Flisk . There is a disused quarry and several historically importan tfeatures .

C .7 .5 Dura Den at Kemback (LD48a) is also well wooded and comprises two gorge swith the village of Kemback and the road at the foot . The Pitscottie road climb sthe gorge of the Ceres Burn . Again, there are many historical features an dbuildings and a disused quarry .

C .7 .6 Kinaldy Den (LD50) has two separate gorges formed by the Kinaldy Water an dKilduncan Burn with a confluence near Burnside east of Boarhills . Only thesteepest slopes of the Dens are wooded and the tops of the Dens slope mor egently to the Open Sloping Farmland above . A mix of arable and pasture field scover the less steep slopes .

C.7 .7 On the south coast the coastal terrace between Methil and Elie is cut by a serie sof less deep and steep dens but which nevertheless exhibit the characteristics o fthe landscape type . Again they are well wooded and include a number of fin edesigned landscapes .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .7.8 Corbie Den has buildings related to the estate lands at Flisk and several histori c

buildings and a steading . Dura Den has the village of Kemback and linea rdevelopment along the roads ; it too has historic buildings .

C .7 .9 Ribbon development including the cemetery, hotel and large houses has occurre dalong the Strathkinness Low Road, between the road and Kinness Burn . Twowater mills, located close to the convergence of the Kinness and Claremon tBurns, are now disused .

C.7 .10 Large, regular, isolated farmsteads lie close to the Kinness Burn, includin gTongues of Clatto, Burnside and Nether Strathkinness. A small sewage workslies alongside the burn, north of the Strathkinness Low Road . The largeClaremont estate and cottages lie at the western end of the Claremont Burn, atthe edge of the landward hills . Denbrae Farm and cottages is a similar steadin gclose to the burn and den.

C .7.11 Within the Lumbo and Cairnsmill Dens, Home Farm and Mount Melville are larg efarmsteads with outlying cottages, the latter of which is being converted as aclubhouse for the recent golf course development . There has also been som eredevelopment, including new build, at the Lumbo farmstead, close to Lumb oBridge .

C .7.12 Kinaldy Den (LD50) includes the small settlements of Stravithie and Dunino an dthe setting of Boarhills . The Largo Dens have a similar pattern of smal lsettlements and estates within the dens and, owing to the less steep land form ,more substantial settlements towards the coast, e .g. Kirkton of Largo .

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Linear and Point FeaturesC.7.13 The most obvious linear feature are the heavily wooded gorges along the burns ,

which are viewed from high land surrounding them . Roads and tracks are othe robvious linear features, generally on the higher ground, although some follo wthe gorge, e .g . Kemback . Some low voltage power lines are also present, butgenerally not intrusive .

C.7 .14 Edges of the more recent housing to the west of St Andrews are harsh an dunscreened, and thus create obvious linear features in contrast to thesurrounding densely wooded Dens. Point features are mostly buildings wher econspicuous e .g . the development at Balone, on high ground, and Lumbo Bridg ewhere viewed from higher surrounding ground .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC.7 .15 These vary within the different landscape units, depending upon the location o f

each unit but, generally, the Lowland Dens are relatively confined, sheltered ,intimate, varied, often semi-natural landscapes with a variety of patterns ,colours and textures .


C .7.16 Due to its location on the western edge of the town, this landscape characte rtype has come under increasing pressure from built development . Ribbondevelopment along the Strathkinness Low Road and between the Balone roa dand Cairnsmill Burn includes some of the most recent . The small settlement o fBalone, lying on high ground on the northern edge of Craigtoun Park, has als obeen extended by new buildings on former farmland .

C .7.17

There has been little new tree planting, either under the WGS or under othe rinitiatives, within the Dens within the last few years .

C.7 .18 Other changes in the landscape have included the development of a golf cours eon the eastern edge of Craigtoun Park. Other changes have occurred over alonger period of time, such as the gradual decline in the condition of fiel dboundaries, with the loss of hedgerows and hedgerow trees and no evidence o freplacement planting. The woodlands in the Dens are semi-natural broadleave dor mixed plantations and showing signs of neglect .

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C .8 Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valley s


Key Characteristics and Features of the Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys :

U-shaped, flat-bottomed channel-like valleys with distinctive often pronounced and frequen teskers, kames and mounds deposited by melting glaciers ;

intensive arable cultivation on valley floor and lower slopes contrasting with the mixed farmin gor grazing land on the rising slopes ;

medium to large-scale geometric field patterns enclosed by low, gappy hedges or post and wir efences ;

steadings along spring lines or along line of transition from fertile valley soils to poorer soils o fhill slopes, absence of other settlements ;

small woods or areas of scrub on poorer sandy soils of glacial mounds ;

small sinuous often inconspicuous burns or small rivers which appear to be too small for thesize of the valley;

in parts, extensive conspicuous sand and gravel quarries excavating the eskers, kames an dmounds above and below the floor level of the valley ;

straight or curving roads and railways and old railway courses often on embankments ;

a medium to large-scale, open, locally busy and diverse landscape with smooth textures an dseasonally variable colours ;

generally an organised, tended, balanced landscape with regular patterns, but where affected b ymineral working a busy and noisy landscape with discordant features and derelict areas .

DistributionThree locations in Fife namely : Motray Water (LG52) South East of Newport on Tay ; Dunbog(LG53) on the A913 east of Lindores and at Lindores itself, including the Loch of Lindores(LG54) . There are a number of other lowland glacial meltwater valleys and channels throughou tFife but the others are too small in scale or insufficiently distinct in character to merit separat eidentification in this study .

Natural Systems and ProcessesThese valleys are important geomorphological features in the Fife landscape . They werecreated as melting glaciers on the Ochils cut channels through the Foothills dischargin gmeltwater southwards and eastwards . The glaciers and their meltwaters deposited a range o fnow distinctive eskers, kames and smaller mounds particularly in the Lindores (LG54) an dMotray Water (LG52) units where these features are of a large scale . In LG53, Dunbog, thereare few large mounds but the distinctive U shaped valley is particularly noticeable on th eapproach westwards along the A913 . The geomorphological significance of these meltwate rfeatures is described in authoritative detail in Land form inventory of North East Fife Distric t(Scottish Natural Heritage, 1995) .

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Description

Physical CharacteristicsC .8.1 These valleys lie in the Ochil Foothills in North Fife and form U-shaped, fla t

bottomed channel-like valleys bounded by the slopes and sometimes steepl yrising land of the Foothills . At Dunbog (LG53) the valley contains only smal lmounds and some low, linear deposits in an otherwise flat, curving U-shape dvalley from Lindores to the A913/A914 junction .

C.8 .2 At Lindores (LG54) the valley contains so many large rounded kames and esker sthat the U-shape of the valley is obscured. The glacial deposits impoun dLindores Loch . This is a large open water loch lying close to the steep slopes o fthe Ochils which, with the surrounding mounds, gives the loch an upland rathe rthan lowland character (in contrast to the lowland loch basins e .g. at Loch Or e(LB59) or Loch Gelly (LB60)1 . Lindores and Grange of Lindores are located o nthe mounds whereas Den of Lindores lies on the floor of the valley with th esteep slopes of the mounds rising to form a narrow den .

C .8 .3 At Motray Water (LG52) the valley is much wider and runs broadly eastward sfrom Wormit Bay and northwards from Kilmany to a confluence near Crawley Hil land then south east towards Leuchars . From Kilmany to Easter Kinnear thevalley is similar to that at Dunbog, but elsewhere it is a very wide valley wit hnumerous glacial mounds some of very large proportions and rising up to 2 0metres above the general level of the valley floor .

C .8.4 The valleys are contained by the rising land of the Ochil foothills and there are ,therefore, extensive views of the valleys from the Foothills which in turn formthe backdrop of views across and from the valleys .

Land Use and Land CoverC.8.5 The floors of the valleys and some of the larger mounds generally compris e

alluvial or glacial loams and tills with relatively fertile well drained soils . Theseare generally under intensive arable cultivation with medium-to-large and locall yvery large-scale fields laid out in geometric patterns with low, often gapp yhedges and post and wire fencing . There are few hedgerow trees . However, incontrast, many of the eskers, kames and mounds comprise glacial sand an dgravel deposits forming thin, poor, dry, sandy and relatively acidic soil whic hsupport only grassland or woodland or scrub ; this tends to emphasise thei rpresence and their shape .

C.8.6 At Motray Water (LG52), from Wormit eastwards, there are extensive sand an dgravel quarries. The glacial deposits have been worked for many years an dalthough some old, small sand pits occur, most of the quarries are active and o fa large scale. They are working deposits both above ground (the eskers an dkames) and below the ground level of the valley floor . Some of the larger kame sand eskers have been almost entirely removed and working those features tend sto make the mineral workings conspicuous unless screened by adjacent mound sand hills .

C.8.7 The poorer, sandy soils have also led to the establishment of several larg ewoodlands e .g . at West Links Wood, Morendy Wood and Kirkton Wood (LG52) .These are predominantly coniferous . Large woodlands do not occur, however ,from Kilmany to Easter Kinnear or in LG53 or LG54 (Lindores and Dunbog )where tree cover is restricted to occasional small groups or lines of trees, o rshelterbelts in the fields, or to the small mounds of poorer soils e .g . belowBalmeadowside . There is a designed landscape at Lindores House and locall ymore extensive mixed woodland in the vicinity of Lindores Loch .

64

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC.8 .8 These valleys are generally characterised by their lack of villages and towns .

Over most of Motray Water ILG52) there is a regular occurrence of relativel ylarge steadings on the edge of the valley (e .g . Peacehill, Castle Hill, Hawkhill ,Kirkton Barns and South Straiton) and infrequently in the valley e .g . EasterKinnear, Boulterhall, North Straiton and Fordiehill . Kilmany village lies at thehead of the valley of the Motray Water ; there are no other settlements in LG52 .

C .8.9 The characteristic occurrence of steadings around the edge of the valley, abov ethe fertile valley floor and below the steeper slopes of the foothills (and possibl yon springlines) is strongly represented at Dunbog (LG53) e .g . Dunbog village ,Balmeadie, Denmuir, Glenduckie and Higham . Ayton is the only steading on thevalley floor but there are cottages and a school along the roadside .

C .8 .10 In Lindores (LG54), however, there are four significant settlements . Lindoresand Grange of Lindores lie on higher ground, on the mounds, whilst Den ofLindores and Denmylne, as their names suggest, lie in narrow dens created b ythe high steep sided mounds . The settlement pattern here is related more to th epronounced topography of the mounds, the Loch and the spread of developmentsouth-east from Newburgh than to the more typical patterns of settlement i nLG52 and LG53.

C.8 .11 Apart from small businesses in steadings and villages, fishing on Lindores Loc hand the sand and gravel quarries already referred to there are no other significan tland uses .

Linear and Point Feature sC .8 .12 The villages have strong linear form and patterns created by the topographica l

features, field patterns and straight or curving road and railway network .However, bearing in mind the size of the valleys the burns are small, seemingl yunder-sized and relatively inconspicuous . Point features of note tend to be th esteadings, often at about the same height above the valley floor, and in a linemarking the edge of the Foothills .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .8 .13 At Dunbog and Kilmany to Easter Kinnear (LG53 and pt LG52) the valleys are

generally medium-scale, relatively open, simple, balanced and well tende dlandscapes with strong, regular sometimes geometric patterns, seasonall ycolourful and smooth textured land cover . Away from the road they are quiet .

C .8 .14 At Lindores (LG54) the landscape experience has contrasts between th econfined, sheltered small-scale landscapes of the Dens and the large-scale, openlandscapes on the tops and slopes of the eskers and kames . Here too thelandscape is simple, quiet, balanced, and well tended but the landform obscure sthe patterns and creates a more rounded, curving, sloping landscape than in th emore open villages .

C .8 .15 At Motray Water (LG52), however, the landscape experience is different with alarge-scale, open, diverse, busy character with locally noisy and discordan telements associated with sand and gravel workings and busy main roads. Themounds create a more rolling shape and curving patterns ; textures and colour sare more varied reflecting the more diverse land cover and land use .

65


C.8 .16 These valleys contain extensive deposits of sand and gravel which have bee nworked in LG52 for many years in large-scale quarries . Remaining deposits maybe technically suitable and economically viable to work in the future an dpressure for extensions to existing workings and for new workings can b eexpected . LG53 has few large eskers or kames but below ground-level deposit sexist although whether they are technically suitable or viable is uncertain ; theland involved is of better agricultural quality . The large eskers and kames i nLindores (LG54) could be subject to future proposals for working although thereare no permissions for sand and gravel extraction in the area at present .

C .8.17 Arable cultivation of the valleys is likely to remain the predominant land use wit hrelatively good soils and substantial, well equipped farms . There is evidence o fthe arable farming extending up the slopes of the foothills from the valleys wit hconsequent changes in field patterns and land cover . The few hedgerows an dsome of the shelterbelts and small woodlands show signs of neglect an dcomparison with historical information shows some loss of field boundaries t ocreate a larger field pattern rolling over the mounds and across the valley floor .

C.8.18 Areas of poorer soils have already been planted and more marginal fields in LG5 2could be taken out of arable or grazing use and planted if there was a shift i nagricultural economics . Woodland planting would be the most likely land us echange .

C.8 .19 LG52, Motray Water, and to a lesser extent LG54 Lindores could experienc efurther pressure for built development . They are well served by roads and clos eto Newport on Tay and Newburgh respectively . Any of the steadings in any ofthe three units could be subject to pressure for change with some already havin gseen new built development in the form of farm buildings or conversions or newdwellings .

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C .9 Lowland River Basin s


Key Characteristics and Features of the Lowland River Basins :

flat, relatively low-lying landform with straight or angular horizontal lines and geometri cpatterns ;

wide valley/basin contained by distant Foothills or volcanic hills ;

the open, medium to large-scale, regular pattern of intensively cultivated arable fields with fe wanimals ;

in some parts, extensive coniferous plantations on poorer soils but elsewhere many mature ,narrow, linear, straight, predominantly coniferous shelterbelts forming strong visual features an d

patterns ;

general lack of maturity and subtlety in a relatively modern, planned or well organise dlandscape, with semi-natural vegetation confined to the banks of the rather inconspicuous ,

seemingly undersized rivers ;

regular pattern of relatively modern, often extended or modified farmsteadings, occasional singl ebuildings in open countryside, a few, modern, planned settlements, wide variety of moder n

building materials and architectural styles ;

many post and wire fences, few hedges, few hedgerow trees, many ditches ;

dense network of narrow, straight lanes with bridges and sharp corners ;

frequent, small, low or flat stone bridges over ditches, higher bridges over railway ;

a medium-scale, diverse, confined, flat, active, planned, organised, tended and regularlandscape .

DistributionTwo locations in Fife namely : the Howe of Fife which is the basin mid course along the Rive rEden; and at Star where there is a smaller basin mid course along the River Leven (LR57) . TheHowe of Fife is divided into two landscape units, referenced LR55 and LR56 .

Natural Systems and Processe sThese River Basins were formed by glacial action creating relatively wide, flat basins with glacia ldeposits subsequently covered by alluvial deposits mainly of sand and gravel from the rivers .The basins would once have formed extensive areas of marsh, fen and other wetlands includin glowland raised mires . These have been drained to create agricultural land . Thus, the rivers ar enow channelled to their existing courses and flooding is no longer extensive or frequent . Mostof the land is drained by a network of artificial ditches . For the size of their basins the river sappear to be undersized .

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Description

Physical CharacteristicsC .9.1 These basins are distinctive features where the river valleys widen to for m

relatively flat, low lying basins . They contrast with the narrow, steep sidedsections of the valleys and the sections of the river which flow through th eundulating lowland hills . The Howe of Fife particularly is very flat and veryextensive . The basins are contained by the rising land of the Foothills, volcani chills and lowland hills and there are, therefore, extensive views of the basin sfrom these hills and the hills form the backdrop to views across the basins .

Land Use and Land CoverC .9 .2 The basins comprise a patchwork of differing soils ranging from quite fertile ,

alluvial foams to dry, acidic, light sands . Land use and land cover reflects thi spattern .

C .9 .3 The western part of the Howe of Fife (LR56) is predominantly open, with aregular pattern of intensively cultivated, arable fields . The fields are medium- tolarge-scale with straight boundaries and a regular geometric pattern . Fiel dboundaries may comprise occasional hedgerows, (some in poor condition), bu tmainly post and wire fencing or simply linear, deep ditches . There are few farmanimals and few hedgerow trees . There are narrow, occasional, shelter belts .

C .9 .4 The northern and eastern part of the Howe of Fife (LR55) has quite an extensiv ecover of coniferous plantations often linked or extended by long, narrow, shelte rbelts but some of the belts are of substantial width . The woods and shelterbelts tend to enclose fields of arable cultivation or, where the soils are poor ,permanent pastures of unimproved or semi-improved grasslands . Theplantations are generally semi-mature or approaching commercial maturity . Mostof the trees in the shelter belts are also approaching maturity .

C .9 .5

In the basin at Milton and Star (LR57) arable cultivation is prevalent .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .9 .6 There is a regular pattern of relatively modern farmsteadings and occasiona l

single buildings across the basins . The steadings are often extended an dmodified with modern agricultural buildings and other structures .

C .9 .7

Settlements are few and generally modern and organised or planned in layout .For example, Ladybank is typical with few buildings which predate theconstruction of the railway and the station in the mid-19th century .

C .9 .8 There is a wide range of mainly modern building materials and the steadings an dsettlements do not have a distinctive architectural style or typical buildin gmaterials .

C .9 .9 The Howe of Fife has a number of former and operational sand and grave lquarries . Extraction of the aggregates is from below ground level and usuall ygoes below the relatively high natural ground water levels ; where pumpingceases the voids almost fill with ground water . Some of the linear tree belts areassociated with screening the sand and gravel quarries and are more variable i nage than the older shelter belts associated with the agricultural land .

C.9 .10

Some of the tree belts are on raised mounds and contain a wider variety of tre eand shrub species than the older shelter belts .

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Linear and Point Feature sC .9.11 There are strong linear patterns throughout the basins, formed by the ditches ,

occasional hedgerows and particularly the shelter belts and edges of th eplantations . The river and ditches themselves are relatively inconspicuous bu ttheir banks often contain the only remnants of semi-natural vegetation and it i sthe riparian trees and shrubs which are noticeable . The narrow, minor lane sform a dense network across the basins, typically with long straights and shar pbends . Some of the bridges (especially over the railway) are prominent but mos tare low or flat small stone walls and parapets which attract attention and form adistinctive characteristic of the landscape. Steadings form the most noticeabl epoint features, especially where they stand in open farmland .

Characteristics of the Landscape Experienc eC .9.12 The Lowland River Basins are relatively recent landscapes which generally lac k

the maturity and subtlety of other lowland landscapes with a longer settlementand land use history . Their more modern character is of a planned, or wel lorganised, well tended, intensively cultivated landscape with regular an dgeometric patterns and straight, or angular, horizontal lines . It is a medium -scale, diverse, flat, confined landscape which frequent movement and activity .


C .9 .13 Deposits of sand and gravel occur throughout the basins and small working shave been carried out over many years. However, large-scale workings occur i nthe Howe of Fife (LR55), particularly those related to large deposits of goo dquality sand and gravel resulting from glacial meltwater outwash from th eCollessie Den Channel through the Ochil Foothills . Remaining deposits in above -ground kames, eskers and mounds, and below ground level of the basin floor ar elikely to be technically suitable and economically viable and further workings ar eto be expected . Proposals could come forward anywhere in the basins .

C .9.14 On the better soils, arable cultivation is likely to remain the predominant land us ewith substantial, well equipped farms located throughout the basins . Poorersoils are likely to remain as grassland and may be subject to agricultura limprovement . Marginal land may be planted as woodland if WGS incentive sremain a viable alternative to poor agricultural returns .

C .9 .15 Many of the larger coniferous plantations (especially in LR55) are reachin gcommercial maturity . Some shelterbelts and smaller plantations in the basins areover-mature and/or in poor condition with evidence of windblown and decayingtrees not being replaced . Elsewhere, there has been some new woodlan dplanting .

C .9.16

Field patterns have also changed over the last few decades with removal ofsome boundaries to create larger arable fields .

C .9.17 Pressure for new built development is evident in and around the settlements an dsome of the steadings have new agricultural buildings and a few have ne wdwellings. Amalgamation of farm units could render some steadings redundan tand conversion to other uses may be proposed .

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C .10

Lowland Loch Basin s


Key Characteristics and Features of the Lowland Loch Basins :

the lochs and their islands and shorelines ;

the flat, relatively low-lying landform with strong horizontal lines ;

the open, large-scale, regular, tended pattern of fields ;

the regular distribution of steadings and plantations/tree groups/shelter-belts and smal lsettlements ;

the dominance and enclosure of the distinctive upland skylines and slopes ;

the diverse, calm, settled and (away from the motorway and main roads) the quiet, calm an dbalanced character ;

the presence of wildlife on and around the lochs and birds overhead in flight .

DistributionFour lochs and their basins in the study area and part of the basin of Loch Leven, lying to th enorth (LB58), Loch Ore (LB59), Loch Fitty (LB61) and Loch Gelly LB60) and Kilconquhar (LB62) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesGlacial or fluvio-glacial deposits with alluvium soils surrounding the open water bodies, fed by aseries of small burns and rivers flowing eastwards to the River Ore or burns flowing south to th ecoast . The Leven basin drains northwards to the River Leven, flowing eastwards out of Loc hLeven .

Description

Physical CharacteristicsC.10.1 Lochs Ore, Fitty and Gelly comprise low lying land with freshwater loch s

surrounded by gently rising agricultural land . The Loch Leven basin (LR58) i sedged by the volcanic Redwell Hills along the minor road running from Ballingr yto Auchmuirbridge which is relatively steep and wooded in parts . The Levenbasin is in intensive arable production . Kilconquhar loch basin, in contrast, i sheavily wooded .

C.10 .2 The Loch Basins are important to the setting of the lochs themselves, which ar eall utilised in one form or another for recreational/leisure use . Loch Ore (LB59)covers about 100 hectares and is the centre piece of the Lochore MeadowsCountry Park, a massive reclamation scheme transforming a former deep mineinto a 400ha park of gently rolling grassland and young woodland . It is apopular recreational facility served by three car parks and offers a wide range o factivities, both water based and utilising the surrounding park . It sits at the footof the south facing slopes of Benarty Hill, with Benarty Wood and Harran Hil l

70

Wood providing a mature, vegetated backcloth . The loch basin extends to th eedge of the towns of Lochore and Ballingry .

C .10 .3 Loch Fitty is also an important recreational facility . A natural loch of some70ha, it is a commercial fish farm offering trout and salmon in season . The lochbasin (LB61) extends northwards up a series of minor ridges in arable an dpasture use, to Thornton Wood, an extensive coniferous plantation on the slope sof the Cleish Hills . The area in between includes several isolated properties an da small group of buildings at Lassodie . The basin extends along the burn ,feeding it from the west, and includes other isolated properties and groups a tBowershall, a gently undulating land at between 130m and 150m AOD . To thesouth, the basin extends to approximately the 150m contour, to the 8912, an dincludes land in arable production with lines and groups of mature deciduou strees . The M90 forms the boundary of the basin to the east .

C .10.4 Loch Gelly (LB60) is a smaller loch on the northern edge of the Cullaloe Hills .The basin extends from the base of the hills to the minor road to the east an dthe minor road and A92(T) to the north . There are clear views into the loc hfrom the roads, through young, maturing mixed evergreen and deciduou splanting . To the west, the loch basin extends for some 600 to 700 metresalong low-lying marshy land close to the small burn running into the loch . Theloch is used for fishing .

C .10.5

Kilconquhar Loch (LB62) is a smaller basin on the coastal terrace above Elie an dis visible from Kilconquhar village .

Land Cove rC .10.6 Land cover is predominantly agricultural land in arable use, although there i s

some grazing of cattle within the Loch Fitty basin . There are several isolate dand groups of properties lying on the gently sloping land, and groups and lines o fmainly broadleaved trees. Apart from the lochs themselves, there are othe rmarshy areas on the loch edges where the water level varies . At Kilconquha rthe basin is heavily wooded with the plantations and policies associated wit hElie House .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC.10.7 There is one farmstead within this part of the Loch Leven basin . There are

approximately a dozen farmsteads or small properties lying within the Loch Orebasin, which extends to the edges of Ballingry and Lochore to the east and closeto Kelty to the west .

C .10.8 Although there are no properties lying within the Loch Gelly basin, the A92(T )separates it from Lochgelly town . The B9149 passes over the A92(T) close t othe edge of the loch . Overhead power lines from Mossmorran are conspicuou sfeatures, breaking the skyline close to the edge of the loch .

C .10.9 Within the Loch Fitty basin, there are groups of properties at Lassodie an dBowershall, and up to 20 other outlying properties . There are no majo rsettlements close to the loch . There are no properties in the Kilconquhar basin .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .10.10 The most obvious linear features are the shorelines of the lochs themselves and ,

across or close to the lochs, the roads (including minor tracks, C, B and A clas sroads and the Motorway) and the powerlines crossing the Loch Gelly basin .

71

C.10.11 The channelled River Leven's artificially straight course is a prominent featur ewithin the Loch Leven basin, especially when seen from higher ground withi nthe study area .

C .10 .12

Localised ridges to the loch basin edges are minor linear features, generall ymasked by other higher landforms beyond .

C.10.13 The most obvious point features are the lochs themselves, especially when see nas much smaller elements in a wider landscape from viewpoints further awayfrom the basins . The islands on Loch Ore are important features .

C .10 .14 Individual buildings and small groups of buildings around the lochs for mimportant visual features, contrasting to the flat, dark water especially when thebuildings are painted white .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .10 .15 The Loch Basins are characteristically open, large-scale landscapes, with divers e

land uses amongst gently rolling, curved, colourful and balanced landform . Theyare typically calm, organised, tended and safe, although they can sometimes b edisturbed by recreational or traffic noise and occasional visually discordantelements .

C.10 .16 Around the Lochs the ambience tends to change emphasis in patterns, line andtexture . Thus, on and around the lochs the landscape (in fair weather) is open ,large-scale, flat with curved lines and simple forms . Patterns are less regular ,colours more subdued or very bright - depending on sunshine, textures vary bu tare often strongly reflective . The landscape is quiet, harmonious, calm, tende dand safe . In storm conditions, however, the lochs can change quickly in moo dand ambience and become rough, disturbed, threatening and dark with a rathe rambivalent appealing, yet deterring, ambience . The birds on, over and flyin garound the lochs are an important part of the landscape experience . Lochs Fitty ,Gelly and Ore are located on the edges of the Lowland Hills and Valleys and thei rslopes tend to form a transition from lowlands to uplands .

C .10 .17

By contrast Kilconquhar basin is a small-scale, more confined, more varied ,harmonious, calm, semi-natural landscape rich in wildlife habitats .


C .10 .18 Loch Ore has in the past changed, from an undisturbed landscape to a coa lmining landscape and subsequently to the restored landscape of the Countr yPark. Its designation should protect it from encroachment by surroundin gsettlements. Extensive changes have also occurred within the Loch Leven basi nas far back as the early 19th century, when the River Leven was channelled t oregulate its flow and thus enable land susceptible to seasonal flooding to b ereclaimed for arable use .

C .10 .19 Changes around Loch Gelly and Loch Fitty have included road improvements an dchanges in settlement pattern . The A92(T) will eventually act as a barrier to th esouthwards expansion of Lochgelly town, and the minor road to the east and th eCullaloe Hills to the south should protect the basin in these directions . To thewest, however, the land is much more open and flatter, and pressure fo rdevelopment here must be a distinct possibility .

C .10 .20 Similarly, there may be development pressure on the gently undulating slopes t othe north of Loch Fitty . These south facing slopes are relatively low when see nfrom higher land to the south, and the extensive plantations form an importan t

72

element in the setting of the loch . The former Kelty Quarry lies on the sout hfacing slopes, overlooking the loch, and remaining structures are evident i nviews of the loch and basin from the west, east and south, indicating th econspicuous nature of development on the loch basin slopes . Any change tothis landscape, even relatively minor, would be obvious, conspicuous and highlyadverse to views of the loch and the basin as seen from the motorway and othe rroads and properties to the south .

C .10 .21

Any of these four loch basins could be subject to mineral proposals as all contai ndeposits of sand and gravel and beneath the drift deposits, coal .

C.10 .22 Kilconquhar Loch (an SSSI) has seen little recent changes and is less likely to b esubject to development pressures . Management appears to be sustaining it swildlife and landscape value .

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C.11

Coastal Hills


Key Characteristics and Features of the Coastal Hills :

close association with the coast, either through views of the sea, the Firths or the estuaries o rindirect coastal experiences of sounds, smell, etc . ;

predominantly large, open, undulating arable fields, often with no field boundaries or wit hmainly wire fences, low hedges or some stone dykes and little other vegetation cover ;

isolated farms and extended or converted farmsteads amongst open, exposed fields ;

extensive seaward views across the North Sea or the Firths and land beyond, but generall yviews to landward are contained by hills in the near distance ;

distinctive edges to the character type, created either by distinct breaks of slope or by rivers ,roads, built development or the Coastal Cliffs or Braes ;

general lack of tree cover, with relatively few plantations and shelterbelts ;

some pasture and rough hill grazing on the poorer hill soils ;

infrequent, small, often exposed and conspicuous settlements of stone or white or pal ecolourwashed render and grey roofs and single storey or two storey houses with small window s

to the sea ;

a medium to large-scale, often open or exposed coastal landscape where the character i salways influenced by the sea and can be particularly affected by the weather conditions an d

views of the sky and the sea ;

generally a simple, sloping, balanced, active, organised, tended, farming landscape with regula ror geometric patterns .

DistributionThirteen landscape units located all around the coast of Fife including : on the north coast ,Tayport (CH63), Balmerino (CH64) and Ballinbreich (CH65) ; on the east coast at Nort hStrathkinness (CH66), and south of St Andrews (CH67) ; and on the south coast at Kincardineto Culross (CH68), Valleyfield to Charlestown (CH69), Limekilns (CH70), Castlandhill (CH71) ,Ferry Hills (CH72), Letham Hill (CH73), Aberdour Hills (CH74) and Wemyss (CH75) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesLowland coastal hills above the Coastal Terraces and shores with mainly glacial hills and loam sdrained by small burns running to the coast .

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Description

Physical Characteristics and Land CoverC .11 .1 Areas of undulating hills, similar to the Lowland Hills and Valleys but directl y

influenced by the coast . In some locations, e .g . Valleyfield to Charlestown(CH69) and part of Kincardine to Culross (CH68), the hills come to an abrup tend before the coast, by falling gently towards the steep, densely vegetatedcoastal braes. In other locations, e .g . Limekilns (CH70) and Aberdour Hills(CH74), the Coastal Hills fall gradually towards the coast itself, with no Coasta lBraes in between . Castlandhill (CH71), Ferry Hills (CH72) and Letham Hil l(CH73) are more individually distinctive hills to the west, south and eas t(respectively) of Inverkeithing, with relatively steep slopes rising to a distinctivepeak or plateau . The western part of Kincardine to Culross falls gradually to th eflat coastal platform containing the Longannet Power Station .

C .11 .2 The heights of the Coastal Hills vary from around 35m AOD at Limekilns, 50m a tAberdour, 60m at Valleyfield to Charlestown, 70m at Ferry Hills, 85m a tCastlandhill and up to 95m at Letham Hill . South of St Andrews and along th enorth coast they exceed 100m in places .

C .11 .3 Letham Hill is a steep sided hill between Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, almos tentirely covered by deciduous woodland at Letham Hill Wood . The woodlan dhas been brought into management under the WGS and opened for publi caccess and recreation . Letham Hill ridge runs approximately north-south, but th eless steep arable fields to the west of the ridge fall gently to the coast a tInverkeithing Bay . The A921(T) forms a distinctive break between Letham Hil land the Lowland Hills and Valleys and this characteristic is similar to the othe rsouthern coastal hills, where the A985(T) is the recognisable edge to th elandscape character sub areas .

C .11 .4 Apart from the densely wooded ridge at Letham Hill, all the southern coastal hill sexcept Ferry Hill comprise agricultural land in predominantly arable production .All except Castlandhill are prime agricultural land, Castlandhill being an outcro pof igneous rock with poor, thin soil cover over boulder clay . The lower slopes o fFerry Hill are built over within North Queensferry, and the railway passesbeneath, in a cutting through the highest part .

C .11 .5 The coastal hills of St Andrews rise gradually from the Kinkell Braes, above th erocky coastline east of St Andrews at around 25m AOD, to the coast road an dfurther south to a prominent peak at Easter Balrymonth Hill, at 109m AOD . Thegently falling fields to the north-west of the hill directly influence the setting o fthe town, and are visible from many locations within it . The Kinkell Carava nSite is particularly obvious at the top of the Braes amongst the open fields . Thenorth facing slopes further east are more directly associated with the coast ,allowing some stunning views down from the coast road when travelling fro mBoarhills and the east . Only dense woodland planting around Kingask an dPitmullen House, and occasional blips in landform, prevent views out to th eNorth Sea .

C .11 .6

On the north coast the hills tend to be steeper with more woodland cover . Onthe east coast they are noticeably more open with arable land predominant .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .11 .7 Apart from the developed lower slopes of the Ferry Hills, the southern coasta l

hills include only isolated farmsteads, lying between larger settlements eithe rside of this landscape character type . Thus Kincardine to Culross coastal hills li ebetween Kincardine and Valleyfield, with Culross on the coast . Other land uses

75

in this area include the overhead power lines emanating from both Longannetand Kincardine Power Stations, and minor roads running from the A985(T) t oCulross. The B9037 coastal road forms pan of the southern boundary to thi sarea. An avenue of trees lines the access road from the A985(T) down t oDunimarle Castle .

C .11 .8 The Valleyfield to Charlestown hills lie between these two settlements, andalong the northern edges of the coastal hamlets of Newmills and Torryburn .Crombie lies adjacent to the main road . Minor tracks and roads lead down fro mthe main road to the two main farms in this area (Bankhead Farm and Bullions )and to the Torry Bay coast . Limekilns Hills are sandwiched between Limekilnsand the Rosyth naval base . Minor, unsurfaced tracks lead down to the ruins o fRosyth Church on the coast, past an area of broadleaved shelterbelt planting .

C .11 .9 There are large MOD buildings and telecommunications masts on Castlandhill ,which acts as an important break between the built up areas of Rosyth town ,the naval base and Inverkeithing . On the lower, arable slopes to the west ofLetham Hill lies Spencerfield Farm, the fields being an important gap betwee nthe hill and Inverkeithing . Built development within Dalgety Bay is encroachingright up to the eastern edge of Letham Hill . Aberdour Hills stretch from th eeastern edge of Dalgety Bay to Aberdour, and east of Aberdour to SilversandsBay. The gradually sloping hills between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour include agolf course, extensive areas of mixed plantations, and a sewage works and ga sterminal on the coast .

C .11 .10 Settlement pattern within the eastern Coastal Hills comprises irregular or locall yregular, frequent farmsteads and farm cottages, and individual large houses .Some of these have become the centre of minor new developments, involvin geither the conversion of outbuildings or the addition of half a dozen or so newhomes. This has occurred at Pipeland, East Grange, Balmungo Farm andBrownhills . Balmungo Farm has an extensive garden and designed landscape ,and The Grange, Kingask and Pitmullen House are also relatively well screene dby tree planting . Some other farmsteads and cottages are screened bytopography, but generally they are noticeable, with the newer conversions ofte nbeing conspicuous due to the use of inappropriate materials and styles .

C .11 .11 Boarhills is the only large settlement within the eastern Coastal Hills . Parts o fStrathkinness and St Andrews itself are visible from, but lie outside, the ope nCoastal Hills . Other land uses include a Chapel to the west of Boarhills, close t othe main road, the prominent caravan parks at Cairnsmill and Kinkel) Braes an dthe development of Allanhill for extended agricultural uses . There is a disusedquarry at Kingask, which is well screened by vegetation and topography .

C .11 .12 By contrast the hills on the north coast are generally free of significan tsettlements except for Balmerino (CH64) . The hills at Tayport (CH63) form a nimportant open break between Tayport and Newport on Tay .

Linear and Point Feature s

C .11 .13

The most significant linear feature seen from the Coastal Hills are the shores, akey characteristic of this landscape character type .

C .11 .14 Other predominant linear features are the main A and B roads running alongsid eor through the areas, and the numerous other minor roads and tracks linking th efarmsteads and other dwellings to them . Some low voltage power lines an dtelephone lines are also obvious linear features throughout this open, generall yfeatureless landscape . Hedgerows, where remaining, are often noticeable linea r

76

features, as are stone dykes which are characteristic features . Post and wirefences have replaced many hedgerows, but are not so obvious .

C .11 .15 Within the Kincardine to Culross hills, the power lines are obvious linear feature sagainst the Forth, and the Longannet Power Station is a distinctive point featur efor miles around . Major roads on the edges of the hills and the minor roads an dtracks running across them are conspicuous linear features in an open landscap ewhen even minor, subtle changes in topography are clearly visible .

C .11 .16 On the east coast the most noticeable single point features are steadings an dother buildings where not well screened, and features close to the edge o fBoarhills including the chapel and dovecot . Where present, views of themedieval skyline of St Andrews provide important features and underline th eimportance of the open Coastal Hills to the setting of the town . Theconspicuous caravan parks unfortunately detract from the overall view, bu tthese are only prominent in certain views and are often screened by intervenin ghills, especially Wester Balrymonth Hill and Easter Balrymonth Hill .

Characteristics of the Landscape Experienc eC.11 .17 The main characteristics experienced from within the Coastal Hills are thos e

associated with the coast and dominated by the weather and the sky . Thusviews are often large-scale, open or exposed, of a simple, generally smoot htextured, sloping landform . However, where Coastal Braes are present, thes eform a distinctive break of slope to the undulating arable fields, giving a mor ediverse, rough edge to the landform . They add colour to an otherwise mute dscene, which is generally balanced, active, organised, regular, well tende dfarming landscape with regular geometric patterns . On days when the weathe ris bad, with high winds and cloud cover, the rough firth and fast moving cloud stransform the experience into a disturbed, moving, unsettled one .


C.11 .18 This landscape character type is one of the least changed within the study area .Changes have generally occurred on lower ground towards the coast, or eithe rside of the Coastal Hills by the encroachment of development . This is thegreatest threat to these areas in the future .

C.11 .19 The Kincardine to Culross sub area has changed as a result of the Longanne tPower Station on the coast, requiring access roads, power lines and othe rassociated development . Ferry Hills has also changed due to its setting an dimportant position in terms of transportation routes over the Firth of Forth .North Queensferry has expanded around the Ferry Hills due to the Forth roa dand railway bridges .

C .11 .20 Letham Hill was, until recently, a high wooded ridge with open arable fields t othe east and west. Its eastern side is changing rapidly as houses and othe rdevelopment are built as Dalgety Bay expands .

C .11 .21 On the east coast the most obvious changes have been the conversion andextension of farmsteads with new buildings and materials often out of characte rwith the historic setting of St Andrews . Consequently most of these areconspicuous and obtrusive by being poorly screened in this open landscape . Theloss of field boundaries has resulted in larger fields which has increased theexposure of the new buildings . There have been few areas of new planting ove rthe past five years, the most notable being planting under the WGS at Kittock' sDen.

77

C.11 .22 The removal of stone from the sides of Wester Balrymonth Hill and Easte rBalrymonth Hill have left isolated scars on the landscape, and the now disuse dquarry at Kingask is partly visible from some locations .

C.11 .23 Again the greatest threat to the Coastal Hills in the future is that from buil tdevelopment, due to their location close to the edge of the town . Someencroachment has already occurred, to the north of The Grange and north ofPipeland, where the latest residential development has cut in to the hillside . Thecaravan sites have also resulted in unfortunate changes to the landscape, bybeing sited in prominent locations close to main roads at the entrances to th etown, and close to areas of high scenic value i .e. the Kinkel! Braes and coastline ,and the Cairnsmill Burn and Den .

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C.12

Coastal Terrace s(Raised Beaches )


Key Characteristics and Features of the Coastal Terraces :

mostly flat or gently sloping landform, lying above and sloping towards the Coastal Flats an dcoast, and lying below the Coastal Hills ;

either extensively built upon or relatively undeveloped comprising large, open, undulating, arabl efields with infrequent or more regular steadings ;

little vegetation cover except policy planting and shelter-belts around the large houses an ddesigned landscapes, or on the steeper slopes often above burns ;

few field boundaries, limited to some hedgerows, or stone dykes or post and wire fencin gprimarily around the larger houses and farmsteads ;

either extensive views of the coast and beyond and to the landward hills or confined view swithin the built up areas ;

a coastal landscape where the character is always influenced by the sea and can be particularl yaffected by the weather conditions and views of the sky and the sea ;

the wide range of landscape experiences depending on the particular landscape unit, bu ttypically dominated either by the urban development or the coast ;

away from the urban areas it is a medium to large-scale, open (and in high winds very exposed) ,simple, undulating, balanced landscape with muted colours, varied textures and slo w

movement .

DistributionNine locations within the area representing a landscape character type of raised terraces (raise dbeaches), lying above the Coastal Flats and below the Coastal Hills . The Coastal Terraces occu ron the north coast at Newburgh (CT84) on the east coast at St Michael's Wood (CT76) ,Leuchars to Guardbridge (CT77), Nydies to Kincaple and the North Bank at St Andrews (CT78) ,at St Andrews itself (CT79), at Kingsbarns (CT80) and at Crail (CT81) ; on the south coastterraces occur between Crail and St Monance (CT82) and Elie (CT83) .

Natural Systems and Processe sA line of estuarine and coastal raised beaches created by former shorelines when sea level wa sat a considerably higher level than today . Now stable, they were built by natural coasta lprocesses and estuarine deposition of sands, gravels, silts and mud .

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Description

Physical Characteristic sC .12 .1 St Andrews and Leuchars to the north have developed by utilising the raise d

land above the coastline and the Coastal Flats . Although raised, the Terracesare relatively flat compared with the steeper Coastal Hills above . The coasta lterrace at Leuchars includes the main built up areas on land gently rising to 15 mAOD and in places to 19m AOD . The terrace continues to the north-west of thecoastal flats through which a tributary of the River Eden flows, where it is muc hsteeper, rising to Gallow Hill at around 30m AOD .

C.12 .2 The coastal terrace of St Andrews runs from the top of the Coastal Cliffs an dBraes to the open Coastal Hills in the south, where ground levels begin to ris emore steeply. Ground levels gradually rise to between 3Om - 4Om AOD, on th eSt Andrews coastal terrace, with the coastal flats around the Kinness Bur nbisecting the terrace as ground levels fall to 5m AOD . The terrace drains dow nto the burn at various points along its length . The terrace in St Andrews alsostretches from the edge of the flats where the Kinness Burn meets the harbour ,to the foot of Hallow Hill in the west at around 35m AOD, south of the Kinnes sBurn, and to the north of the burn to the cemetery on Strathkinness Low Roa dand to the main University campus at North Haugh where ground levels fall tomeet the coastal flats. Almost the whole of the St Andrews coastal terrace i sbuilt upon, with the exception of some locations at the edge of the Coastal Hill sto the south and east . Part of the Kinkell Braes caravan site lies on the coasta lterrace .

C.12.3 Between St Andrews and Leuchars, terraces at North Bank and around KincapleHouse are evident, the former being confined to a relatively short and narro wareas between North Haugh and the Coastal Hills, and including undulatin garable fields either side of the Swilken Burn . The terrace at Kincaple Housecovers a large area between the coastal flats and hills from Strathtyrum House i nthe east to the River Eden in the west . It comprises predominantly arable fieldsrising from 5m - 1Om AOD to 57m AOD at Newton of Nydie, narrowing to onl yone field wide west of Strathtyrum and widening out from the A91 north o fKincaple to the Coastal Hills at Monksholm . The steep slopes at the narrowes tpoint are wooded with policies associated with the designed landscape a tStrathtyrum House. A series of wells and small burns drain down to the Rive rEden and the Swilken Burn .

C.12 .4 The coastal terrace west of Guardbridge extends from the River Eden in thesouth, Eden Estuary in the east, and a tributary of the Eden in the north . Levelsrise from typically 1Om AOD to 43m AOD at Bruckley, before dropping to th eMoonzie Burn and rising to the Coastal Hills and Volcanic Hills around Logie t othe west . A series of wells and small burns drain down to the River Eden and it stributary .

C.12.5 The coastal terrace at Burnside stretches from the Cliffs and Braes at Budd oNess to the Coastal Hills north of Kittock's Den and Boarhills . Ground levels risefrom 5m AOD to around 35m AOD, and the terrace includes the Kenly Wate rand its densely wooded valley .

C .12 .6

There is a narrow coastal terrace on the north coast on which Newburgh i slocated (CT84) .

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C .12 .7

Craighead and the old airfield at Crail are located on a terrace above Fife Ness .South of Crail a further terrace runs along the coast of the Firth of Forth o nwhich Anstruther, Pittenweem and St Monance are located .

Land Cove rC.12 .8 Land cover on the Coastal Terraces is either predominantly built development o r

gently sloping fields in arable production . Other notable land cover includes S tMichael's Wood and Marshes, a coniferous woodland and SSSI on the terrac enorth of Leuchars, and many gardens and designed landscapes, e .g . those atEarlshall, Segie, Kincaple House, Strathtyrum House and on the south coast a tGrangemuir House and Balcaskie House .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .12.9 Historical evidence shows how St Andrews developed by taking advantage o f

the flat terrace above the steep cliffs, an ideal position to defend, if necessary .More recent development has resulted in the expansion of the town southward sto the more steeply rising hills and westwards to the coastal flats of The Link sand the University campus . The coastal terrace around the North Bank ,including the University playing fields and arable fields falling to the Swilke nBurn, remains largely undeveloped . North Bank is being extended by ne wdwellings, and ribbon development along the Strathkinness High Road ha soccurred with the building of the University halls of residence and dwelling ssouth of North Bank . Other land uses within St Andrews are those typical of agrowing coastal town popular with tourists .

C .12 .10• Apart from the expansion of Leuchars on the terrace to the south and east, th eother units within this landscape character type on the east coast compris eregular farmsteads and large houses . Leuchars Lodge and Castle lie on theterrace north of Leuchars, and the small settlement of Milton and its saw mill li eadjacent to the tributary of the River Eden between Leuchars and Guardbridge .The garden and designed landscape around Seggie Farm and cottages lies on th eterrace immediately west of Guardbridge .

C .12 .11 Characteristically, the terrace has been developed by the establishment an dexpansion of coastal towns elsewhere, e .g . Newburgh (CT84) and Crail (CT81) .However, the Terraces on the south coast are generally much wider and thecoastal towns are confined to the southern edges .

Linear and Point Feature sC .12 .12 Being close to the coastline and generally overlooking it, the most commo n

linear feature from this landscape type is the views of the coastline itself ,including the intertidal areas. Other typical linear features are roads and lowvoltage power lines . Other linear features are particular to individual units, an dare few, but include dismantled and the operational railways. Occasionall ystone dykes and wire fencing are obvious linear features, particularly where theybreak the skyline .

C .12.13 Single point features are dominated by the towns, e .g . St Andrews, Leuchar sand Boarhills. Gardens and designed landscapes around the larger houses ar enoticeable together with the larger farmsteadings where less well screened.

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .12.14 These can vary greatly from one unit to another, and from different locations

within a unit. Within the towns, views are intimate and confined by buildings ,and of an organised, busy, noisy scene . On the edge of the terrace, with mor eexpansive views out to the hills or coast, the experience is of a more exposed ,

81

medium to large-scale, simple, smooth and sloping landform, generally balanced ,still, organised, tended and quiet . In high winds the Terraces are very exposed .

C .12 .15 Within the more exposed Terraces, where views are long distance over large ,regular arable fields to the hills or coast beyond, experiences are of an open ,exposed, large-scale landform, generally simple and textured, sloping but wit hstraight and curved lines, balanced, still, organised, tended and quiet . In badweather, however, with strong winds moving the trees and the sea, experience sare more of a busy, noisy, unsettling landscape . In general colours are muted ,but these can vary in some locations as vegetation changes colour through th eseasons .


C .12 .16 The greatest change to the landscapes of the Coastal Terraces has occurred as aresult of the expansion of the built up areas of the towns . The encroachment b yfurther development is a particular threat on the terrace around Leuchars and th eNorth Bank to the west of St Andrews . Little remains of the coastal terrac eimmediately around the built up area of St Andrews, although areas to the sout hand east, around St Nicholas, are undeveloped .

C.12.17 The use of modern building materials and styles has brought about a nunfortunate change in the appearance of some parts of the Terraces, in shar pcontrast to other, more traditional, areas .

C .12.18

Elsewhere, landscape change has been limited to increased field sizes by theremoval of field boundaries, e .g . on the terrace around Kincaple .

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C .13

Coastal CliffsSee Figure 11 (page 187) and Figures 14 and 15 (sheets 1-5) at the back of the report .

Key Characteristics and Features of the Coastal Cliffs :

narrow, vertical, sometimes high and massive rocky cliffs or steep, grassy cliffs with roc koutcrops, above the shoreline ;

intermittently cut by narrow, steep sided dens usually lined with woodland/scrub ;

dominance of natural elements (sea, sky, climate, geology) and dynamic natural processes o ftidal cycle, coastal erosion and erosion by wind, rain, freeze/thaw etc . ;

rock exposures and landform features of geological and geomorphological interest ;

a remarkable variety of vegetation cover and thus of habitats and plant and animal communities .

lack of high vegetation except in dens ;

lack of human settlement and activity but locally there are ruins and other surviving historica lfeatures especially on the cliff edge in St Andrews ;

landscape experiences of great contrast, depending on weather conditions and whether lookin gout to sea from a sheltered or exposed position; thus, the Cliffs can be a small-scale, intimate ,

sheltered, natural, harmonious, calm and quiet landscape, of vertical form, rough textures, man ycolours and natural patterns ; or in stormy conditions they can be an exposed, large-scale ,

chaotic, grey, dark, noisy landscape dominated by the powerful forces of the sea and the wind ;

views are invariably extensive in the seaward direction and to landward are generally confine dby the Cliffs, but from the cliff tops landward views can be extensive to the Coastal Hills o r

Coastal Terraces

DistributionNarrow strips of distinctive rocky cliffs or very steep, grassy coastal braes above the shorelin eat St Andrews (CC85), the Kinkel) Braes (CC86), Kittock's Den (CC87) and Buddo Ness (CC88) ,interrupted only by the East Sands and the harbour area of St Andrews . There are also Coasta lCliffs to the south of Kincraig (CC89) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesRocks of the carboniferous period, including calciferous sandstone measures and isolated coa lseams, with bedrock at or near the surface . Where immediately above the intertidal areas, the yare slowly eroding due to waves, wind and rain. Measures have been taken to delay erosio nand prevent incursion by the sea . Elsewhere, they are generally stable but subject to erosio nfrom the action of burns cutting through the braes to the shoreline .

83

Description

Physical Characteristics, Land Use and Land CoverC.13.1 The St Andrews coastal cliffs ICC85) comprises The Scores cliffs, marking th e

extreme northern edge of the town, and the cliffs above. Here the Castle ruinsand visitor centre are located, high above the sea at the eastern end of TheScores, with the ruins of St Mary's Church on Kirk Hill at the end of Eas tScores. Between The Scores and the cliffs, are University buildings an dchurches, the Sea Life Centre, Martyrs Monument and British Golf Museum ,located amongst areas of mown grass . This is a popular area with tourists .

C.13.2 At its western end, where this unit meets the coastal flats of The Links at Bo wButts, ground levels are approximately 5m AOD . At its highest the grassy bra erises to approximately 15m AOD at The Scores . At its eastern end, the bra efalls to where the Kinness Burn joins the harbour . The burn has been deflectednorth by the blown sand of the East Bents, turning east again at the sinuoushigh reef on which the pier is built . The pier has been repaired and extended i nseveral stages. The third arm of the pier is a breakwater, or groyne, built t orestrain the drift of sand threatening to block the shallow mouth of the burn . Italso helps to keep the harbour in use .

C .13.3 The Kinkell braes (CC86), Kittock's Den (CC87) and Buddo Ness (CC88 )comprise a continuous cliff and brae from Kinkell almost to Craig Hartle north o fBoarhills . A coastal footpath runs most of the way, rising up to about 8m abov emean sea level, between the Kinkell Braes Caravan Site and the rocky shore jus teast of the Leisure Centre . The cliffs comprise rocky outcrops with roug hgrassland and scrub, and occasional stunted trees, steeply falling from aroun d35m AOD to 5m AOD. Small, regular arable fields are found at the top of th ecliffs, on the Coastal Hills . In summer, prominent plants include devil's-bi tscabious, marsh thistle, coltsfoot and willowherb . There are numerous ferns ,woodrush, and some bell heather and Montbretia . In several areas landslipshave occurred, requiring the coastal path to be diverted . The cliffs are home t onumerous species of breeding sea bird, especially fulmars, and the scrub area ssupport typical passerines such as the whitethroat and sedge warbler .

C .13 .4 The Cliffs are characterised by anticlines (upfolds) and synclines (downfolds), afew caves which have been excavated by the actions of the sea, and severa lfarm tracks at the top . There are volcanic outcrops such as The Rock an dSpindle, an old lifeboat house and concrete gun posts at Buddo Ness . Th eKittock's Den is a possible example of a post-glacial stream capture once linke dto a lake south of Boarhills and the Kenly Burn . Its steep sides are partlywooded .

C .13.5 At Buddo Ness are examples of natural creeks, now dried up . This unit i sgenerally lower and less steep than other Coastal Cliffs, rising from 5m AOD t oapproximately 20m AOD. It is more open, comprising mostly rough grassland ,thorns and occasional stunted trees . A series of small pools and burns/creek sare present at the foot of the cliffs .

C .13.6

At Kincraig a cliff lies on the south face of the isolated volcanic hills exposing avariety of rock features with some steep grassy banks .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .13.7 The ruggedness of the Cliffs create strong linear features, both at the top s

where they meet arable land, and at the cliff bottom where they meet the sea .Coastal paths and tracks also appear as obvious linear features, together wit hboundary fences and occasional stone dykes . The wooded finger-like projectio n

84

of Kittock's Den also forms a linear feature in contrast to other land cover . Thepier is a conspicuous man-made linear feature close to mostly vertical ruins o fhistoric buildings in St Andrews .

C .13.8 Point features tend to be any vertical features along the coastline, such asisolated volcanic outcrops . Within St Andrews, point features are in particula rthe tall churches and ruins on the skyline above the steep Coastal Cliffs .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .13 .9 Owing to their coastal location, these landscapes vary considerably according to

weather conditions . Strong winds off the North Sea can make it very rough ,creating noisy, busy, chaotic and unsettling experiences . Most of the time,however, they are small-scale, simple, roughly textured, harmonious, calm an dquiet landscapes . There also tends to be a contrast between the sheltered ,confined and vertical landscapes of the St Andrews and Kittock's Den areas an dthe more exposed, large-scale, and more horizontal Coastal Flats when lookin gout to sea .


C .13 .10 The most obvious and serious change to this landscape character area is it sreduction in size by erosion . Numerous landslips have occurred, requiring area sto be fenced off and paths re-routed, and there are many examples of man' sintervention to try and curtail the erosion process, especially at the foot of th ecliffs .

C .13 .11 Generally there is little evidence of other substantial change in this landscap etype, which is generally well managed . Within St Andrews the Coastal Cliffs ar ecarefully managed for the tourist industry, due to the importance of the area snorth of The Scores, around The Links and the harbour area, in this respect .

C.13 .12 New planting under the WGS has occurred in the past five years within Kittock' sDen, which will in particular provide greater changes in colour throughout theseasons in this part of the area . Other seasonal changes occur as breeding bird scome and go from the cliff sides .

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C.14

Coastal Braes


Key Characteristics and Features of the Coastal Braes :

the high, steep, wooded, rounded braes ;

the narrow platforms of land at the foot of the braes ;

the small, linear, traditional, bright and colourful coastal settlements ;

the narrow, sinuous coastal roads and steep, narrow roads down folds in the braes from th eCoastal Hills ;

the peninsulas and wider areas of the small raised beaches which remain open, undeveloped ,recreational areas ;

the maritime, navigation, boating infrastructure and features typical of coastal villages ;

the lime kilns built into the braes and associated industrial archaeology ;

the Coastal Braes are a small-scale, diverse, colourful, balanced, usually active or bus ylandscape which is semi-natural in character on the wooded slopes but semi-urban and

organised on the land at the foot of the braes ;

views are important, they are confined when looking landwards and so views tend to b eseawards where they are of a vast scale, across the Firth of Forth .

DistributionThree locations in the study area on the north coast at Drybrae, near Newport on Tay (CB90) ,Kilburns (CB91) south of Balmerino (CB92) and at Flisk (CB93) and on the south coast atCastleback (CB94), Culross (CB95), from Torryburn to Limekilns (CB96) and from Aberdour t oBurntisland (CB97) .

Natural Systems and Processe sThe influence of the coastal processes, wind, rain and frost/snow continue to weather the brae sand the narrow strips of land on which the villages are located . In places sea defences in theform of walled promenades are important to prevent the erosion affecting developed land .

Description

Physical CharacteristicsC .14.1 The north shore of the Firth of Forth naturally consisted of a series of mudflats ,

beaches, sand and shingle bays and braes . The Braes are visually prominentfrom the south shore, bridges and from the Firth . They are mainly wooded ,steep sided (rather than sheer) and softened by vegetation . They have rounde dtops rolling over a distinct break of slope on to the rising land of the coastal hill sor Cullaloe Hills . They form one of the most outstanding features of the nort h

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coast of the estuary . They may be described as wooded bluffs but this does no temphasise their height and coastal character .

C14.2 At the foot of the braes there are raised beaches or wave cut platforms whic hform long, linear strips of land elevated generally up to about 5m above th ebeaches or intertidal zones . There are occasional small peninsulas projectingseaward from these platforms and locally the platforms widen . Both of thesefeatures provide important open spaces between the coastal road and th eintertidal areas .

C .14.3 On the north coast the wooded braes are less noticeable, being backed by highe rhills, but nevertheless they form a series of linear features similar to those on th esouth coast though often much longer .

Settlement Pattern, Land Use and Land CoverC .14 .4 The narrow platforms at the base of the braes on the Firth of Forth are utilise d

for the linear, south facing settlements of Culross, Charlestown and Limekiln swhich retain their traditional coastal character and form prominent features fro mthe south shore, the bridges and the Firth . The physical constraints of th esteeply wooded braes and the Firth have ensured the traditional linear settlemen tpattern has been retained . The buildings all cluster at the foot of the brae an dface the coastal road.

C .14 .5 The villages have also spread up the narrow, sheltered steep sided folds in th ebraes where they front narrow, steep, winding roads that gain access to th eshore, via the folds, from the Coastal Hills above .

C .14 .6 The Braes are almost entirely wooded . There are some areas of permanen tpasture. None of the Braes are cultivated. The wooded tops of the Braes mar kthe abrupt end of arable farmland on the Coastal Hills and the trees are visibl eabove the brae top . Thus the woods are seen from the Firth and landward side sof the Braes .

C .14 .7 The platforms at their base are developed as villages or used as recreationa lopen space, with occasional features related to the Firth, e .g . navigationa linfrastructure and small boat moorings and yards . There are old Limekilns a tLimekilns that are of industrial heritage and landscape interest .

C .14 .8

On the north coast the Braes are almost entirely free of built development, ar every inaccessible and comprise long stretches of ancient semi-natural woodland .

Linear and Point FeaturesC .14.9 These landscapes have very strong linear characteristics with the sinuous lines

of the woods, villages, roads, sea walls, beach heads and brae tops flowin galong the coasts of the Firths . The peninsulas of low lying land projectin gseaward are the only interruptions to these lines. Point features tend to be anytall, vertical features on the peninsulas or open spaces, e .g . navigational lights ,poles etc . Otherwise point features that influence the southern Braes tend to b ethe masts, flues and cranes on the Coastal Flats outwith this landscape type .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .14 .10 Owing to their coastal location these landscapes can vary considerabl y

according to weather conditions . High winds, storms and high seas can mak ethem very exposed noisy, chaotic places . Most of the time, however, they aresmall-scale, diverse, textured, colourful, calm and quiet landscapes with acontrast between the sheltered enclosure, vertical, sinuous lines of the Braesand the vast-scale exposed, horizontal, landscape of the Firths . The Braes

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provide security, shelter and an enduring quality to the narrow strips o fdeveloped land but the settlements look outwards across the Firth, so they ten dto be an ever present backdrop to the villages rather than their focus .


C .14 .11 There is little evidence of substantial change in this landscape type which i sgenerally well managed and well controlled from a planning point of view . Thephysical restrictions limit development options. Environmental improvement shave enhanced the sea fronts on the south coast .

C .14 .12 The woodland trees appear to be in good condition in themselves but there is anoticeable lack of natural regeneration or under-planting in most of the woods .This could lead to the loss or decline of the woodland on the Braes . Thewoodland is partly plantation and partly semi-natural . On the south coast ther eare large areas dominated by sycamore which was clearly planted to withstan dthe coastal exposure and has since spread .

C .14.13

Where grazing may be abandoned the pastures would revert to scrub o rwoodland which would be compatible with the landscape type .

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C.15

Coastal Flats


Key Characteristics and Features of the Coastal Flats :

flat, low-lying, open, large-scale, exposed coastal landscapes at sea level .

intensively cultivated, geometrically laid out, large to medium-scale, predominantly arable field sor forestry plantations with rectilinear, fenced enclosures or without enclosure ;

a variety of other land uses, particularly industrial and other built developments, golf course sand other grasslands;

the slightly sinuous or angular roads raised above the fields with stone dykes or open sides ;

isolated, scattered or regularly spaced farmsteads, conspicuous due to lack of screening, i ncontrast to the designed landscapes which are well screened by policy planting and shelterbelts .

straight ditches, sea walls and flood banks with small bridges ;

several point features of interest that are conspicuous in the flat landscape ;

a coastal landscape where the character is always influenced by the sea and can be particularl yaffected by the weather conditions and views of the sky and the sea ;

the wide range of landscape experiences depending on the particular landscape unit and th eweather conditions; typically dominated either by the areas of development or the coast ;

away from the urban areas and forestry plantations it is a large-scale, open (and in high wind svery exposed), simple, flat, balanced landscape with varied textures and colours and slo wmovement; in the plantations it is a small-scale, confined, uniform, tended, very calm an d

sheltered landscape with straight lines, simple patterns and little variation in colours or textures ;

seaward views are invariably extensive and may be extensive across the Flats themselve s

landward, views are generally towards the Cliffs, Braes, Coastal Hills or Coastal Terraces .

DistributionSeventeen locations including 9 on the east coast at Tentsmuir Forest (CF98), from Morton toLeuchars (CF99), Earlshall Muir (CF100), Guardbridge (CF101), Leuchars Airfield (CF102), th eRiver Eden (CF103), Edenside (CF104), The Links (CF105) and north west St Andrews (CF106) .On the north coast at Newburgh (CF107) and Mugdrum Island (CF108) and on the south coas tat St Ford links (CF109), Kincardine (CF110), Longannet (CF111), Valleyfield Ash Lagoon s(CF112), Rosyth (CF113) and Kinghorn (CF114) .

Natural Systems and ProcessesExtensive flats created naturally as raised beaches or artificially by the creation of sea walls an dclaiming land from the Firth of Forth and the intertidal area, protected by flood banks an dditches . Mugdrum coastal flats form an island in the Tay estuary .

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Description

Physical Characteristics and Land Cove rC.15 .1 On the south coast the very flat, low-lying coastal landscapes include lan d

claimed from the intertidal and maritime parts of the Firth of Forth and are at o rslightly above or below sea level . Protected by flood banks the areas aredominated by industrial or dock or port related development, power stations an dassociated lagoons or arable farmland with large, geometric field patterns divide dby fences. Roads crossing the Flats are elevated up to a metre or so above th efield levels . All buildings and other structures are prominent in views across th eFlats and from the Firth and the intertidal areas. From the Coastal Braes an dHills, the Flats are seen as encroachments into the estuary, now typical but no thistorically characteristic .

C.15 .2

At Rosyth the Flats are not intensively farmed and areas of reed beds prevail ,locally, with scrub spreading from the higher land behind .

C.15 .3 The physical characteristics of the areas within this landscape character type o nthe north and east coasts are very similar, but their land cover varies greatly .They generally comprise land between the intertidal areas (i .e . The Tentsmui rSands, Eden Estuary, West Sands rocky shores north of St Andrews, and th eEast Sands), and the Coastal Terraces . The Coastal Flats generally do not ris eabove 1Om AOD, and are drained by a series of small burns or straight man -made drainage ditches .

C .15 .4 On the east coast, Tentsmuir Forest and Reres Wood are extensive areas o fcommercial Forest Enterprise coniferous woodland, lying on the sands north o fthe Eden Estuary . Some areas have been felled and replanted, and public acces sis available to a picnic area on the dunes on the east coast .

C .15 .5 In between the forest and woodland is Earlshall Muir, an SSSI first notified i n1955, due to it being the largest remaining tract of unafforested lime-poor sanddunes in south-east Scotland . It has examples of dune plant communities an dincludes an extensive area of dune alder-willow and birch woodland (which i snow rare in Britain due to widespread reclamation and afforestation) . The sitealso supports a number of locally rare plant species and dune breeding birds ,some of which are regionally and nationally uncommon .

C .15.6 RAF Leuchars has been developed on the coast to the south-east of Leuchars ,and the airfield runways and ancillary buildings generally occupy the coasta lflats. Further south, at the mouth of the River Eden, Guardbridge has developedon the flat land west of the estuary, where a large paper mill takes advantage o fthe position . The flats continue for approximately 2 km inland around th eMoonzie Burn, and are used for arable production .

C .15 .7 A narrow flat area around the Motray Water, to the north of the Moonzie Burn ,continues as a narrow, flat area between the Coastal Terraces of Leuchars ,before widening out further north through Cast, to the west of Tentsmuir Forest .Through this area runs the railway line and disused railway north of Leuchars ,and the Leuchars Junction Station to the south of the town . Although someexpansion of the town has taken place on the flat land to the west, where th eA919 turns through 45°, most development has occurred on the terrace . Thereare isolated, regular farmsteads including Cast, Rhynd and Pitlethie, which areconspicuous due to lack of screening .

C .15 .8

The coastal flats at Edenside is a narrow piece of flat land between the Ede nEstuary and the Kincaple coastal terrace .

It is generally undeveloped ,

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predominantly comprising arable farmland and fields used for pig rearing . Thenow dismantled railway ran along the shoreline, and the A91 cuts through thearea. The southern boundary includes the shelterbelt planting associated wit hthe designed landscape of Strathtyrum House, and Easter Kincaple Farm . TheEdenside flats continue between Wester Kincaple and Guardbridge as the Rive rEden flats, an area of large, regular arable fields .

C .15 .9 The Links golf courses occupy the extensive area of flat land between StAndrews and the Eden Estuary . The area to the south of the dismantled railwa yline has been reclaimed from fields in arable production, and now includes tw onew courses and a driving range . The former railway station is now the StAndrews Old Course Hotel, whilst the area to the north of the former railwa yline includes the four older courses, the visitors club house and the 'Himalayan 'sand dune system . A minor road leads along the dunes to the Eden Estuar yNature Reserve .

C.15 .10 The main University campus and playing fields occupy the flat land at Nort hHaugh . With The Links to the north, Strathtyrum to the west and the Nort hBank terrace to the south, this coastal flats area to the north-west of S tAndrews extends towards the Royal and Ancient Golf Club House and include sthe shops, hotels and properties between the club house and the University .

C.15 .11 The flat areas around the Kinness Burn provide areas of important open spacethrough St Andrews. Extensively undeveloped and treed from Carron Bridge i nthe west to Cockshaugh Park, the remainder of the flat area through the tow nis developed on both sides of the Kinness Burn, although less densely towardsthe northern end around Abbey Park and the harbour . The Kinness Burn mark sthe southern boundary of the St Andrews Outstanding Conservation Area, mos tof which lies on the coastal terrace to the north .

Settlement Pattern and Land UseC .15 .12 Historically, settlements on the south coast have located at the foot of the

Coastal Braes, on the wave cut platforms and raised beaches . The flats areoccupied by the farmland and now the industrial, dock, port and energy lan duses they were created for . Occasional steadings appear in the fields .

C .15 .13

The power stations at Kincardine and the dock yards at Rosyth are prominen tfeatures across the Firth of Forth .

C .15 .14 Settlement pattern within the coastal flats on the east coast is predominantl yconfined to built development in the centre of St Andrews, western expansio nclose to The Links (including the University halls of residence) and wester nexpansion of Leuchars . There are large isolated farmsteads at regular intervalson the coastal flats at Cast, where there are also farm cottages with shelterbelt sand one or two small woods . Easter Kincaple Farm lies on the edge of th eEdenside coastal flats, and the designed landscape at Strathtyrum Hous ebetween Edenside and North Haugh . Kinshaldy farm and stables lie well hidde nwithin Tentsmuir Forest .

C .15 .15 Within Tentsmuir forest there are areas of pasture where tree felling ha soccurred, and where horse grazing is now well established with stables a tKinshaldy . The adjacent Morton Lochs Bird Sanctuary and the picnic are aattract both locals and tourists to the area .

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Linear and Point Feature sC.15 .16 High voltage powerlines are dominant features in the Kincardine area radiatin g

from the power stations and even crossing the Firth itself . Though lessconspicuous the often straight or slightly curving or angular roads, with fences ,overhead wires and, in places, drystone dykes, are characteristic and noticeabl efeatures. Some roads have had all boundaries removed and internal fiel dboundary loss has led to very large, featureless arable fields at Longannet, i ncontrast to the area immediately behind the power station which has overgrow nhedges, low grazing levels, hedgerow trees and pockets of wetland habitats .The sea walls and banks are also noticeable .

C .15 .17 Point features tend to be the chimneys, stacks, towers and cranes of the powe rstations, factories and docks on the industrial areas . On the agricultural land th esteadings are conspicuous point features, so too are the few remaining trees .

C .15 .18 On the north and east coast, linear features evident from the coastal flatsinclude such features as the sand dunes and braes and cliffs where visible .Roads, tracks, shelterbelt planting and the extensive coniferous forest an dwoods at Tentsmuir and Reres Wood are linear features visible from mostlocations, whereas the airfield runways, disused railway line and operationa lrailway are evident from limited locations . Field boundaries are generally absent ,but where present, such as at Edenside and around The Links and University ,they are obvious linear features in an otherwise flat landscape . The medieva lwall around the old town is a linear feature of particular interest .

C .15 .19 Point features within St Andrews include individual buildings or ruins of note ,and features of interest at the harbour such as the boats . Within The Links, th elarge buildings such as the hotel and club house stand out within the flat are asurrounding them, and the Swilken Bridge is a famous feature over the burn . AtRAF Leuchars, the brightly coloured wind sock is visible for some distance to th esouth . Carved wood sculptures provide points of interest at the picnic area i nTentsmuir Forest .

Characteristics of the Landscape ExperienceC .15 .20 The agricultural areas tend to be large-scale, still, open or exposed, uniform ,

textured, flat, angular landscapes, with discordant features, muted colours ,regular patterns and disturbed or neglected areas between the large, intensivel ycultivated fields . Near Rosyth the reed beds are more colourful, with varie dtextures, movement and a more natural appearance .

C .15 .21

The industrial and dock areas are urbanised but the scale of buildings an dinfrastructure is very large and noisy, dominating the nearby areas .

C .15 .22 From the coastal flats on the north and east coasts, different experiences aregained due to the variety of visual horizons. These range from middle distanc eto the coastal and volcanic hills, where confined by vegetation and topography ,to long distance over other flat areas near the coast and over the sea and Ede nEstuary, as far as the Grampian Mountains to the north on a fine, clear day .

C.15 .23 In general, the landscape is large-scale, open and exposed, uniform and smoot hor textured, flat with curved lines . It is a mostly balanced, still, organised ,tended and quiet landscape . Where the Coastal Flats are more confined, eithe rby buildings or vegetation, experiences tend to be of a smaller-scale landscap ethat is more diverse, rough and discordant, busier and more disturbed .

C .15.24

On the coastal flats at Leuchars and surrounding areas, the activities on th eairfield make these particularly noisy landscapes . The landscape of the airfield i s

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obviously quite different to any other area, but the large green/grey utilitaria nbuildings are generally scaled down by surrounding vegetation within ReresWood and Tentsmuir Forest, and thus relatively inconspicuous except from th eclosest of viewpoints .


C.15 .25 Although ground levels on the claimed land of the south coast may chang eabsolutely and relatively to the changing sea level these are not perceptible .There is evidence of loss and neglect of field boundaries and abandonment offarming at least near Rosyth . Without intensive agricultural activity and th emaintenance of sea and flood defences these areas would rapidly succumb t oinundation and may even revert to saltmarsh or other semi-natural coasta lhabitats. In most parts they lack the sense of history, permanence an dendurance of the landward areas . The potential threat of the sea is present an dwill not be diminished by rising sea levels . Declining field hedgerows and ston edykes and scrub invasion of embankments and ditches indicate that thes elandscapes are vulnerable to changes in management as well as to changes i nland use through development pressures .

C .15 .26 On the north and east coasts, changes within the enclosed landscapes generall yrelate to management of the woodlands (tree felling and replanting) and ne wbuilding or alterations to existing buildings . Where development has bee nallowed to encroach into the higher areas surrounding the flats, this has affecte dsome views out by changing the character of the surrounding landscape . Somenew buildings within the flat landscapes are particularly conspicuous and out o fscale with their surroundings, such as those on The Links . The impact o fpeople, vehicles, etc . can be intensive and can cause problems due to overuse ,particularly during the busiest periods .

C .15 .27 Some of the Coastal Flats may come under increasing pressure from buil tdevelopment, especially north-west of St Andrews, Edenside, and aroundGuardbridge and Leuchars . RAF Leuchars would be subject to similar pressure sif it was closed . Tentsmuir Forest and The Links are unlikely to be altere ddetrimentally due to their protection and historical significance .

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C .16 and C .17 Intertidal Mudflats and Othe rIntertidal Shores


Key Characteristics and Features of the Intertidal Mudflats and Other Intertidal Shores :

a natural landscape dominated by the sea and the tidal cycle ;

at low tide the low lying, dull brown or brown-grey sheets of the mudflats with the meanderin goutwash channels ;

the rougher texture, more colourful shingle bays and rocky shores with their deep striations ;

the lighter colour and smooth, even slope to the sea of the sandy beaches with their groyne sand other structures ;

the landform, colours, textures and patterns of sand/mud and water of the estuaries ;

the large-scale, flat, open or exposed, uniform or simple landscapes with smooth textures ,sinuous lines and muted colours ;

the solitude dominated by natural noises and the naturalness of the areas, with sometimes hug eflocks of birds or perhaps just occasional waders or gulls flying or scurrying across mud o r

shingle ;

the ever changing line of the water's edge and the sound and movement of the waves ;

the generally natural landscape occasionally punctuated by small moored craft, artefacts o fnavigation and small harbours ;

the wide range of landscape experiences depending on the weather conditions and the loca lpermutations of mud, sand, shingle and rock, estuary or harbour ;

typically, it is a large-scale, open land in high winds very exposed), simple, flat, harmonious ,natural, landscape with sinuous lines, random patterns, varied textures and colours and slo w

movement, and dominated by the sight, sound and smell of the sea .

views are invariably extensive in the seaward direction and to landward are generally toward sthe Cliffs, Braes, Coastal Hills or Coastal Terraces .

DistributionLocated almost continuously around the coast of Fife this landscape comprises the intertida lmudflats, sands, shingle and rock between mean, high and low watermarks of ordinary sprin gtides .

Natural Systems and Processe sThese landscapes are extremely dynamic being affected constantly by the natural coasta lgeomorphological processes and the daily cycle of tides covering and exposing them . Locally ,there are signs of short term change caused by natural processes, e .g . accretion or erosion o fsand dunes .

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Description

Physical Characteristics and Land Cove rC.16 .1 The mudflats are flat and variably covered with water, depending on the tide .

They tend to be low lying, dull brown or brown-grey sheets of mud with th emeandering outwash channels of the burns adding further reflective surfaces .The presence of feeding and roosting/resting birds is important . In places theyare covered in green algae or eel grass but generally they are unvegetated .

C .16 .2 The shingle bays, by contrast, are a rougher texture, more colourful but still lo wlying though sometimes with a gentle slope to the sea . Wave action is morepronounced especially where rocky protrusions break the inflow or outflow o fthe tides.

The shingle bays have fewer birds and less noticeable wate rchannels .

C .16 .3 The sandy beaches are prominent by reason of their colour and smooth, eve nslope to the sea . Groynes and other structures are present and water channel sare few . Wave action depends on tide and weather conditions . These areascan be densely occupied by people with great activity at lower tides in thesummer in fine weather . At other times they can be apparently devoid of lif eand activity .

C .16 .4

Rocky shores are found particularly on the east coast of Fife with varied colour sand textures on flat or gently sloping wave cut platforms .

Settlement Pattern and Other Land UsesC .16.5 Self-evidently there are no settlements on the intertidal areas but these area s

have been lost to land claim, with substantial seaward encroachment by th eCoastal Flats described at C .15 above . Land claim results in a total loss of th earea from intertidal to permanent land, often with associated infrastructural an dindustrial development .

C .16.6 Land use of the intertidal zone is necessarily limited in scope but recreationa lenjoyment and some shellfish and bait gathering are important social and cultura lactivities that generally leave the landscape of the intertidal zone unaffecte dowing to the tidal cycle .

Linear and Point Feature sC.16.7 There are no significant point features on the intertidal as navigationa l

equipment etc . is generally located on the maritime part of the Firth . Linearfeatures include the outwash channels and groynes at low tide and th econstantly changing lines of the breaking waves and water's edge .

Characteristics of the Landscape Experienc eC .16 .8 The sandy beaches and other intertidal areas, on fine summer days, can b e

colourful or garish, chaotic, busy and noisy places. Most of the time, however ,they are large-scale, flat, open or exposed, uniform or simple landscapes wit hsmooth textures, sinuous lines and muted colours . They can be areas ofsolitude dominated by natural noises (waves, wind, birds) and free of th eintrusion of human activity . The naturalness of the areas, with sometimes hug eflocks of birds or perhaps just occasional waders scurrying across the mud o rshingle is the epitome of a Scottish estuary .

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C.16 .9 There is little evidence of change in the intertidal zone except where algae or ee lgrass appear to be expanding and some gradual changes in the line of outwashchannels and beach levels are just perceptible . The greatest threat of chang emust be further land claim, especially of mudflats, but the internationa lecological importance of these is likely to deter further extensive encroachment .Otherwise, infrastructural works e .g . pipelines and coast protection works maybe the only other expected changes .

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C .18 and C .19 The North Sea and the Firths ofForth and Tay


Key Characteristics and Features of the North Sea and the Firths of Forth and Tay :

a very large-scale, flat, horizontal and natural landscape dominated by the weather condition sand the colour of the sea and the sky and the movement of waves ;

the many small off-shore islands ;

the navigation and shipping artefacts on the water ;

the frequent but very slow movements of vessels of a variety of types ;

a maritime landscape where the character is always influenced by the sea and can beparticularly affected by the weather conditions and views of the sky and the sea ;

the effects of lights reflecting on the Firths at night ;

the Tay Road and Railway Bridges, and the Kincardine, Forth Rail and Forth Road Bridges ;

often a calm, bright, colourful and smooth, exposed landscape with extensive views .

DistributionTwo major Firths forming the southern and northern limits of the study area . The North Sea a tSt Andrews Bay from Tentsmuir point to Fife Ness .

Natural Systems and Processe sTidal estuaries of the Firths and to the east the open sea dominated by maritime influences, th eFirths crossed by bridges and further modified by extensive land claim on the shores .

Description

Physical Characteristics and Land CoverC .18 .1 The landscape is flat, expansive and maritime in character but it is no t

featureless . Many small off-shore islands are studded across the Firths . Thereare navigation and shipping artefacts on the water and frequent movements o fvessels ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to diminutive dinghies andother small craft . Although busy, the landscape has slow moving features .Weather conditions and time of day can radically change the character .

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Settlement Pattern and Land Us eC .18 .2 Self-evidently, there are no settlements on the maritime Firths but the shore s

tend to be dominated by towns and industrial development . The Firths are afocus for settlement, transport and industrial activity and the flat, open sea i sconsequently dominated by these features on the coast . Substantial areas o fthe Firth of Forth have been lost to land claim, e .g. at Preston Island and Rosyt hon the North shore and Grangemouth/Kinneil/Bo'ness on the south shore . Theseartificial land bodies reduce the area and intrude into the Firth . They interruptthe natural, sinuous lines of the coast . They contain, in places, a clutter ofindustrial infrastructure which can extend into the open sea .

Linear and Point Feature sC.18.3 The off-shore islands form the main pattern of point features on the Firth . Al l

are small and vary from low lying, rounded or linear domes to rocky protrusion swith shallow bluffs and braes . Some are featureless, several are wooded an dsome contain buildings including lighthouses . All are prominent and importan tfeatures in the landscape . With the bridges, they provide a strong sense o fplace and distinctive identity . At low tide, shallow sand bars may also b eexposed, causing the waves to break and adding complex patterns to the ripple son the surface caused by the wind and tides. Numerous small buoys and othe rnavigational aids can be noticeable features on a calm sea .

C .18.4 Whilst, at the western end of the Forth, the Kincardine river bridge is a nimportant visual feature the main linear features on the Firth are the two bridge sat Queensferry . These outstanding engineering structures give the Firth alandscape recognised across the world and provide Fife with two of its mos tdistinctive features. By day, and when lit at night, the close relationship of th etwo bridges and their respective landings dominates the Firth . The contrastingdesigns and materials of the two structures enhance the inter relationships . Th eelegant, simple shape of the road bridge with its high towers and graceful curve sof the suspension cables contrasts with the solid, geometrical, balanced ,latticework of the rail bridge which has three massive piers linked by seemingl yfragile sub-bridges forming two flat arches over the Firth, each some 518 metreslong .

C .18.5

Similarly the Tay rail and toll road bridges form distinctive, well known feature slinking Dundee to the north Fife coast .

C .18.6 The presence of the bridges as landscape features is enhanced by thei rconsiderable cultural, social and economic importance . Built to supplement th etraditional ferries that experienced difficulties with the Firths' currents, winds ,high seas and haars, the bridges represent the best and biggest engineeringstructures of their respective ages and each has an important historical andcultural dimension as well as the engineering and economic dimension .

Characteristics of the Landscape Experienc eC.18.7 The Firths and the sea can be calm, bright, colourful and smooth with extensiv e

views dominating the coastal scenery from north and south shores . They ca nalso become stormy, dark, rough, almost monotone grey with low cloud, rai nand high winds transforming the estuary into a forbidding deterrent to huma nactivity . Haars can conceal the shores and blanket the Firths in a dens efeatureless mist disorientating even those people familiar with its banks an dfeatures .

C .18.8

This landscape is experienced in four important ways:a) from the shores ;b) from ships and other vessels on the water ;

98

c) from the bridges ; andd) from the air .

From the shores the experience is dominated by the flat openness of the se awith the noises of the waves, wind, sea birds and often traffic being importantinfluences . The views across the Firths to the opposite shore are expansive an dcontain many features that are distinctive despite the scale and distance . Theseinclude the distant hills and the urban conurbations, industrial structures and th ebridges .

C.18.9 From the sea itself the experience is typically maritime but not with the infinit ehorizons and juxtaposition of sea and sky . Here the horizons are higher, close rand formed by the shores of the Firths . The experience is determined entirely b yweather and sea conditions in a landscape dominated by the natural elements .

C.18.10 Views from the Kincardine Bridge are low, across a mixed landscape of farmlan dand urban and industrial development . A large-scale landscape that is open ,diverse, mainly flat and busy with many discordant elements . From the ForthRoad Bridge the views are from high points looking down on to a seascape wit hmany features. It is exposed (for the cyclist or pedestrian), surprisingly diverse ,busy and often colourful for a maritime landscape . From the Tay bridges theviewpoints are lower .

C.18.11 The Firths are often viewed from the air because, depending on wind direction ,many scheduled and chartered aircraft fly out over the Firth on take off o rlanding from local airports. The views are seen at relatively low altitude with th eFirth, the bridges, the shores and the landward areas seen in a context that i snot possible from the ground .


C .18.12

The seascapes are unlikely to experience major changes that would alter thei rlandscape character unless :

a) significant further land claim encroached on the sea (negativ eimpact) ;

b) shipping and/or boating noticeably increased (potentially positiv eeffects) ;

c) new structures, masts etc . were located on the sea or the island s(negative impact) ; o r

d) a further bridge crossing is constructed (this potentially woul dhave both negative and positive effects depending on th elocation and design) .

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PART D LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES

Introductio n

Landscape ManagementManagement of the landscape resource is an essential part of sustaining the natura lheritage of Scotland . Even where no development or land use change occurs th elandscape will change as components mature and age and in response to changes i nland management . Landscape management may involve positive action e .g . managin ghedgerows or repairing stone dykes, or considered decisions not to take positive actio ne.g. to retain and manage unimproved semi-natural grasslands for their landscape an dnature conservation value. Woodlands may appear to be enduring features bu tmanagement is essential to sustain their natural heritage value .

Landscape Sensitivity and CapacityEach of the different landscape types has a different sensitivity to change and adifferent capacity to absorb differing forms of change . Contemporary landscapeplanning seeks to ensure that development is directed towards those landscape area swhich could absorb the different forms of development without harming the overal lcharacter, or where some developments could make a positive contribution to th echaracter .

Landscape Enhancemen tIn most landscape types there will be opportunities to enhance the landscape characte rby mitigating the effects of adverse changes, restoring important landscap echaracteristics and features and adding new elements to the landscape whic hcomplement their character . Self-evidently, however, some landscape types are more i nneed of enhancement than others .

Landscape Guideline sThe following guidelines reflect the sensitivities and capacity of the landscape type toaccommodate the changes discussed earlier in the report . They are intended to providea broad basis for the development of more detailed management strategies and to hel pto inform development control and other land use and land management decisions . Theoverall aim of such strategies and decisions should be to sustain the key characteristic sand features of the landscape types through appropriate management, to restore thei rlandscape character where necessary and to enhance the landscape where th eopportunity arises .

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D .1

The Uplands

AgricultureChange has been slow and subtle in the farming of the Uplands and is unlikely to see radica lchange unless there is a major change in the economics of hill farming .

The continuation of stock farming in this landscape is an important key to its future landscapecharacter . Should this become vulnerable to significant change, measures should be consideredto sustain the stock farming or a positive landscape management plan should be drawn up t oguide resultant changes .

The essential aspects of the agricultural management are the repair and maintenance of th estone dykes, maintaining the characteristic open, irregular field patterns (and not introducin gnew field patterns into open land) and maintaining the patchwork of grasslands .

Improving grasslands and drainage schemes could disturb the characteristic land cover andvegetation patterns and adversely affect the colours and textures of the landscape and it secological value . Unimproved pasture and hill grazing should be retained as the predominan tland use .

The extension of heather cover and the management of heather on the Uplands should b eencouraged .

Encourage maintenance of the open, irregular field patterns .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of dry stone dykes in local stone with an emphasi son roadside walls and others in highly visible areas .

The establishment of new or significant expansion of any existing steadings, generally would b einappropriate and proposals should be subject to rigorous scrutiny for their landscape and visua limpacts .

Any farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should not be converted t oresidential or other similar uses .

ForestryA bold approach to the afforestation problems of the Ochils is required and is being taken b yForest Enterprise . A forestry and land use plan of the Ochils could provide an overall contextand help to identify potential schemes and priorities . This would translate the Indicativ eForestry Strategy (Fife Regional Council, 1992) into a more positive but not prescriptive lan duse and management plan for the Ochils . This aspect of enhancement should continue to b eregarded as a priority .

Afforested areas should be managed strictly in accordance with good forestry practice .

For the larger areas of coniferous plantations, consideration should be given to varying th eamount and timing of clear felling in advance of full commercial maturity, leaving some areas o rtrees to over-mature commercially and to the introduction of broadleaved planting and ope nclearings to break down the uniformity and regularity of the plantations .

Positive enhancement of the Uplands is both possible and, in the case of parts of the Cleis hHills, a priority . Enhancement could reintroduce some semi-natural broadleaved woodland intosheltered hollows or dips, and with very careful attention to scale, design and locatio nelsewhere, but not to the extent that the open character would be adversely affected .

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Where they occur, old groups of Scots pine which occur infrequently in parts could b erestocked to perpetuate the scatter of small-scale shelter planting .

A bold approach to the afforestation problems in the Cleish Hills is required and is being takenby Forest Enterprise . Some additional planting around the edges and as extensions to some o fthe existing blocks of forestry could relieve the uniformity and regularity of the older plantin gand the outlines of the plantations should respond more closely to the landform . The mostconspicuous edges should be considered and the lead has already been taken by Fores tEnterprise in its approach to restructuring . Other landowners are being encouraged to adop tthis principle by the Forestry Authority, but where plantations are in multi-ownership, immediat ework can reduce the economic viability of the forest . However, this change will be encouragedat the time of replanting and thinning .

A Management Plan for the Cleish Hills could provide an overall context and help to identif ypotential schemes and priorities . This would translate the Indicative Forestry Strategy into amore positive but not prescriptive land use and management plan . This aspect of enhancementshould continue to be regarded as a priority . The Forest Enterprise design plans are a valuabl emodel of how restructuring can be achieved .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentThe Uplands have an extremely low capacity for absorbing any form of built development .Screening would be extremely difficult : many afforested areas are overlooked from importan tpeaks and other high vantage points ; landform would not screen these types of development .Furthermore, the introduction of built development into the undeveloped parts of the Cleish Hill sand any part of the Ochil, Lomond and Benarty Hills would not only be difficult to screen bu tentirely alien to the character of the hills .

The exceptions are parts of the Cleish Hills where limited, small-scale development could tak eplace in association with the coniferous plantations and the motor racing circuit . Althoughconsiderable care would be required in siting and design, it could be possible to locate suc hdevelopment without so radical a change to the character and experience of the landscape i nthese parts of the Cleish Hills, owing to the presence of major roads, the motor racing circuit ,the masts and some development being visible on the perimeter of the hills . However, the openareas, particularly at Outh Muir should remain free of development .

Mineral WorkingThe Uplands have an extremely low capacity for absorbing mineral workings or large-scal eengineering operations . Screening would be extremely difficult and the introduction of ne wmineral working into the Uplands would not only be difficult to screen but entirely alien to th echaracter of the hills .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside Acces sRecreational and tourism access to the hills could create pressure for more facilities and access .The Cleish Hills have a higher capacity and already appear to be subject to greater pressure . Itis proposed, within the local plan (based on the management plan drawn up by the Regiona lCouncil), that part of Benarty Hill be incorporated within the Lochore Meadows Country Par k(Fife Regional Council, 1995) .

Lomond Hills and Benarty Hill are situated within a Regional Park but a wider initiative for th eUplands, in the form of a Recreational Access Strategy for the area, could involve landowner sand managers in the enhancement of provision without harming other land managemen tobjectives .

The forestry plantations have a high capacity for absorbing large numbers of people thu srelieving pressure on the open hills . Forestry Authority management grants are available fo rimproving the recreational, conservation and landscape value of woodlands .

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Plantations in and outwith the assessment area can be eligible for these and a current exampl eis Blackhill plantation, in the Ochils, where the public are welcomed .

Considerable work is also being undertaken by the Forestry Authority to encourage othe rwoodland owners to enter these schemes, under the "Walkers Welcome" initiative .

Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eThe Uplands have an extremely low capacity for absorbing any form of high, linear or large -scale structures. Screening would be extremely difficult : many afforested areas are overlooke dfrom important peaks and other high vantage points ; landform would not screen these types o fdevelopment . Furthermore, the introduction of any of these developments into the undevelope dparts of the Cleish Hills and any part of the Ochil, Lomond and Benarty Hills would not only b edifficult to screen but entirely alien to the character of the hills .

Further requirements for masts must be concentrated at existing locations . Hills should not b eselected which do not have masts at present . Benarty Hill should have a presumption againstany masts and any wind turbines . The skylines of these hills should be regarded as landscap efeatures of national importance and should be safeguarded from all development proposals tha tmay affect the skylines or landform or visual horizons .

A detailed study of the Cleish Hills, including areas outwith this study area, may identif ypotential sites for wind turbines, in accordance with national and local planning policies an dsensitive to the upland landscape .

General RecommendationsSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Uplands Landscape Type .

E .2.1 preparation of an historic landscape stud y

E .2.3 review of landscape designation s

E.2.5 preparation of a countryside recreation and access strateg y

E.2 .1O development control overvie w

E.2 .11 an overview of mineral workings in relation to landscape capacity and the possibl eidentification of Areas of Search for mineral workin g

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D.2 Upland Slopes

Agricultur eThe continuation of stock farming on the slopes is an important key to their future landscap echaracter . Should this become vulnerable to significant change, measures should be considere dto sustain the stock farming or a positive landscape management plan should be drawn up toguide resultant changes .

Encourage maintenance of the open, irregular field patterns .

Improving grasslands and drainage schemes could disturb the characteristic land cover an dvegetation patterns and adversely affect the colours and textures of the landscape and itsecological value .

Unimproved pasture and hill grazing should be retained as the predominant land use .

The establishment of new or significant expansion of any existing steadings, generally would b einappropriate and proposals should be subject to rigorous scrutiny for their landscape and visua limpacts .

Conspicuous and/or elevated farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should no tbe converted to residential or other similar uses unless they are well screened and a design ofexceptional innovation ensures that the converted building and its whole setting will retain it sagricultural character .

ForestryThe Lomond, Benarty and Cleish slopes require low key management, sustaining present da yactivities . When the softwood plantations reach commercial maturity, restructuring of th ewoodlands to incorporate more open ground and broadleaves should be undertaken usin gmodern Forestry Authority design principles (see Bibliography and References, Appendix 3) .

The Cleish slopes north have limited capacity to absorb more afforestation without obscurin gthe last remaining views of natural landform such as Wether Hill .

The Cleish slopes west, being smoother and lower with more complex land cover, have th ecapacity to accept carefully designed and located development and planting .

New broadleaved woodland (not softwood) could be planted along the Black Devon and an yacceptable development should also be concentrated only in existing corridors, on lower-lyin gground (but beyond the SSSI) .

The Benarty Slopes south have little capacity to absorb more afforestation without obscurin gviews up to Benarty Hill . However, some of the harsh, straight edges to the plantations coul dbe softened by further, mixed planting, which would help to diversify the land cover, make i tvisually more pleasing, and could have beneficial ecological effects .

Generally there is evidence of a characteristic pattern of narrow, linear belts of broadleave dsemi-natural woodland along the lines of some, but not all, of the burns and rivers .Consideration should be given to new planting schemes, where appropriate, to reflect thi spattern, but the general openness of the upper parts of the Cleish and Benarty slopes should b eprotected . Other forms of landscape enhancement are not generally necessary on the slopes ,more being achieved by sensitive management . The slopes have a low priority fo renhancement but an extremely high priority for safeguarding/conservation and management .

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Settlements, Built Development and Mineral Workin gThe higher, steeper slopes of the Cleish and Benarty Hills have no capacity to accept builtdevelopment, significant land use change that would result in a change of land cover or othe rdevelopments including engineering operations or mineral extraction that would involve changesto land form . Apart from their physical characteristics and the openness and conspicuousnes sof the slopes themselves, any significant changes of these kinds would affect the landscap eexperience of many other landscape types particularly the Lowland River and Loch Basins an dLowland Hills and Valleys .

The interface of the Upland Slopes and the Loch Ore basin is particularly sensitive, with littl ecapacity to absorb further development . Open-cast mining would be particularly damagingenvironmentally and especially visually . Existing and previous workings should be restored i nkeeping with the typical land use pattern of this sensitive landscape character area .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessConsideration should be given to the provision of better access to the slopes for informa lcountryside recreation and viewing . This should constitute no more than one or two carefull yrouted paths on the Lomond, Cleish west and Benarty slopes with parking below the foot o fthe slope . The Cleish Hill slopes have a high potential for access along the burn, but viewpoint swould be more difficult to create owing to topography and vegetation . The Benarty slopes havea low potential for access and for viewpoints but a recreational link to the Lochore MeadowsCountry Park and car parks could be investigated, which would open up extensive views to th esouth .

Considerable work is also being undertaken by the Forestry Authority to encourage otherwoodland owners to enter these schemes, under the "Walkers Welcome" initiative .

Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eThe Upland Slopes are not appropriate locations for masts, towers, overhead lines or other tal lstructures or for significant engineering works, owing to their extreme conspicuousness .

General Recommendation sSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Upland Slopes Landscape Type .

E .2 .1 preparation of an historic landscape stud y

E .2 .3 review of landscape designations

E .2 .5 preparation of a countryside recreation and access strateg y

E.2 .7 preparation of landscape management plans for the Upland Slopes and Pronounce dVolcanic Hills and Craig s

E .2 .10 development control overvie w

E .2 .11 an overview of mineral workings in relation to landscape capacity and the possibl eidentification of Areas of Search for mineral workin g

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D .3 Upland Foothills

AgricultureThe continuation of stock farming in this landscape is an important key to its future landscap echaracter . Should this become vulnerable to significant change, measures should be consideredto sustain the stock farming or a positive landscape management plan should be drawn up t oguide resultant changes .

Improving grasslands and drainage schemes could disturb the characteristic land cover an dvegetation patterns and adversely affect the colours and textures of the landscape and it secological value .

On the tops and upper slopes of the hills, sustain and encourage the continuation of grazing ,with a preference for a pattern of predominantly semi-improved, unimproved and rough hil lgrazing with increasing elevation . Resist conversion to arable land and intensive improvement o fhigher pastures .

On the middle slopes, seek to achieve a mix of unimproved, semi-improved and improve dgrazing with woodlands and some arable land where conditions are most favourable .

On the lower slopes, seek to achieve a mix with more arable land and semi-improved an dimproved grazing and woodlands where conditions are less favourable .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of hedgerows and hedgerow trees where thes ehave been characteristic in the past .

Further hedgerow loss would detract from the character of the landscape . Existing hedgerowsshould be restocked and managed to retain them as significant features in the landscape ,including allowing growth over one metre in height .

The planting of more hedgerow trees would enhance the landscape character .

Encourage the planting of small tree groups, especially around steadings and lines of trees ,especially along the roadsides, using appropriate broadleaved species .


Encourage maintenance of a medium-scale, irregular field pattern that tends to reflect th elandform, in particular to discourage the creation of very large fields .

Encourage the planting of new shelterbelts and the management of existing shelterbelts whic hwould reinforce important features and patterns in the landscape as the loss of shelterbelt swould detract from landscape character .

Encourage the planting of lines or avenues of trees along minor roads and tracks .

Encourage the use of the agricultural development notification scheme to influence the design ,colour, materials, screening and location of new farm buildings. Where planning permission i sgranted on an application, use conditions to control the type and colour of external cladding an dlandscape conditions to provide screening where appropriate .

Conspicuous and/or elevated farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should no tbe converted to residential or other similar uses unless a design of exceptional innovatio nensures that the converted building and its whole setting will retain its agricultural character .Elsewhere, well screened and discretely sited redundant buildings could be converted i n

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accordance with planning briefs or guidance on the way buildings should be converte d(including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) to prevent the suburbanisation of thecountryside .

Illustration of the vertical gradation of the Foothills

Distinctive, recognisable and prominent hi/Itops, peaks and skylines should be left fre eof new wood/and planting anddevelopment. Priority for hill andunimproved grazing and natural woodlan dregeneration.

Upper Slopes are sensitive an dconspicuous, should generally be /eft freeof development. Priority for unimprove dgrazing and woodland.

Middle Slopes are sensitive an dconspicuous, should still generally be leftfree of development Woodland could mak epositive contribution . Priority for woodlan dand improved grazing.

Lower Slopes are less sensitive an dconspicuous, may be able to accommodatewell sited and designed development, ver ypositive role for wood/and. Priority fo rmixed agriculture with more arable.

ForestryPlanting should generally be encouraged but the more distinctive, recognisable and prominen thill tops, peaks and skylines should be left free of new woodland plantations to maintain thei rdistinctive character . However, there is scope for natural woodland regeneration up to th enatural tree line .

Planting on the upper slopes should be encouraged but will require particularly sensitive locatio nand design and should be predominantly broadleaved species .

The middle, lower, less steep areas of the hills have the capacity for absorbing much morewoodland planting but in order to ensure it contributes positively to the landscape character i tshould comply with all of the Forestry Authority design guidance (see Bibliography an dReferences, Appendix 3) .

Important historical and other landscape features and local landmarks should be protected fro mwoodland planting that would obstruct views of the features .

Planting should not obstruct the views to and from the large houses and steadings on th eFoothills .

For existing plantations, ensure that the current Forestry Authority and Forest Enterpris eapproach to restructuring is followed . Replanting should conform to Forestry Authority desig nguidance and should result in a varied age and species structure, a greater proportion of ope nspace and woodland forms which more closely reflect the underlying landform and the loca llandscape character .

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Encourage the uptake of the WGS to create new woodland planting to help achieve other aims ,for example, to absorb better existing development into the open countryside and to scree nquarries and other visually intrusive or uncharacteristic features .

Encourage the interlinking of new woodlands to existing plantations and semi-natural woodlandson the hills and in the surrounding lowlands.

New planting should respect historic features, and have regard to the importance of the lon gdistance views from the hills .

Settlements and Built Developmen tThe very distinctive, recognisable and prominent hill tops, peaks, skylines and upper slope sshould be left free of all forms of built development, to maintain their distinctive character .

Any development proposal on the middle slopes should be subject to special scrutiny to ensur ethat it would not detract from the pattern of woodland and otherwise generally open nature o fthe slopes .

The lower, less steep areas of the Foothills have limited capacity for absorbing some forms o flow rise, low density, small-scale development but in order to ensure it does not detract fromthe landscape character it should be particularly well sited and designed and subject to specifi clandscape appraisal and, if granted, to landscaping conditions .

Important features and local landmarks should be protected from built development that woul dobstruct views of the features .

Encourage new development to reinforce the existing settlement pattern, focused on th esteadings and small villages . Small-scale extensions to the villages in the Foothills could b eaccommodated in the landscape if they are well sited and designed and new planting links an dblends to existing woodland patterns .

Sporadic or isolated development should be resisted in the open countryside .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessSubject to landowner agreements, encourage greater provision of informal countrysid erecreation and access within the Foothills, focused on the woodlands and the higher slopes an dtops with their outstanding views .

Other Development and Structure sRestrict road improvements to those necessary in the interests of public safety and efficientaccess for agriculture and forestry .

Where road improvement schemes take place, ensure that hedges and hedgerow trees, andespecially stone dykes, together with other features such as milestones, finger posts and gate sare restored and re-instated . Avoid the use of suburban features such as concrete kerbing in arural setting unless absolutely necessary . Explore more appropriate alternatives .

The landscape effects of new infrastructure and other projects should be minimised by locatin gany new facilities close to existing provision or roads wherever possible .

Telecommunication operators should be encouraged to develop a strategy that takes int oaccount the landscape implications of masts and which seeks to share masts where this i sappropriate and where this can be achieved without increasing the overall level of landscap eimpact .

Restrict the development of tall structures to those absolutely essential for operational reason sand avoid any new installation of masts, wind turbine generators or other tall or industrial-lik e

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structures on all the distinctive, recognisable and prominent hill tops, peaks, skylines and uppe rslopes .

Elsewhere, to ensure such structures do not detract from the landscape character they shoul dbe particularly well sited and designed and subject to specific landscape appraisal and, ifgranted, to landscaping conditions .

Where possible, encourage the builders of masts and other tall structures to achiev e'backclothing' particularly for associated infrastructure and buildings so that sky-line feature sare minimised .

Explore the potential to steer windfarm developments away from exposed and steep ridgeline sand summits and from locations where their visual influence would extend across the lowlands .Consider potential areas within shallow bowls and valleys, away from ridges . Maximise theamount of backclothing provided by the natural landform . Consider steering development t oareas already affected by masts, roads or forestry .

Mineral Workin gSelf-evidently, unless any new or extended mineral working proposal on the tops, upper o rmiddle slopes would be screened by existing landform, it will be extremely conspicuous in thi slandscape type by reason of the scale, nature and elevation of the proposal and the character o fthe landscape . Such proposals are likely to have very substantial adverse impacts on th elandscape character and visual amenity . Even if adequate screening could be achieved, a majo rnew or extended mineral working proposal would permanently affect the natural landform an dadversely affect the characteristic experience of this landscape .

On the lower slopes, it is possible that a well designed quarry that was appropriate to the site i nterms of scale and location, could be adequately screened and, given the less steep landform, i tmay be possible to achieve a restoration scheme that reflected the local topography . Whilst aquarry may still adversely affect the landscape experience the lower slopes do contain mor eactivity and some development to which the quarry could relate . To ensure any proposal for anew or extended mineral working would not detract from the landscape character it should bewell sited and designed and subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment, a sexplained in Section E .2 (pages 157-168) below and, if granted, to landscaping restoration an dafteruse and aftercare conditions .

General Recommendation sSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Upland Foothills Landscap eType .


E .2 .2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s


E .2.5 preparation of a countryside recreation and access strateg y

E .2.1O development control overvie w

E .2.11 an overview of mineral workings in relation to landscape capacity and the possibl eidentification of Areas of Search for mineral workin g

E .2.12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .4 Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craig s

AgricultureThe continuation of stock farming in this landscape is an important key to its future landscapecharacter . Should this become vulnerable to significant change, measures should be consideredto sustain the stock farming or a positive landscape management plan should be drawn up t oguide resultant changes .


On the tops and upper slopes of the hills, sustain and encourage the continuation of grazing ,with a preference for a pattern of predominantly semi-improved, unimproved and rough hil lgrazing with increasing elevation . Resist conversion to arable land and intensive improvement o fhigher pastures .

On the middle slopes, seek to achieve a mix of unimproved, semi-improved and improve dgrazing with some arable land where conditions are most favourable .

On the lower slopes, seek to achieve a mix with more arable land and semi-improved an dimproved grazing where conditions are less favourable .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of hedgerows and hedgerow trees where thes ehave been characteristic in the past .

Further hedgerow loss would detract from the character of the landscape . Existing hedgerowsshould be restocked and managed to retain them as significant features in the landscape ,including allowing growth over one metre in height .


Encourage the planting of small tree groups, especially around steadings and lines of trees ,especially along the roadsides, using native broadleaved species .


Encourage maintenance of a medium-scale, irregular field pattern that tends to reflect thelandform, in particular to discourage the creation of very large fields .


Encourage the planting of lines or avenues of trees along minor roads and tracks .

Encourage the use of the agricultural development notification scheme to influence the design ,colour, materials, screening and location of new farm buildings . Where planning permission i sgranted on an application, use conditions to control the type and colour of external cladding an dlandscape conditions to provide screening where appropriate .

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Conspicuous and/or elevated farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should no tbe converted to residential or other similar uses unless a design of exceptional innovatio nensures that the converted building and its whole setting will retain their agricultural character .Elsewhere, well screened and discretely sited redundant buildings could be converted i naccordance with planning briefs or guidance on the way buildings should be converte d(including the provision of drives, gardens etc.) to prevent the suburbanisation of thecountryside .

Illustration of the vertical gradation of the Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs

Distinctive, recognisable and prominent hi/ltops, peaks and skylines should be left fre eof new woodland planting an ddevelopment. Priority for hill andunimproved grazing and natural wood/an dregeneration.

Upper Slopes are sensitive an dconspicuous, should generally be /eft fre eof wood/and and development Priority forunimproved grazing.

Middle Slopes are sensitive andconspicuous, should still generally be /eftfree of development. Woodland could makepositive contribution. Priority for improvedgrazing.

Lower Slopes are less sensitive andconspicuous, may be able to accommodatewell sited and designed development, ver ypositive role for wood/and. Priority fo rmixed agriculture with more arable .

ForestryPlanting should generally be encouraged but the very distinctive, recognisable and prominent hil ltops, peaks and skylines should be left free of new woodland plantations to maintain thei rdistinctive character . However, there is scope for natural woodland regeneration up to th enatural tree line .

Planting on the upper slopes should be subject to special scrutiny to ensure that it woul dcontribute to and not detract from the generally open nature of the slopes .

Redwell Hill is particularly open and should remain so .

The middle, lower, less steep areas of the hills have the capacity for absorbing much morewoodland planting but in order to ensure it contributes positively to the landscape character i tshould comply with all of the Forestry Authority design guidance (see Bibliography andReferences, Appendix 3) .

Important features and local landmarks should be protected from woodland planting that woul dobstruct views of the features .

For existing plantations, ensure that the current Forestry Authority and Forest Enterpris eapproach to restructuring is followed . Replanting should conform to Forestry Authority desig nguidance and should result in a varied age and species structure, a greater proportion of ope nspace and woodland forms which more closely reflect the underlying landform and the loca llandscape character .

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Encourage the interlinking of new woodlands to existing plantations and semi-natural woodlandson the hills and in the surrounding lowlands .

New planting should respect historic features, and have regard to the importance of the lon gdistance views from the hills .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentThe very distinctive, recognisable and prominent hill tops, peaks and skylines should be left fre eof all forms of built development, to maintain their distinctive character .

Any development proposal on the upper and middle slopes should be subject to special scrutin yto ensure that it would not detract from the generally open nature of the slopes .

Redwell Hill is particularly open and should remain so .

The lower, less steep areas of the hills have some limited capacity for absorbing some forms o flow rise, low density, small-scale development but in order to ensure it does not detract fromthe landscape character it should be particularly well sited and designed and subject to specifi clandscape appraisal and, if granted, to landscaping conditions .

Important features and local landmarks should be protected from built development that woul dobstruct views of the features .

Cowdenbeath Hills, for example, could come under pressure for the future expansion o fCowdenbeath, but the Hill of Beath should be protected .

Encourage new development to reinforce the existing settlement pattern, focused on th esteadings .

Sporadic or isolated development should be resisted in the open countryside .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessSubject to landowner agreements, encourage greater provision of informal countrysid erecreation and access within the Foothills, focused on the woodlands and the higher slopes an dtops with their outstanding views.

Other Development and StructuresRestrict road improvements to those necessary in the interests of public safety and efficien taccess for agriculture and forestry .

Where road improvement schemes take place, ensure that hedges and hedgerow trees, andespecially stone dykes, together with other features such as milestones, finger posts and gatesare restored and re-instated . Avoid the use of suburban features such as concrete kerbing in arural setting unless absolutely necessary . Explore more appropriate alternatives .

The landscape effects of new infrastructure and other projects should be minimised by locatingany new facilities close to existing provision or roads wherever possible .

Telecommunication operators should be encouraged to develop a strategy that takes int oaccount the landscape implications of masts and which seeks to share masts where this i sappropriate and where this can be achieved without increasing the overall level of landscapeimpact .

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Restrict the development of tall structures to those absolutely essential for operational reason sand avoid any new installation of masts, wind turbine generators or other tall or industrial lik estructures on all the distinctive, recognisable and prominent hill tops, peaks and skylines .

Elsewhere, to ensure such structures do not detract from the landscape character they shoul dbe well sited and designed, and subject to specific landscape appraisal and, if granted, t olandscaping conditions .

Where possible, encourage masts and other tall structures to achieve 'backclothing' particularl yfor associated infrastructure and buildings so that sky-line features are minimised .

Explore the potential to steer windfarm developments away from exposed and steep ridgeline sand summits and from locations where their visual influence would extend across the lowlands .Consider potential areas within shallow bowls and valleys, away from ridges . Maximise theamount of backclothing provided by the natural landform. Consider steering development t oareas already affected by masts, roads or forestry .

Mineral Workin gSelf-evidently, unless any new or extended mineral working proposal on the tops, upper o rmiddle slopes would be screened by existing landform, it will be extremely conspicuous in thi slandscape type by reason of the scale, nature and elevation of the proposal and the character o fthe landscape . Such proposals are likely to have very substantial adverse impacts on th elandscape character and visual amenity . Even if adequate screening could be achieved, a majo rnew or extended mineral working proposal would permanently affect the natural landform an dadversely affect the characteristic experience of this landscape .

On the lower slopes, it is possible that a well designed quarry that was appropriate to the site i nterms of scale and location, could be adequately screened and given the less steep landform i tmay be possible to achieve a restoration scheme that reflected the local topography . Whilst aquarry may still adversely affect the landscape experience the lower slopes do contain mor eactivity and some development to which the quarry could relate . To ensure any proposal for anew or extended mineral working would not detract from the landscape character it should bewell sited and designed, and subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment, a sexplained in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) below and, if granted, to landscaping restoration an dafteruse and aftercare conditions .

The restoration of the larger quarries and bings in these hills would be a difficult and long-termprocess but would help to reduce the effects of the most obvious damage to the landscap echaracter .

General RecommendationsSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Pronounced Volcanic Hills an dCraigs Landscape Type .

E .2 .1 preparation of an historic landscape study

E.2.2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s

E.2 .3 review of landscape designations


E.2.7 preparation of landscape management plans for the Upland Slopes and Pronounce dVolcanic Hills and Craig s

E.2.10 development control overview

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E .2 .12 preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .5 Lowland Hills and Valleys

AgricultureEncourage maintenance of a medium-scale, regular field pattern that tends to reflect th elandform and which is well related to woodlands and linear belts of tree planting, in particular t odiscourage the creation of very large fields.

Where land is taken out of arable use permanently or temporarily, encourage the planting o fpermanent or short rotation woodland, or the establishment of more permanent pastures .

Where existing drains are improved, encourage the introduction of riparian planting or strips o fsemi-natural vegetation along the banks and avoid the creation of bare and conspicuousl yengineered drains .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of hedgerows .

The planting of more hedgerow trees would enhance the landscape character . Existinghedgerow trees and trees standing in fields should be managed and replaced wherever possible .



Encourage the appropriate conversion of redundant farm buildings . Guidance should be providedon the way buildings should be converted (including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) toprevent the suburbanisation of the countryside .

ForestryThere is considerable scope for new planting schemes in this landscape character type .

Through the WGS it is possible to initiate the planting of the landscape framework that woul daccommodate the development requirements of the 21st century whilst, at the same time,achieving the shorter term objective of environmental improvement . This could be vital to theimage of the area as perceived from the motorway and the A94 and other through routes .

Extensive areas of woodland and other planting would enable some larger residential typ edevelopment to be accommodated with little harm to the landscape, but it would again need t osustain the strong existing relationships between the built settlements and landscape in this par tof Fife .


New woodland could be in a variety of forms ranging from small groups of trees to smal lbroadleaved woodlands, mixed species plantations, linear belts along burns and roads and large rmixed plantations where these would relate to and not obscure the subtle topography .

All new planting should be in accordance with all of the Forestry Authority design guidance (se eBibliography and References, Appendix 3) .

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Encourage the planting of broadleaved trees along the rivers and burns to link existin gwoodlands and other habitats and to reinforce the semi-natural patterns of drainage and riparia nvegetation and habitats .

Encourage new planting to enhance the interlinking of new woodlands to existing plantation sand semi-natural woodlands on the hills and in the lowlands .

New planting should have regard to the importance of the long distance views from the hills .

The restocking and management of over-mature, neglected or declining woodlands an dshelterbelts should be encouraged .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentWest of Dunfermline, Fordell and in the valley of the Ede nThe largely unspoilt landscapes to the south and west of Dunfermline and in the Eden Valle yhave little capacity to absorb new development of any significant scale .

Small-scale built development well designed and related to its landscape setting could readily b eabsorbed into this varied landscape .

Small farmsteads or other small-scale business or residential or agricultural buildings may beaccommodated, especially where there is good tree cover, but this should not occur sofrequently as to change the essentially rural character of the landscape of this area .

Large-scale industry would not be appropriate .

Any form of large-scale industrial, chemical or engineering works could radically alter ke ycharacteristics of this landscape type and, where it remains largely unspoilt - e .g . units LH37 ,LH38, LH39, LH41, LH40 east of the B913 and LH36 (at Fordell to the east of Dunfermline) an dLH43-LH45 and at Cupar, LH31 to LH34 - these developments would not be acceptable i nlandscape terms .

In LH37 larger-scale developments should be concentrated in areas already disturbed in the pas tand should avoid prominent slopes and skylines .

North and East of DunfermlineThe area north and east of Dunfermline, (LH35) however, has considerable capacity t oaccommodate larger-scale new developments in the longer term .

This landscape is in need of comprehensive restoration and improvement, especially around th emain settlements . Local Plans for development areas are currently available and priority shoul dbe given to new planting within these areas .

There is the scope, through WGS to initiate the planting of the landscape framework that woul daccommodate the development requirements of the 21st century whilst, at the same time ,achieving the shorter term objective of environmental improvement . This could be vital to th eimage of this area as perceived from the motorway and the A94 and other through routes .

Around the edge of the larger existing settlements there is scope for new built development, a splanned for around some settlements to the east of Dunfermline . In the longer term, given anew landscape framework the area could have a substantial capacity to accommodate Fife' snecessary economic growth and housing provisions .

A more ambitious landscape restoration programme is required . A long term master plan of th earea with a long term vision of the environment of this area half way through the 21st centur ycould be drawn up as a strategic vision statement . It could form the context for futurestructure plan and local revisions, and for the targeting of public resources and infrastructure

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works in the long term. It would be led by the vision of a new landscape of high natura lheritage value . Local environmental initiatives could be integrated into it and it could b eimplemented through the process of Loca/Agenda 21 for Fife .

Mineral WorkingSouth and West of Dunfermline, Fordell and in the Valley of the EdenIn the largely unspoilt landscapes to the south and west of Dunfermline and in the Eden Valle yany form of large-scale mineral workings could radically alter key characteristics of thi slandscape type and, where it remains largely unspoilt - e .g . units LH37, LH38, LH39, LH41 ,LH40 east of the B913 and LH36 (at Fordell to the east of Dunfermline) and LH43-LH45 and atCupar, LH31 to LH34 - these developments would not be acceptable in landscape terms .

To the west of Dunfermline the principal form of enhancement to the landscape would be th erestoration of bings and previously mined areas to woodland and recreational/leisure uses ,agricultural restoration has not worked well from a landscape point of view . This can beachieved through the development control process and normal land management measures suc has the WGS .

North and East of Dunfermlin eThere is scope for further mineral working in LH35, north and east of Dunfermline .

Any proposals for new or large-scale mineral working should be subject to a detailedassessment of the landscape and visual impacts as set out in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) . I naccordance with best practice, comprehensive mitigation measures should be designed for eac hphase of the development to minimise the effects on the landscape and the visual impacts .

Restoration schemes should be phased, minimising the area disturbed at any phase and shoul daim to reinstate the existing landscape character and features as far as possible, with newwoodland or open water or other semi-natural habitats where appropriate .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside Acces sThe Lowland Hills and Valleys are particularly important from a countryside recreation point ofview because of their proximity to the larger settlements, facilitating easy access for shor twalks and cycle or horse rides .

Permissive access to the countryside around towns should be positively encouraged .

Encourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially i nwoodlands and along river banks, old railway lines and other interlinking linear routes .

Other Development and Structures in the LandscapeSubject to appropriate design and siting the Lowland Hills and Valleys have the capacity t oaccommodate other forms of modest-scale development and structures, though in prominen tlocations these should be subject to landscape and visual impact assessment as described i nSection E.3 (pages 157-160) below .

Encouraging the careful siting and design of any new high or bulky structures so that they arenot on skylines or otherwise conspicuous. Utilise landform and existing and new planting t ohelp relate the structure to the landscape setting . Any structures likely to have a significan teffect on the landscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impac tassessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) below .

When improving minor roads, features such as walls, stone dykes, stone bridges, guideplates ,finger posts and large open verges should be conserved and unnecessary signage an d'improvements' such as widening or kerbing resisted .

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General Recommendation sSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland Hills and Valley sLandscape Type .


E .2.2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s

E .2.3 review of landscape designations

E .2.6 planning a vision for the Lowland Hills and Valleys for landscape management andrestoration into the 21st centur y



E.2 .12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .6 Lowland Open Sloping Farmlan d

AgricultureEncourage the maintenance of the regular, geometric, medium to large-scale field patterns bu tseek to avoid very large fields that do not relate to landform and features in the landscape .

Where land is taken out of arable use permanently or temporarily, encourage the planting o fpermanent or short rotation woodland, or the establishment of more permanent pastures .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of dry stone dykes in local stone with an emphasison roadside walls and others in highly visible areas .

Management and restocking of remaining hedgerows would reinforce important field patterns i nthe landscape and further hedgerow removal would detract from landscape character, althoug hthere is scope for change where new hedges could be added, poor hedges restored andshelterbelts, lines of trees and small woodlands restored and new ones planted as part of awhole-farm programme of management .


Additional planting, especially around steadings and building groups and hamlets, woul denhance the agricultural landscapes . Sensitive management of the grounds of the olde rsteadings is important .


Conspicuous and/or elevated farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should no tbe convened to residential or other similar uses unless a design of exceptional innovatio nensures that the converted building and its whole setting will retain their agricultural character .Elsewhere, well screened and discretely sited redundant buildings could be convened i naccordance with planning briefs or guidance on the way buildings should be converted(including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) to prevent the suburbanisation of thecountryside.

ForestryThere is some scope for additional woodlands that are well related to landform and settlemen tpatterns and to steadings but it would be desirable to sustain the generally open arabl elandscapes .




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Settlements and Built Developmen tRestrict the extension of settlements unless the new development can be well screened bylandform and existing planting and is well related in scale and location to the landscape settin gand the existing settlement .

Encourage the use of traditional building styles and materials such as grey stone with grey o rdark blue slate-like roofs .

Avoid isolated new buildings in the countryside .

Mineral Workin gMineral extraction in this landscape type would be inappropriate owing to its potentially advers eeffects on the character of the landscape and the potential for the workings to be conspicuous ,bearing in mind that any effective, large-scale screening measures themselves would b einappropriate features .

Other Development and Structures in the LandscapeAvoid locating any high or bulky new structures in this landscape type or, where essential, the yshould be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment in accordance wit hSection E .3 (pages 157-160) and should be carefully sited and designed to minimise thei rimpacts .

Ensure any new road or other major engineering works are carefully sited and designed t ominimise their landscape and visual impact . Any works likely to have a significant effect on th elandscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment i naccordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) below.

When improving minor roads, features such as walls, stone dykes, stone bridges, guideplates ,finger posts and large open verges should be conserved, and unnecessary signage an d'improvements' such as widening or kerbing resisted .

General Recommendation sSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife, as a whole ,the following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland Open Sloping Farmlan dLandscape Type .

E .2 .8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s

E .2 .9 consideration of the designation of a Green Belt for St Andrews



E .2 .12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .7

Lowland DensIllustration of Guidelines for the Lowland Dens

Enhance public access close to th eburns .

Retain, manage and extend semi-natural and broadleaved woodland onthe steeper slopes .

Retain small-scale field pattern o fpasture with hedges and hedgero wtrees on the less steep slopes .

AgricultureEncourage maintenance of the relatively small-scale, irregular field patterns .

Where land is taken out of arable use permanently or temporarily, encourage the planting o fpermanent woodland .

Improving grasslands and drainage schemes could disturb the characteristic land cover andvegetation patterns and adversely affect the colours and textures of the landscape and it secological value .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of hedgerows and hedgerow trees .

Further hedgerow loss would detract from the character of the landscape . Existing hedgerow sshould be restocked and managed to retain them as significant features in the landscape ,including allowing growth over one metre in height .



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Forestr yNew woodland planting, especially of broadleaved trees and mixed plantations should b eencouraged but all new planting should be in accordance with all of the Forestry Authoritydesign guidance (see Bibliography and References, Appendix 3) .

Encourage the planting of broadleaved trees along the rivers and burns to link existin gwoodlands and other habitats and to reinforce the semi-natural patterns of drainage and riparianvegetation and habitats .



Settlements and Built Developmen tConcentrate new built development in the form of well landscaped extensions to existin gsettlements well related to landform and of a scale appropriate to the size of the settlement .

Encourage the use of traditional building styles and materials such as grey stone with grey o rdark blue slate-like roofs .

Mineral WorkingMineral extraction in this landscape type would be inappropriate owing to its potentially advers eeffects on the character of the landscape and the potential for the workings to be conspicuous ,bearing in mind that any effective, large-scale screening measures themselves would b einappropriate features .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially i nwoodlands and along river banks, old railway lines and other interlinking linear routes .

Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eAvoid locating any high or bulky new structures in this landscape type or, where essential, the yshould be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment in accordance wit hSection E.3 (pages 157-160) and should be sited carefully and designed to minimise thei rimpacts .

This landscape type would not easily accommodate major new road schemes or other large -scale engineering projects owing to their landform features being such an important contributo rto their character and their very prominent nature .


123

General Recommendation sSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland Dens Landscape Type .


E .2.2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s

E.2.3 review of landscape designation s

E.2.4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s


E.2 .8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s

E.2 .9 consideration of the designation of a Green Belt for St Andrew s

E.2 .10 development control overvie w


E.2 .12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlements .

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D .8 Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valley s

Illustration of Guidelines for the Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys

Safeguard significant glacial features -eskers, kames etc . on the valley floor.

Maintain predominance of arable /and inthe valley but restrict spread up higherslopes.

Keep valley floor generally free of built development. Limit development to steadings on the line marking the edge of th evalley and the slopes.

Encourage the planting of she/terbe/ts and small woodlands .

AgricultureThe extension of large arable fields up the slopes away from the valley floor tends to disrupt th edistinctive form and patterns of the valleys . Where land above the steadings on the edge of th evalleys is predominantly grassland, retention of this distinction should be encouraged .

Management and restocking of remaining hedgerows would reinforce important field patterns i nthe landscape and further hedgerow removal would detract from landscape character, althoug hthere is scope for change where new hedges could be added, poor hedges restored an dshelterbelts, lines of trees and small woodlands restored as part of a whole-farm programme o fmanagement .


Encourage maintenance of a medium-scale, regular field pattern that tends to reflect th elandform and which is well related to woodlands and linear belts of tree planting, in particular t odiscourage the creation of very large fields.

Encourage the conservation and restoration of hedgerows and hedgerow trees .

Management and restocking of remaining hedgerows would reinforce important field patterns i nthe landscape, and further hedgerow removal would detract from landscape character, althoug hthere is scope for change where new hedges could be added, poor hedges restored an dshelterbelts, lines of trees and small woodlands restored and new ones planted as part of awhole-farm programme of management .

125



Additional planting especially around steadings and building groups and hamlets would enhanc ethe agricultural landscapes. Sensitive management of the grounds of the older steadings i simportant .


Encourage the appropriate conversion of redundant farm buildings . Guidance should be provide don the way buildings should be converted (including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) toprevent the suburbanisation of the countryside .

ForestryNew woodland planting under the WGS in accordance with Forestry Authority guidelines (se eBibliography and References, Appendix 3) should aim to create mixed or broadleavedwoodlands, avoiding large blocks, straight edges and single species compositions . The valleyshave the capacity to accommodate significant increases in woodland cover preferably in a serie sof smaller rather than large woods . However, where eskers, kames and mounds are planted ,the design should reflect the scale and shape of landform features which should not b eobscured by large-scale woodland cover .

Where plantations are coniferous or mixed, the design of the edges is particularly important an dbroadleaved species can help to soften the boundaries .

Encourage the planting of broadleaved trees whilst leaving open glades along the rivers an dburns to link existing woodlands and other habitats and to reinforce the semi-natural patterns o fdrainage and riparian vegetation and habitats .

Encourage the use of new woodland planting to help achieve other aims, for example, to absor bbetter existing development into the open countryside and to screen quarries and other visuall yintrusive or uncharacteristic features .


The restocking and management of over-mature, neglected or declining woodlands andshelterbelts should be encouraged .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentNew built development should be related to existing steadings and settlements, and ne wbuildings in the open parts of the valley floors would be uncharacteristic. Generally, buildingmaterials should reflect those of the adjacent steading, for example, with grey stone an dgrey/blue roofs . Large agricultural buildings have the potential to be very conspicuous and nee dcareful siting and design and appropriate dark, low reflective cladding . Screen planting wil loften be both necessary and appropriate to the landscape .

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Mineral Workin gSand and gravel extraction in LG53, Dunbog, would be conspicuous and would introduce amajor discordant industrial element in a landscape unit of distinctive character .

Sand and gravel extraction in LG54, Lindores, could potentially be relatively well screened b ylandform (depending on location and method of working) but would introduce a majo rdiscordant element in a landscape unit of distinctive character . It would remove or reduce th eimportant landform feature of glacial eskers, kames or mounds which are an irreplaceable an dkey characteristic of this landscape of particularly notable scale and natural form .

Sand and gravel extraction in LG52, Motray Water, could be concentrated on extensions t oexisting workings wherever possible and where the workings can be substantially screened b ylandform and screen planting . The larger natural, undisturbed eskers and kames should beprotected from new workings wherever possible, to help to retain as many of these importan tfeatures their distribution and pattern in the valley . Concentration of workings at or close toexisting quarries would help to achieve phased restoration of former, current and new working sand to limit the spread of workings, especially into the Kilmany to Easter Kinnear section an dundisturbed areas in the eastern part of the unit .

Restoration of mineral workings should aim to restore a rolling, sloping or flat landform avoidinggeometrically shaped mounds and straight boundaries and edges . Open water would beappropriate if shaped and graded to natural landforms; woodland would be an appropriate landuse with mixed or broadleaved planting, avoiding large straight-edged blocks of single specie scomposition . Where soil quality can be adequately restored, a proportion of restored lan dshould reflect the arable cultivation and field patterns characteristic of the valleys .

Recreation and AccessEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially i nwoodlands and along river banks, old railway lines and other interlinking linear routes .

Other Development and Structure sEncouraging the careful siting and design of any new high or bulky structures so that they ar enot on skylines or otherwise conspicuous . Utilise landform and existing and new planting t ohelp relate the structure to the landscape setting . Any structures likely to have a significan teffect on the landscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impac tassessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .

Ensure any new road or other major engineering works are carefully sited and designed t ominimise their landscape and visual impact . Any works likely to have a significant effect on th elandscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment i naccordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) below .

General RecommendationsSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland Glacial Meltwate rValleys Landscape Type .

E.2.1 preparation of an historic landscape stud y


E .2.10 development control overvie w


E.2.12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .9 Lowland River Basins

AgricultureEncourage the maintenance and, where necessary, the restoration of the strong field patterns o fthe regular, geometric, medium to large-scale fields but seek to avoid very large fields that d onot relate to landform and features in the landscape .


Where land is taken out of arable use permanently or temporarily, encourage the planting o fpermanent or short rotation woodland or the establishment of more permanent pastures .

Encourage the conservation and restoration of dry stone dykes in local stone with an emphasison roadside walls and others in highly visible areas .

Management and restocking of remaining hedgerows would reinforce important field patterns i nthe landscape and further hedgerow removal would detract from landscape character, althoug hthere is scope for change where new hedges could be added, poor hedges restored an dshelterbelts, lines of trees and small woodlands restored and new ones planted as part of awhole-farm programme of management .

Encourage the planting of new shelterbelts and the management of existing shelterbelts whichwould reinforce important features and patterns in the landscape as the loss of shelterbelt swould detract from landscape character .



Encourage the appropriate conversion of redundant farm buildings . Guidance should be provide don the way buildings should be converted (including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) toprevent the suburbanisation of the countryside .

ForestryNew woodland planting, mineral restoration planting and replanting of existing woodlands hasconsiderable scope in LR55 . In LR56 and LR57 there is some, more modest scope for additiona lwoodland as it would be desirable to sustain the generally open arable landscapes .

New planting should accord with Forestry Authority design guidelines (see Bibliography an dReferences, Appendix 3) and may comprise coniferous, mixed or broadleaved species althoughsingle species composition should be avoided . Where plantations are coniferous or mixed th edesign of the edges is particularly important and broadleaved species can help to soften th eboundaries . Scots pine, oak, beech, birch and willow are typical species in the area, dependin gon soil conditions .


128

For existing plantations, ensure that the current Forestry Authority and Forest Enterpris eapproach to restructuring is followed . Replanting should conform to Forestry Authority desig nguidance and should result in a varied age and species structure, a greater proportion of openspace and woodland forms which more closely reflect the underlying landform and the loca llandscape character .

Encourage the planting of broadleaved trees incorporating open glades along the rivers an dburns to link existing woodlands and other habitats and to reinforce the semi-natural patterns o fdrainage and riparian vegetation and habitats .

Encourage the uptake of the WGS to create new woodland planting to help achieve other aims ,for example, to better absorb existing development into the open countryside and to scree nquarries and other visually intrusive or uncharacteristic features .


Settlement and Built Developmen tNew built development should be related to existing settlements and steadings. The villagesgenerally would be extended without significant effects on the landscape character, subject t ogood siting and design. More planting in relation to settlement edges would enhance th elandscape . Building materials should avoid conspicuous colours and reflective cladding butthere is no characteristic style or material typical of the basins . Tall structures and large roverhead lines would be conspicuous and out of place in this flat, horizontal landscape .

Mineral WorkingSand and gravel extraction in LR56, west and south of the Howe of Fife, generally would b econspicuous in this flat, open landscape and would introduce a major industrial activit yincompatible with the character of this unit, which remains relatively undisturbed an ddistinctive .

Similarly, new large-scale sand and gravel extraction in LR57 (Star/Milton) would be unlikely t obe accommodated without being conspicuous and would detract from the distinctive characte rof this basin .

Sand and gravel extraction in LR55, Collessie, the north and east of the Howe of Fife, however ,could more easily be accommodated owing to the extensive woodland which could provid eimmediate and effective screening . Where extended or new workings rely on existing woodlan dscreening it will be important to ensure that the tree cover is managed throughout the life of th eworkings . Advance planting to screen future phases of work could be effective if properlyestablished and managed . Wherever possible, screening should not rely on the provision of hig hscreen mounds which look incongruous in this generally flat landscape. Screening from theoperational railway should be considered. Subject to retaining adequate screening it may b epossible to work sand and gravel deposits when plantation compartments are felled on maturitywith a view to restoring to woodland .

Restoration of mineral workings in LR55 is likely to be a combination of open water, woodlan dand agriculture . Restoration should be to a generally flat landform with open water area sshaped and graded to semi-natural land forms and habitats . Given the low lying nature of thebasins, their history of flooding, the presence of existing artificial water bodies and the generall ywell screened nature of the workings, open water is an appropriate landscape element and ma ybe accommodated without detriment to the overall character of the basin . Where restoration i sto dry land there should be a preference for woodland rather than agriculture although i npractice there is likely to be a mix of both uses in most significant restoration schemes involvingdry land .

129

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessThe River Basins have particularly high potential for accommodating more recreational access ,especially along the river banks which are largely inaccessible at present .

Other Development and StructuresEncouraging the careful siting and design of any new high or bulky structures so that they arenot on skylines or otherwise conspicuous . Utilise landform and existing and new planting t ohelp relate the structure to the landscape setting . Any structures likely to have a significan teffect on the landscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impac tassessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .

Ensure any new road or other major engineering works are carefully sited and designed t ominimise their landscape and visual impact . Any works likely to have a significant effect on th elandscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment i naccordance with Section E .G .

General Recommendation sSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland River Basins Landscap eType.





130

D .10

Lowland Loch Basin s

AgricultureEncourage the maintenance of the regular, geometric, medium to large-scale field patterns bu tseek to avoid very large fields that do not relate to landform and features in the landscape .









ForestryNew woodland planting under the WGS in accordance with Forestry Authority guidelines (se eBibliography and References, Appendix 3) should aim to create mixed or broadleave dwoodlands, avoiding large blocks, straight edges and single species compositions . The basin shave the capacity to accommodate significant increases in woodland cover preferably in a serie sof smaller rather than large woods and well related to the loch shores and landform .

Any woodland close to the loch shores should be subject to particularly careful siting anddesign .



131

Settlements and Built DevelopmentMost of the basins are highly visible from surrounding land so that large-scale development swould be conspicuous if located away from existing developed areas . On the other hand, small -scale developments tend to be less noticeable in the open expanse of the basins from highe rland and, because of the flat topography, would be noticeable only locally within the basins .The scale of land use change and development is therefore important . These are open, flat orsloping landscapes which are inherently conspicuous and development within them would b eequally conspicuous .

Some small groups of buildings already form part of the pattern of the landscape of the basins .In general the settlements relate well to their landscape settings . The small settlements areseen across flat intensive agricultural land and their scale is not readily appreciated . Thus, someof the groups could be extended by small-scale development without changing the character o fthe basins so long as their linear or compact nature is retained, traditional design and material sare used and the edges are landscaped .


Some of the buildings and the storage of materials and vehicles on the southern edge of Loc hFitty are untidy and detract from the overall ambience of the area . If possible, the ownersshould be encouraged to improve this area, and planting close to the facilities or alongside th eroads to supplement that recently carried out, should be undertaken sensitively, to avoid ablanket screen of the loch .

Mineral Workin gMost of the basins are highly visible from surrounding land so that large-scale mineral working swould be conspicuous. However, small-scale operations close to the lochs may b eaccommodated for short periods of time, e .g . for borrow pits for local projects .

Any proposals for new or large-scale mineral working should be subject to a detaile dassessment of the landscape and visual impacts as set out in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) . I naccordance with best practice, comprehensive mitigation measures should be designed for eac hphase of the development to minimise the effects on the landscape and the visual impacts .

Restoration schemes should be phased, minimising the area disturbed at any phase and shoul daim to reinstate the existing landscape character and features as far as possible, with ne wwoodland or open water or other semi-natural habitats where appropriate .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside Acces sEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially to th eloch shores where this would be compatible with nature conservation objectives .

Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eEncouraging the careful siting and design of any new high or bulky structures so that they arenot on skylines or otherwise conspicuous . Utilise landform and existing and new planting t ohelp relate the structure to the landscape setting. Any structures likely to have a significan teffect on the landscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impac tassessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .

This landscape type would not easily accommodate major new road schemes or other large -scale engineering projects owing to their landform features being such an important contributo rto their character and their very prominent nature .

132

General RecommendationsSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Lowland Loch Basins Landscap eType.

E .2 .1 preparation of an historic landscape study

E .2 .3 review of landscape designation s



E .2 .11 an overview of mineral workings in relation to landscape capacity and the possibl eidentification of Areas of Search for mineral working


133

D .11

Coastal Hills

AgricultureManagement of the Coastal Hills has generally maintained the large, regularly sized fields, wit hoccasional corner plantations or small semi-natural woodland alongside the burns draining to th ecoast .

Encourage the maintenance of the regular, geometric, medium to large-scale field patterns butseek to avoid very large fields that do not relate to landform and features in the landscape .




The planting of more hedgerow trees would enhance the landscape character . Existin ghedgerow trees and trees standing in fields should be managed and replaced wherever possible .Encourage the planting of lines or avenues of trees along minor roads and tracks .





Conspicuous and/or elevated farm buildings or steadings that may become redundant should no tbe converted to residential or other similar uses unless a design of exceptional innovatio nensures that the converted building and its whole setting will retain their agricultural character .Elsewhere, well screened and discretely sited redundant buildings could be converted i naccordance with planning briefs or guidance on the way buildings should be converted(including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) to prevent the suburbanisation of th ecountryside.

134

ForestryThere is some scope for additional woodlands that are well related to landform and settlemen tpatterns and to steadings but it would be desirable to sustain the generally open arabl elandscapes .

New woodland planting should generally be of broadleaved trees and mixed plantations and al lnew planting should be in accordance with all of the Forestry Authority design guidance (se eBibliography and References, Appendix 3) .

For existing plantations, ensure that the current Forestry Authority approach to restructuring i sfollowed . Replanting should conform to Forestry Authority design guidance and should result i na varied age and species structure, a greater proportion of open space and woodland form swhich more closely reflect the underlying landform and the local landscape character .


Encourage the use of new woodland planting to help achieve other aims, for example, to absor bbetter existing development into the open countryside and to screen quarries and other visuallyintrusive or uncharacteristic features .

Encourage new planting to enhance the interlinking of new woodlands to existing plantation sand semi-natural woodlands on the hills .



Settlements and Built DevelopmentThe Coastal Hills have some capacity for absorbing built development, but this should only be a ttheir edges adjacent to existing settlements . The area to the east of Kincardine, for example ,alongside the A985(T), could accommodate some development to improve its setting as a nimportant gateway to the north across the Forth . This should include a softening of the edge sto the town, by tree and shrub planting as a gradual break between town and country .Valleyfield and Charlestown could expand out in to the Coastal Hills if necessary, but thi sshould be confined to essential expansion and taking into account the impact on views from thecoast and river .

Limekilns, Castlandhill, Letham Hill and Aberdour Hills have little capacity for absorbin gdevelopment and should remain predominantly open as distinctive and conspicuous break sbetween settlements . The development of these areas would, in effect, lead to the built-u pcoastline extending from Charlestown to Aberdour .

Elsewhere, concentrate new built development in the form of well landscaped extensions toexisting settlements, well related to landform and of a scale appropriate to the size of th esettlement .

Encourage the traditional building styles and materials of the coastal areas, particularly th esingle and two storey dwellings with relatively smaller windows in white render and grey slat eor pantile .


Softening the harsh edges of settlements by planting schemes would be advantageous in som eareas, and planting as a screen to the Longannet Power Station would also be beneficial .

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Recreation, Tourism and Countryside Acces sThere is high capacity for absorbing recreational access in the Coastal Hills areas . Footpathsalong the actual coast have their own characteristics, but can be spoilt by the urbanisation an dindustrialisation of the coastline in certain areas, such as the power stations, Rosyth, as hlagoons etc. Footpaths higher up could be protected from such views by the Coastal Braes an dshelterbelt planting, and would provide extensive panoramic views across the river . Accessshould be readily available from the numerous roads, but the careful siting and design of ca rparks (if necessary) and interpretation would be essential .

Other recreational facilities that protect the open nature of the hills could also be successfull yabsorbed, such as golf courses .

Encourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially i nwoodlands and along river banks, old railway lines and other interlinking linear routes .

Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eAvoid locating any high or bulky new structures in this landscape type or, where essential, the yshould be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment in accordance wit hSection E .3 (pages 157-160) and should be carefully sited and designed to minimise thei rimpacts .

Ensure any new road or other major engineering works are carefully sited and designed t ominimise their landscape and visual impact . Any works likely to have a significant effect on th elandscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impact assessment i naccordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .


General Recommendation sSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Coastal Hills Landscape Type .


E .2 .2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s


E .2 .4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s

E .2 .8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s

E .2 .9 consideration of the designation of a Green Belt for St Andrew s




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D.12

Coastal Terraces

Agricultur eEncourage maintenance of a medium-scale, regular field pattern that tends to reflect th elandform and which is well related to woodlands and linear belts of tree planting, in particular t odiscourage the creation of very large fields .








Encourage the appropriate conversion of redundant farm buildings . Guidance should be providedon the way buildings should be converted (including the provision of drives, gardens etc .) t oprevent the suburbanisation of the countryside .

ForestryNew woodland planting under the WGS, especially of broadleaved trees and mixed plantation sshould be encouraged but all new planting should be in accordance with all of the Forestr yAuthority design guidance (see Bibliography and References, Appendix 3) .





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Settlements and Built Developmen tConcentrate new built development in the form of well landscaped extensions to existin gsettlements well related to landform and of a scale appropriate to the size of the settlement .Avoid isolated new buildings in the countryside .


Mineral WorkingAny proposals for new or large-scale mineral working should be subject to a detaile dassessment of the landscape and visual impacts as set out in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) . Inaccordance with best practice, comprehensive mitigation measures should be designed for eachphase of the development to minimise the effects on the landscape and the visual impacts .


Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially i nwoodlands and along river banks, old railway lines and other interlinking linear routes .

Other Development and Structures in the LandscapeEncouraging the careful siting and design of any new high or bulky structures so that they arenot on skylines or otherwise conspicuous. Utilise landform and existing and new planting t ohelp relate the structure to the landscape setting . Any structures likely to have a significan teffect on the landscape or views should be subject to rigorous landscape and visual impac tassessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .


When improving minor roads, features such as walls, stone dykes, stone bridges, guideplates ,finger posts and large open verges should be conserved and unnecessary signage and'improvements' such as widening or kerbing resisted .

General Recommendation sSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Coastal Terraces LandscapeType .


E.2 .2 survey, analysis and strategy for management and restoration of designed landscape s

E.2 .3 review of landscape designations

E.2 .4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s


E.2 .9 consideration of the designation of a Green Belt for St Andrew s

E .2.10 development control overview

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E.2.12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .13

Coastal CliffsAgricultureMaintain the semi-natural vegetation cover of the Cliffs .


ForestryWoodland planting on the Cliffs is unlikely to be feasible and would generally adversely affecttheir character .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentAvoid any forms of new built development or structures or engineering works on the tops o rfaces of the Coastal Cliffs and Braes unless essential for maritime navigation or safety .

Mineral Workin gMineral extraction in this landscape type would be inappropriate owing to its potentially advers eeffects on the character of the landscape and the potential for the workings to be conspicuous ,bearing in mind that any effective, large-scale screening measures themselves would b einappropriate features .

Recreation, Tourism and Countryside Acces sEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially along th eshoreline and tops of the Coastal Cliffs .

Other Development and Structures in the LandscapeThis landscape type would not easily accommodate major new road schemes or other large -scale engineering projects owing to their landform features being such an important contributo rto their character and their very prominent nature .

General Recommendation sSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Coastal Cliffs Landscape Type .



E.2.4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s


E.2.8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s

E.2.10 development control overvie w


E.2 .12 the preparation of landscape plans for settlement s

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D .14

Coastal Braes

Agricultur eMaintain the semi-natural woodland and other vegetation cover of the Braes .


Land no longer grazed should revert or be planted as broadleaved woodland .

ForestryThere is an urgent need in this landscape type to bring all of the woodland into a consistentl yhigh standard of management .

The slopes make management difficult in places and an approach that favoured natura lregeneration with under-planting and selective control of sycamore would be the mos tappropriate and probably most successful . The WGS is sufficiently flexible to provide for thi ssensitive management . It could also encourage better public access to the woods which d oprovide outstanding recreational potential with views of exceptional quality and interest .

If existing woodland is directly threatened, then the Forestry Authority and local plannin gauthority may need to consider refusing felling licences and/or the use of Tree Preservatio nOrders . A proactive approach to better management would help to reduce threats to th ewoodlands .

Settlements and Built DevelopmentThe landscape has the capacity to absorb traditional forms of linear, small-scale developmen talong the platforms on the south coast . The peninsulas and open spaces should be kept openand free of development as this would be conspicuous, inappropriate and interrupt the flow o fthe coast and obstruct views of the Firths from the coast roads .

Elsewhere, avoid any forms of new built development or structures or engineering works on th etops or faces of the Coastal Cliffs and Braes unless essential for maritime navigation or safety .

Any form of development or break in continuity of the wooded braes would damage irreparabl ythe integrity of this landscape type and would be conspicuously intrusive in views within th ebrae landscape, and from the Coastal Hills, Coastal Flats, Intertidal and Firth landscape type sand the shores .


Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially along th eshoreline and tops of the Coastal Braes .

The woodland and braes may be subject to proposals for tourism/recreation development, e .g .chalets etc . owing to the potential views and proximity of coastal villages . Such proposalsshould be resisted rigorously .

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Other Development and Structures in the Landscap eThis landscape type would not easily accommodate major new road schemes or other large -scale engineering projects owing to their landform features being such an important contributo rto their character and their very prominent nature .

General RecommendationsSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Coastal Braes Landscape Type .



E .2 .4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s

E.2 .5 preparation of a countryside recreation and access strateg y





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D.15

Coastal FlatsAgricultureThere are two options for managing and/or enhancing the undeveloped Coastal Flats that ar ecurrently in agricultural use :

a) sustain the existing open, exposed, flat landscape by managing farmland and agricultura lfeatures and restricting new development and above ground infrastructure bu tsupplementing shelterbelts and small-scale tree planting ; or

b) resolve to change the character of the Flats, or parts of the Flats, by introducin gextensive tree planting in the form of woodlands or linear belts ; this would, in time ,increase significantly the capacity of the landscape to accommodate change in the for mof leisure/recreational facilities and development pressures ; it would create enhance denclosure, scale, spatial variety, ecological interest and landscape experience .

In any event, the open area of semi-natural habitats at Rosyth should be sustained as an open ,wetland area, with scrub invasion reduced and any tree planting confined to the perimeter o fthe wetland area and located so as not to obstruct views across the Firth .

Encourage the maintenance of the regular, geometric, medium to large-scale field patterns bu tseek to avoid very large fields that do not relate to landform and features in the landscape .

Where existing drains are improved, encourage the introduction of riparian planting or strips o fsemi-natural vegetation along banks and avoid creation of bare and conspicuously engineereddrains .




Existinghedgerow trees and trees standing in fields should be managed and replaced wherever possible .


Encourage the planting of new shelterbelts and the management of existing shelterbelts whic hwould reinforce important features and patterns in the landscape, as the loss of shelterbelt swould detract from landscape character .



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ForestryThe areas have a high capacity for accommodating woodland and linear tree belts that woul dhelp to screen some of the intrusive features, relieve the uniformity and horizontal nature of th earea but need not necessarily obstruct important views from the roads to the Firths or th ebridges .

Woodland is certainly not characteristic of the area but this is often a man-made land an dlandscape . Where raised beaches have created natural coastal flats they would naturally hav ebecome wooded with wetlands in the lower areas and depressions .

New planting should accord with Forestry Authority design guidelines (see Bibliography an dReferences, Appendix 3) and may comprise coniferous, mixed or broadleaved species althoughsingle species composition should be avoided . Where plantations are coniferous or mixed, th edesign of the edges is particularly important and broadleaved species can help to soften th eboundaries .




Settlements and Built Developmen tThe character of the landscape is open and flat with few screening elements or nea rtopographic horizons, or other frameworks, for farmsteadings, buildings or other development .New buildings and additional infrastructure above ground would inevitably be immediatel yconspicuous. Whilst the intrinsic landscape interest is often low, isolated, scattered or singl epoint features in the landscape could not be accommodated easily .



Mineral WorkingAny proposals for new or large-scale mineral working should be subject to a detaile dassessment of the landscape and visual impacts as set out in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) Inaccordance with best practice, comprehensive mitigation measures should be designed for eac hphase of the development to minimise the effects on the landscape and the visual impacts .


Recreation, Tourism and Countryside AccessEncourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially along th eshoreline and tops of the Coastal Cliffs and Braes .

Other Development and Structures in the LandscapeLow level, linear features would be appropriate but higher linear features would either add t othe clutter of existing overhead lines or create new and inappropriate features in those part sthat do not have them at present .

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Any structures likely to have a significant effect on the landscape or views should be subject t origorous landscape and visual impact assessment in accordance with Section E .3 (pages 157 -160) .


General RecommendationsSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Coastal Flats Landscape Type .


E .2.4 integration with coastal zone management plans and shoreline management plan s

E .2 .5 preparation of a countryside recreation and access strategy

E .2.8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrews




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D.16 and D .17 Intertidal

Mudflats

and

OtherIntertidal Shore s

In the conventional sense, the Intertidal landscapes are not subject to management, and despit eoccasional, temporary occupation of beaches for recreational use they are essentially natura llandscapes that do not require intervention for management or enhancement .

Litter and debris at the tidelines is locally unsightly and more beach/tideline cleaning coul denhance the appearance of some of the bays, especially those backed by urban and industria ldevelopment .

An oil or chemical spillage on the coast or in the Firths would have a very considerable impac ton these sensitive natural landscapes, visually as well as biologically .

These near natural landscapes are extremely sensitive and vulnerable to any developmen tproposals that would be uncharacteristic of the intertidal areas (e .g. groynes or harbour relate dinfrastructure of small-scale and traditional design could be accommodated) .

Any development not conventionally associated with the interface of the sea and the shor ewould be inappropriate .

In particular further reclamation of intertidal land in the estuaries should be resisted .

It would be inappropriate to utilise the Intertidal areas for mineral extraction .

Encourage the provision of new countryside recreation and access facilities especially along th eshoreline and tops of the Coastal Cliffs and Braes .

General RecommendationsSection E.2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the Intertidal Mudflets and Othe rIntertidal Shores Landscape Types .


E.2.8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s


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D .18 and D .19 The North Sea and the Firths ofForth and Tay

These landscapes are outwith the control of the planning authority and landowners in th econventional sense . However, management of the Firths and the sea is crucial to the landscapeheritage of extensive areas on the coasts and to the image of Fife, particularly as a touris tdestination . The visual, physical and ecological characteristics of the estuaries and the searequire sensitive, co-ordinated management such as that being progressed through the Firth o fForth Initiative .

Whilst the seascape has considerable capacity to accommodate (visually) increased shipping ,boating and small-scale maritime navigational infrastructure (both temporary and permanent), i tis extremely vulnerable to inappropriate features which would be uncharacteristic of the sea an dthe islands . These could include, for example :

a) large-scale jetties, moorings etc . projecting into the Firths ;b) marina-type developments away from the mainland shores and awa y

from the traditional harbours ;c) high, bright, reflective, garish or otherwise conspicuous masts, tower s

etc . (but further conventional lighthouse structures could enhance th emaritime character) ;

d) further overhead cables or wires ;e) permanent rigs, platforms or other anchored structures on the inner Firt h

of Forth (upstream of the Forth Bridge) or the Firth of Tay or close to th emainland in St Andrews Bay .

General Recommendation sSection E .2 (pages 151-156) contains a series of general recommendations for Fife as a whole .The following recommendations are particularly relevant to the North Sea and the Firths of Fort hand Tay Landscape Types .


E .2.8 preparation of a landscape strategy for St Andrew s

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PART ECONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION S

E .1 Conclusions and Overvie w

E.1 .1 As explained in Part A, this Assessment is part of a national programme of Landscap eCharacter Assessment in Scotland . It forms a major contribution to the understandin gof the Fife landscape both locally and nationally . It can be used immediately, and ove rthe coming years, to guide changes in the landscape and as a permanent record o fFife's landscape character towards the end of the 20th century .

E1 .2 However, this Assessment cannot, and is not intended to, fulfil every requirement forlandscape assessment and management that may be needed . Inevitably, there ar elimitations in the scale of the Assessment and its scope .

E .1 .3 Although this Assessment is one of only a few in the national programme that wa sundertaken at a scale of 1/25,000 (the others are at 1/50,000 scale), there will be aneed to carry out more detailed assessment for some areas, for some purposes . Forexample, landscape management of the Lomond Regional Park could require a mor edetailed analysis of the variations in the Landscape Character Units in the Park .

E .1 .4 Already, a more detailed assessment has been carried out for the capacity of th elandscape units around St Andrews to accommodate built development (Tyldesley ,David and Associates (DTA), 19961 .

E .1 .5 The scope of the Assessment could also be extended . For example, the historical ,archaeological and cultural dimensions of the Fife landscape are immensely important t othe understanding and appreciation of the landscape. This Assessment has indicate dnot only the exceptional heritage of Fife in these respects but also the wide range o fpressures for change in the future and changes that have occurred in the past .

E .1 .6 Related to these elements of the landscape is Fife's rich heritage of gardens an ddesigned landscapes . Well in excess of 300 examples occur in the area and, in places ,Fife has some of the most dense concentrations of designed landscape to be foun danywhere in Scotland . These are vital parts of the natural heritage that merit furthe rstudy and closer examination to ensure that the heritage is sustained and manage dappropriately .

E .1 .7 Although this Assessment considers pressures for change in the landscape, and th eGuidelines in Part D provide advice and recommendations as to how these changes ma ybe managed or controlled, the assessment of specific projects or other proposals wil lrequire a more detailed analysis . This Assessment should be the starting point for th eassessment of potential effects on the landscape, providing a national, regional and loca lcontext and setting each project site into a systematic, consistent and comprehensiveanalysis of landscape character types and local landscape units . This should beincorporated into a detailed assessment of landscape and visual impacts in accordanc ewith good practice methods described in more detail in Section E .3 (pages 157-160) .

E .1 .8 The successful management of the Fife landscape will depend on the combined effect sof innumerable decisions in the future, relating to the conservation, enhancement andrestoration of landscape character . In this respect, therefore, each and every one of th epoints set out in the Guidelines in Part D are important wherever they are relevant to adecision to be made as to whether to permit or institute changes that may harm o rbenefit landscape character .

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E .1 .9. Nevertheless, there are also some wider initiatives that could positively contribute to th econservation, enhancement and restoration of the Fife landscape . Section E.2, below ,therefore, sets out a series of recommendations that are put forward as a result of thi sAssessment. It is recognised that not all of these initiatives could be undertakenimmediately . They will require resources that may not be readily available, partnershipsof many different organisations and the co-operation of land owners and land manager swhere necessary . SNH and the Fife Council could not carry out these recommendation salone, even if all of the recommendations were to be considered as appropriate .Prioritising the recommendations will be necessary and the acceptance o frecommendations and the setting of priorities and programmes must rest with th eCommissioning bodies and their partners . We do not, therefore, indicate priorities andthere is no significance in the order in which the recommendations in Section E .2 aremade. Some of the recommendations are drawn directly from previous Landscap eCharacter Assessments for Dunfermline, Kinross-shire, and St Andrews (Tyldesley ,David and Associates (DTA), 1995a, 1995b and 19961 .

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E .2 Recommendation s

E.2 .1 Historic Landscape StudyThis Landscape Character Assessment should be supplemented by a more focuse danalysis of the historic, archaeological and cultural dimensions of the landscape . Thisshould not only seek to improve the understanding of the evolution of the landscap ethrough history but should identify key historical features and characteristics and wide rareas of importance for their historical and cultural heritage with an analysis of wha tmakes these areas important and distinctive .

E .2.2 Study of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Fif eThe gardens and designed landscapes on SNH's inventory (Land Use Consultants (LUC) ,1987) are a small, albeit very important, proportion of the total resource . A Studyshould seek to record and analyse the entire resource, including significant remnants, t oprovide a more complete understanding of the exceptional heritage of designe dlandscapes . It could also provide the context for a longer term strategy aiming t osecure wider public appreciation and sensitive management for their conservation ,enhancement and restoration .

E .2.3 Review of Landscape DesignationsFor many years, parts of Fife have been designated, locally, as Areas of Grea tLandscape Value (AGLV) and more recently as Landscape Areas of Regional Importance .These are important designations used mainly in the town and country plannin gprocedures and have contributed to the conservation of landscapes in Fife . The areas o fdesignations do not necessarily coincide with the boundaries of Landscape Characte rTypes in this Assessment, nor would they be expected to because the definition of th eareas is on an entirely different basis . An AGLV, for example, could extend over 2 or 3different Landscape Character Types . However, the landscape designations were draw nup before this Assessment was undertaken and it may be desirable, now to review th ecriteria, scope, extent, distribution boundaries and, particularly, the representativeness ,of the designations in the light of this analysis of landscape character . It may be tha tsome important landscape types revealed as being characteristic of the Fife landscap eare not represented in the designations .

Similarly, the analysis of change in the landscape in this Assessment may indicate tha tthere are areas of Fife which have remained intact and distinctive and one of the waysin which that character may be sustained may be through landscape designations . Anyreview could consider the following aspects of landscape which may form the basis o freview criteria, and which also serve to illustrate the difference between thi sAssessment and the process of designation :

a) distinctiveness/typicality of Landscape Character Type ;

b) integrity - degree of modification, change, fragmentation etc . ;

c) potential - for conservation management or restoration ;

d) heritage - presence, nature and extent of historic, cultural, ecological attributes ;

e) composition - of characteristic features and attributes that contribute to th eexperience of the landscape e .g. strong patterns, diversity, colour and texture ;

f) intrusion - of uncharacteristic features or attributes, that detract from th echaracter and experience of the landscape .

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E .2.4 Coastal Zone Managemen tTo integrate and further develop the Guidelines in this Assessment into wider coasta lzone management plans to help to control and manage development, land use chang eand recreational / tourism pressures on Fife's outstanding and distinctive coasts . Thiscould include integrating landscape management into shoreline management plans toensure that the landscape and visual effects of any changes or interventions in natura lcoastal processes are taken fully into account .

E .2 .5 Countryside Recreation and Access Strateg yTo build on existing initiatives, including the management of the Regional Park, Countr yPark management, the Fife Paths Initiative, the Kingdom of Fife Millennium Cycle Rout eand the Bridge to Bridge Coastal Path by considering the preparation of a wide rcountryside recreation and access strategy . This would be aimed at managing visito rpressure in the Uplands, particularly the Lomond Hills, and on the coast, in a positiv eway, and to enhance recreational access provision in the Uplands, on the Upland Slope sand, where practicable, on the Volcanic Hills and Foothills, the Coastal Hills and Braes .A Strategy for the area, involving landowners and managers, could enhance th eprovision of access for tourism and recreation without harming other land managementobjectives . The Forestry Authority, Fife Council and, until March 1998, the West Fif eWoodland Initiative, have worked closely together on this already . Networks of publi crights of way linked to woodlands have been agreed and implemented and this processwill remain ongoing and will be improved on . A strategy could help to develop furthe rlocal access networks, improve provision for the disabled and for walkers, cyclists an dhorse riders. It could promote the role of interpretation, to encourage more meaningfu land sustainable tourism .

Consideration should be given to the provision of better access to the Upland Slopes ,Cullaloe Hills and the Coastal Hills, Coastal Cliffs and Coastal Braes for informa lcountryside recreation and viewing . This should constitute no more than carefull yrouted paths on the slopes with parking below .

At Blairadam the future management of the landscape should tackle the question o fpublic access . Problems have occurred due to the unauthorised access through thewoodland, resulting in theft and vandalism . At Blairadam the advantages of publi caccess would need to be carefully weighed against any possible disadvantages due t ovisitor pressure, such as overuse, access and car parking problems . Since the ForestryCommission acquired large areas of land for afforestation at Blairadam, improved publi caccess and some recreational facilities, particularly alongside the numerous burns, coul dbe successfully absorbed without adverse effect .

The Lowland River and Loch Basins, e .g. Loch Ore, will always be attractions fo rrecreational access and the strategy could help to spread and manage visitor number srelieving pressures on some of the lochs and providing linear access routes along rive rbanks .

E .2.6 Proposed Vision for the Lowland Hills and Valley sThe planning authority could prepare a long term Master Plan and Vision Statement fo rthe Restoration of the Landscapes of the Lowland Hills and Valleys, especially to th enorth and east of Dunfermline with an ambitious landscape restoration programme . Along term master plan of the area with a long term vision of the environment of this are ahalf way through the 21st century could be drawn up as a strategic vision statement . Itcould form the landscape context for future structure plan and local revisions, and fo rthe targeting of public resources and infrastructure works in the long term . It would beled by the vision of a new landscape of high natural heritage value . This may feed into

152

the process of implementing a Local Agenda 21 and Local Biodiversity Action plan fo rFife .

To the west of Dunfermline the principal form of enhancement to the landscape woul dbe the restoration, to woodland and recreational/leisure uses, of bings and previousl ymined areas, since agricultural restoration has not worked well from a landscape pointof view . This can be achieved through the development control process (e .g . by the us eof S .75 Agreements in planning decisions) and normal land management measures suc has the WGS .

6.2 .7 Landscape Management Plans for the Upland Slopes an dPronounced Volcanic Hill sTo safeguard, conserve and enhance these highly conspicuous areas . The Ochil ,Lomond, Benarty and Cleish slopes, the Cullaloe Hills, Clatto Hill, Largo Law andKincraig particularly require low key management, sustaining present day activities .Where relevant, when the softwood plantations reach commercial maturity, replantin gshould consider a more integrated approach focusing on a combination of conifer an dbroadleaves to reflect their natural occurrence .

6 .2 .8 Landscape Strategy for St Andrew sIn line with the provisions of the Fife Structure Plan (Fife Regional Council, 1994), FifeRegional Council commenced a Strategic Study for St Andrews in 1994 . The studylooked at whether, or how, long term development pressures should be accommodate din St Andrews and/or its environs . Details of the development plan context ,methodology and timescale are contained in an Issues Report (Fife Regional Council ,1994) which was produced in October 1994 as the first stage of the Study . TheStructure Plan and Issues Report acknowledge the importance of the high qualit yenvironment and landscape setting of the town .

During the run up to the Study, the view had been expressed by a number of S tAndrews residents and by the St Andrews Community Council that further developmen tof the town should be restricted ; this view is supported by letters received by th eCouncil following commencement of the Strategic Study . Many of the comment sreceived referred to the landscape setting of the town .

The Regional Council agreed that, as part of the process of identifying land us edevelopment options for detailed evaluation, an assessment of St Andrews in it slandscape setting was required . An assessment was required of the sensitivity of th elandscape to development . It was acknowledged that all the land surrounding S tAndrews is sensitive but that some areas may be more sensitive than others . Toundertake this task The landscape assessment study of St Andrews (Tyldesley, Davidand Associates) was carried out in 1996 . The following paragraphs are based on th efindings of that study .

Whilst the future development of St Andrews is being considered, a Landscape Strateg yshould be drawn up, by the Fife Council, in consultation with SNH and the Forestr yAuthority, and finalised concurrently with the adoption of a new Local Plan for the area .Its purpose would be to set a strategic, long term framework for the landscape settin g

of the town, to conserve and enhance the setting of the town and sustain th edistinctive landscape character types and their distribution, whilst providing for an ydevelopment that the planning process considered to be appropriate .

The Strategy would be an important aid to the planning process and to th eimplementation of the development plan for St Andrews, but it would enable the partne rorganisations to set out policies and proposals for the landscape that fall outwith th e

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land use and development scope of the development plan . It could assess what needsto be done and identify ways in which landscape management, conservation andenhancement could be achieved, through existing mechanisms or through ne winitiatives . It could set targets to be achieved over five year timescales and identifyways in which landscape change could be monitored . The strategy would feed into th eStructure and Local Plan reviews and into the implementation of other programmes an dconsent procedures, including Felling Licence control, WGS procedures, agri-environment initiatives and planning development control .

E .2 .9 Green Belt for St Andrew sAs previously mentioned, this report incorporates the findings of earlier landscap eassessments for Dunfermline and St Andrews (Tyldesley, David and Associates, 1995 aand 1996) . The brief for the latter required a close examination of the developmentpotential, in landscape terms, of the land around the town and a consideration o fplanning policies. One of the recommendations of the St Andrews report was for agreen belt around the town . However, for this Fife-wide assessment the brief did no trequire similar consideration of development potential and greenbelt policy elsewhere i nFife and the following recommendation should be seen in this light, the issue of gree nbelt designation only relates to St Andrews .

The St Andrews report concluded that there is, prima facie, a clear case for th edesignation of a green belt around the town, to reinforce the conclusions of th eAssessment and to provide a more robust policy context for protecting the critica llandscape areas around the town . Circular 24/1985 sets out the three main purposes o fgreen belts in Scotland as :

• to maintain the identity of towns by establishing a clear definition of thei rphysical boundaries and preventing coalescence ;

• to provide countryside for recreation or institutional purposes of various kinds ;• to maintain the landscape setting of towns .

There is a clear cut case for a green belt around St Andrews for the first and third o fthese reasons . Circular 24/1985 also states that structure plans should "set out theurban settlement structure necessary to meet the demographic, economic and socia lneeds of the area" . Outwith the defined settlement structure, authorities may contro ldevelopment by green belt policies where there are strong development demand sadjacent to large towns and cities . Green belts indicate the imposition of a stricte rdegree of control on development than is found in the wider countryside . Paragraph (iv )of Circular 24/1985 states :

approval should not be given, except in very special circumstances, for theconstruction of new buildings and the extension or change of use of existingbuildings, for purposes other than agriculture, horticulture, wood/andmanagement and recreation, or establishments and institutions standing inextensive grounds or other uses appropriate to the rural character of the area . "

Such control is clearly required for the landscape around St Andrews, one of the mos timportant historic towns in Scotland and one with a particularly distinctive appearanc eand relationship with its surrounding landscape . The consideration of a green bel taround St Andrews, however, is a matter for the Structure Plan review process .

E .2.10 Development Control Overvie wRestrict any form of built development, high, linear or large-scale structures, or minera lworking, or engineering operations that would affect the key characteristics an dfeatures of the Uplands, the Upland Slopes, the Upland Foothills and Pronounce dVolcanic Hills and Craigs .

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Safeguard the skyline features of the Ochil, Lomond, Cleish and Benarty Hills, th eCoastal Hills and Coastal Cliffs and Braes and the Cullaloe Hills and Largo Law, from al ldevelopment proposals that could affect the skylines, landform or visual horizons suc has telecommunication masts and wind turbine generators .

Undertake a detailed study of the Cleish Hills, to identify carrying capacity for th elocation of appropriate changes of land use and development .

E.2 .11 Overview of Mineral Workings and Landscape Capacit yGeneral guidance on mineral workings is presented in Part D of this report but, drawin gthese together, the Uplands ; Upland Slopes ; more elevated parts of the Upland Foothill sand Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs ; Lowland Open Sloping Farmland ; LowlandDens; Coastal Hills ; Coastal Cliffs and Coastal Braes have extremely limited capacity fo raccommodating new mineral working owing to their conspicuousness and openness .Generally these areas should be excluded from Areas of Search if such areas are to b eidentified as part of the mineral planning approach .

Extensive parts of the Lowland Hills and Valleys including local landscape units LH36 ,LH38, LH39, LH41 and LH40 east of the B913 have retained their variety, continuity ,maturity and subtlety which would be lost in mineral extraction. Elsewhere, thi slandscape type could accommodate further mineral extraction - in landscape terms -subject to detailed appraisal of the design, operational methods, restoration proposal sand visual impacts of individual projects : these areas are units LH35, LH37, LH42 an dLH40 west of the 8913 ; but in sub area LH37 operations should be concentrated i nthose areas already disturbed in the past by mineral operations, should avoid prominen tslopes and skylines and should be restored exclusively to woodland .

With the exception of LB62, Kilconquhar, the Lowland Loch Basins may be able t oaccommodate very small-scale mineral working on the flat land at the base of the basinsbut large-scale workings on the lochs themselves or up the slopes or on the skylines o fthe basins would adversely and permanently affect key landscape characteristics . LB62would be inappropriate for mineral working owing to its smaller scale and mature, wel lwooded character .

Scope for further mineral extraction in the Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys (LG52 )and Lowland River Basins (LR55) is described in Sections D .8 and D.9 .

The Coastal Terraces could also accommodate some limited mineral workings wherelocal land form and land cover would provide screening, but many parts are open andelevated and workings would be likely to be very conspicuous . Detailed site assessmen tof landscape and visual impacts as recommended in Section E .3 (pages 157-160)indicate whether particular areas would be appropriate .

The Coastal Flats, except for local landscape units CF100, CF103, CF104, CF105 ,CF106, CF108 and CF113, could be worked for minerals but design, operationa lmethods, phasing and restoration should be carefully considered to ensure the minimu marea of disruption at any one time and to provide local screening. Restoration shouldreflect the local characteristics of the landscape .

The Intertidal Shores are near-natural landscapes and further land claim and anyproposals for mineral extraction should be resisted on landscape grounds . Dredging fo rminerals in the Firths of Forth and Tay would be unlikely to affect the key characteristicsof the Firths subject to scale and duration of operations and the effects on ecology ,natural marine and coastal processes, and the location and design of any new unloadin gfacilities on the shores .

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Mineral extraction in designed landscapes would affect permanently and substantiall ythe essential characteristics of the design, maturity and continuity of these importan tlandscapes .

Generally, throughout the area, restoration of mineral workings to agriculture has no tworked well in landscape terms. The planning authority could ensure, whereve rpossible, that open-cast mineral workings and former bings are restored to a highe rstandard to open water, nature reserves and - wherever appropriate to landscapecharacter - to new woodlands, secured by a Section 75 Agreement under the Town an dCountry Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 .

E .2 .12 Landscape Plans for Settlement sThe strong relationship between many of Fife's settlements and their landscape settin gis a major contribution not only to the landscape character but also to the amenity valu eof the built up areas and the countryside around the towns . Public views into and ou tof settlements are an important part of every day life . The landscape setting ofsettlements is also an important factor in sustaining the separate identity of towns andvillages and their sense of place . New landscaping schemes on the edge of settlement scan provide an important enhancement of public views and improve the relationship o fthe settlement with its landscape setting . Any effects such measures may have o nprivate views are outweighed by the benefits to the public and the landscape resource .

To enhance and safeguard these relationships more detailed landscape plans could b eprepared for settlements indicating, for example, areas appropriate for new buil tdevelopment, areas where landscape management or restoration may be beneficial an dareas for, and an outline of, new schemes for landscape enhancement . Any of thesettlements could benefit from such plans but the following list is an indication of keytowns and villages that may be considered for early attention, the list is alphabetical ,not in priority order. Auchtermuchty, Cardenden, coastal town from Crail to Earlsferry ,Cupar, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Leven/Methil, Lochgelly, Lower Largo and Newburgh .

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E .3 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessmen t

Introduction to Assessmen t

This methodology for the assessment of development proposals follows the good practic emethodology Guidelines for landscape and visual impact assessment published by the Institut eof Environmental Assessment (IEA) and the Landscape Institute (LI) in 1995 . This is the mos tthorough and authoritative guidance on methodology for the assessment of landscape an dvisual impacts of specific projects . The Countryside Commission for Scotland (CCS) guidanc e(Land Use Consultants (LUC), 1991) is also relevant but is supplemented by the more detaile dguidance of the !EA/LI .

The IEA/LI guidance establishes the importance of landscape because it is :

• "an essential part of our natural resource base;• a reservoir of archaeological and historical evidence;• an environment for plants and animals;• human habitat, evoking sensual, cultural and spiritual responses;• an important part of our quality of life . "

It also recognises that "unlike less obvious impacts such as changes in groundwater quality ,changes in the landscape have a direct, immediate, visible effect upon people's surroundings,and therefore may arouse strong feelings . They may also be used by the public as a focus for avariety of other concerns about the impact of a development. Therefore it is essential tha tassessment of the landscape and visual impacts of a proposed development is carried out in a smeasured and controlled a way as possible . "

Understanding Landscape and Visual Impact sLandscape impacts and visual impacts are separate, but related . Broadly, landscape impacts arechanges in the fabric, character and quality of the landscape as a result of development . Hencelandscape impact assessment is concerned with :

• direct impacts upon specific landscape elements ;

• more subtle effects upon the overall pattern of elements that gives rise t olandscape character and local distinctiveness ;

• impacts upon acknowledged special interests or values such as designate dlandscapes, conservation sites and cultural associations .

Visual impacts are a subset of landscape impacts . They relate solely to changes in theappearance of the landscape, and the effects of those changes on people . Hence visual impactassessment is concerned with :

• the direct impacts of a development upon views of the landscape throug hintrusion or obstruction ;

the reactions of viewers who may be affected ;

the overall impact on visual amenity, which can range from degradation throug hto enhancement .

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Landscape and visual impacts do not necessarily coincide . Landscape impacts can occur in theabsence of visual impacts, for instance where a quarry development is wholly screened fro mexternal views, but nonetheless results in a loss of landscape elements, and character withi nthe site boundary . Similarly, some developments, such as a new TV mast within a built-u parea, may have significant visual impacts, but negligible landscape impacts . However, suchcases are very much the exception . For most developments both landscape and visual impact swill need to be addressed .

Impact occurs when important landscape or visual resources (which are often referred to as'receptors'1 are affected by one or more sources of impact . Such sensitive receptors o flandscape and visual impact may include physical and natural landscape and biologica lresources, special interests and groups of viewers, for example :

• areas of intact and locally distinctive landscape character, with characteristi cpatterns and combinations of landform and land cover and a strong sense ofplace ;

• valued landscapes including those which are designated ;

• other conservation interests, including archaeological sites, historic gardens anddesigned landscapes, important habitats and protected species, buil tenvironment features, commons and recreation areas ;

• specific landscape elements and features such as coastline, open hilltops, glens ,gorges, river corridors, woodlands and built artefacts ;

• viewers of the landscape, such as residents, visitors, travellers through the are aand others .

Impacts upon sensitive receptors may be beneficial or adverse, direct or indirect, temporary o rpermanent, and of course may vary in their magnitude and significance .

Sensitivity, Prediction, Magnitude and Significanc eThese four concepts are fundamental to impact assessment . They are often confused or absen tfrom Environmental Statements and landscape assessments . Sensitivity, for landscapereceptors, may be signalled by distinctiveness of landscape character, inability to accommodat especific change without loss of landscape integrity ; presence or absence of landscap edesignations ; and occurrence of special conservation interests or cultural associations . Forvisual receptors, a different set of sensitivity factors applies, such as the character and qualit yof existing views, the types of viewer affected, and the general popularity or visual amenity ofthe affected area at present .

Prediction is important because this should reflect the degree of likelihood of the impacts thatmay occur . These could range from highly improbable to certain . Prediction is related t osignificance, for example, unlikely impacts may need to be avoided if the impact would b esevere and permanent if it occurred . In landscape and visual impact assessment there can be ahigh degree of confidence in prediction if the impacts are based on careful examination of thefacts .

Magnitude of change can be measured in a variety of ways, and tends to relate back t osensitivity. Hence for landscape receptors, the degree of change to, or loss of, distinctivelandscape characteristics or features, designated landscapes, and special features o fconservation or cultural interest are considered . For visual receptors, the extent of visibility ,numbers and type of affected viewers, degree of visual intrusion and distance of view will all b erelevant .

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By combining these factors : sensitivity ; prediction and magnitude ; in a systematic fashion ,conclusions can be drawn on impact significance . Impact significance is a function of thesensitivity of the affected landscape and visual receptors and the predictability and magnitud eof change that they will experience . We suggest the following scale of impact significance .

Substantial Adverse or Beneficial Landscape Impactwhere a proposal would have a substantial adverse or beneficial effect on the landscap eas a resource, or on the character of the landscape, bearing in mind the sensitivity ofthe landscape and its capacity to absorb the type of change proposed and the propose dmitigating measures .

Moderate Adverse or Beneficial Landscape Impac twhere a proposal would have a significant but not substantial adverse or beneficia leffect on the landscape as a resource, or on the character of the landscape, bearing i nmind the sensitivity of the landscape and its capacity to absorb the type of chang eproposed and the proposed mitigating measures .

Slight Adverse or Beneficial Landscape Impactwhere a proposal would have a noticeable but not significant adverse or beneficial effecton the landscape as a resource, or on the character of the landscape, bearing in min dthe sensitivity of the landscape and its capacity to absorb the type of change propose dand the proposed mitigating measures .

Negligible Impactwhere the proposal would have no noticeable effect on the landscape resource, or o nlandscape character .

In respect of visual impacts we suggest the following scale of impact significance :

Substantial Adverse or Beneficial Visual Impac twhere a proposal would cause a substantial, prominent or conspicuous deterioration orimprovement to the existing view, bearing in mind the sensitivity of the receptor an dproposed mitigation measures .

Moderate Adverse or Beneficial Visual Impact:where a proposal would cause a significant but not conspicuous or prominen tdeterioration or improvement to the existing view, bearing in mind the sensitivity of th ereceptor and proposed mitigation measures .

Slight Adverse or Beneficial Visual Impact :where a proposal would cause a noticeable but not significant deterioration o rimprovement to the existing view, bearing in mind the sensitivity of the receptor an dproposed mitigation measures .

No Change :where the proposal would cause no noticeable change to the view .

Criteria for Assessing Proposed Change sIt is necessary to study the location, scale and nature of the proposals, the methods o foperation or construction, processes involved, the phasing, mitigation, restoration and after-use/after-care stages wherever relevant . Clearly a proposal could have different impacts atdifferent stages in the life of the development and, in respect of screen planting, allowanc e

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needs to be made for the anticipated growth of the new vegetation . All of these factors have abearing on the assessment of the impacts . Additionally, the site is not an island and must b eviewed in the context of its wider setting both in landscape and visual impact terms .A proposed development could have effects on the following matters :

• landform ;• natural features such as rock exposures or outcrops ;• natural processes such as river or other hydrological systems which are important

elements in the landscape ;• the fabric of the landscape including soils, and sub soils ;• landscape character ;• landscape features ;• landscape designations and development plan policies .

Impacts on the landscape need to be assessed in relation to the landscape character area i nwhich the proposal is situated, and in some cases the character areas from which it may b eseen, or seen across . Impacts on the key characteristics and features defined in this report arelikely to be substantial impacts (whether positive or negative), whereas impacts on othercharacteristics and features mentioned are likely to be moderate (significant) . Impacts oncharacteristics or features not mentioned in the relevant landscape type analysis may benoticeable but their significance is unlikely to justify a refusal of planning permission o nlandscape grounds alone .

In assessing the visual effects of a proposed development the following matters should b econsidered :

• sensitive receptors - private property, public roads, other rights of way ;• what would be seen at which stage of the development ;• the magnitude of the change or impact ;• the significance of the impact .

The visual assessment should describe views from areas surrounding the site, and assess thechange in views as a result of the proposed development taking into account the propose dmitigation measures at different stages in the development including construction, operational ,restoration and decommissioning stages where relevant . Existing views and the effects ofproposed development and mitigation measures on those viewpoints for sensitive receptors ,such as private property, public roads and other rights of way, should be examined in the fiel dand illustrated by photographs, photomontage or before/after sketches to elucidate the potentia lvisual impacts of a proposal that may be difficult for the public to envisage from tw odimensional plans . The assessment should also take into account the likely impact of th ephasing of the proposed development where relevant, particularly checking the effectivenessand phasing of associated mitigating measures such as screen bunds or planting .

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Appendix 1Methodology

General ApproachIn essence this was a multi-purpose assessment providing a resource for different levels o finput . It was set in a regional/national context whilst at the same time it aimed to provide aworking tool for day to day local development planning and land management decisions .Key elements of the objectives included :

• providing an understanding of the landscape character ;• providing an understanding of the landscape experience ;• an assessment of the dynamics of landscape change ;• an assessment of the sensitivity of the landscape to change ;• identifying key characteristics and features which may be modified to enhanc e

or accelerate the evolution of the landscape ;• identifying actual and potential changes that may degrade the landscap e

character and how these may be avoided, restrained or managed ;• establishing and prioritising opportunities for positive landscape initiatives ;• considering how the landscape and visual impacts of proposals may be assesse d

in the planning process ;• helping to inform planning decisions and selection of options ;• contributing to the definition of the carrying capacity of the area for key form s

of development .

The general approach followed the published guidance of the CCS (Land Use Consultants (LUC) ,1991) and the Countryside Commission (1993a) as specified in the project brief, adapted totake account of recent advances in landscape assessment and the need for compatibility wit hother assessments, and with the planning, economic development and environmenta lassessment/audit processes . As the capacity of the landscape to absorb change goes beyon dthe conventional concept of landscape classification it formed a new element, not covered b ythe published methodologies. Account was taken of the joint Institute of Environmenta lAssessment and Landscape Institute Guidance (1995) .

The main stages are set out below, with a brief commentary . It should also be noted that th emethod was the same as that used, by the same team of landscape architects, for the adjacen tassessment of the Landscape of Kinross-shire . The stages are summarised in Table 2 (pag e162) .

The Brie fThe first stage included consultation with members of the Steering Group to clarify matter srelating to the brief, although these were of a minor and detailed nature . For clarification wetook the scope of the Assessment to be the holistic view of the landscape as the fundamenta lcomponent of the natural heritage, consisting not only of the physical and visible elements o fthe landscape but also the dynamics of natural processes and human activities historically, no wand in the future, together with the experiences of the landscape as perceived by those wh olive and work in the area or those who visit or travel through it, including its historical, cultural ,social and economic dimensions .

Planning The Assessmen tThis is an important part of the project management . Time was limited and the assessmen thad to be planned in detail to ensure completion dates were met . This included assembling an dprogramming resources and skills, defining a programme for each stage of the methodology ,familiarisation with the area and identifying and collecting sources of information .

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An OS base negative was produced at scale 1/25,000 on which the assessment work wa sbased . The OS 1/25,000 sheets were the working plans for fieldwork .

TABLE 2GENERAL METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH

The Brief

Object and Purpose of the AssessmentTarget Audience/Users

Scope and Scal e

Planning The Assessmen t

Assembling Resources and Skill sMethodology Programm e

Familiarisatio nIdentify and Collate Information Source s

Preparation of Map Base s

Desk Study

Information Analysi sMap Analysis

Define Preliminary Landscape Type sLiterature and Arts Review

Aerial Photographic Analysi sData Base Analysi s

Consultation s

Reid Survey

Sample ChecklistsStructured Survey Form s

Objective and Subjective Analysi sPhotographs & Sketches

Analysis and Presentation

Landscape TypesDescriptions and Illustration s

Interpretation of Landscape Chang eConsultation s

Report and Recommendations

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Desk StudySome information gathering needed to be concurrent with fieldwork to meet the programm erequirements . Initially, however, essential information which was a pre-requisite of fieldwor kwas collated as a priority . This related to solid and drift geology, soils, land capability ,topography, natural systems and broad land cover derived from geological, soil, land capabilityand current and former OS maps and from The Land Cover of Scot/and 1988 (MLURI, 1993) .From this data we defined preliminary 'landscape types' to provide a basis for fieldwork .Information was then gathered on cultural associations, socio-economic influences ,archaeology, historic and designed landscapes, ecological interrelationships, SSSIs, Sites o fAncient Monuments (SAMs), other natural and built heritage designations, settlement pattern sand traditional building patterns and materials . Evidence of landscape changes was alsogathered from old OS maps . Local libraries were consulted in respect of historical records an dpublications, together with a review of literature and the arts .

Sources of information included :

1. Archaeological Sites and Monuments Record maps ;2. old OS maps where available ;3. literature review, photographs, paintings etc . ;4

draft Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy Local Plans .5. the Fife Region Structure Plan ;6. the Forestry Authority and SOAEFD statistics .

FieldworkThe object of this stage in the assessment was to record and describe the natural heritag efeatures and characteristics and to read the dynamics of landscape change which cannot b edrawn from desk studies . The project brief required only the landscape description andclassification stages, not evaluation . Landscape Assessment Princip/es and Practice, (Land UseConsultants (LUC), 1991) indicates that 'landscape description' means providing a verba lportrayal of what a landscape looks like (i .e. its features and characteristics) . 'Landscapeclassification' means sorting landscape into different types based on similarities and difference sin character . It involves dividing landscapes into distinct areas, grouping areas of simila rcharacter and their distribution .

This Assessment did not intend to progress to the evaluation stage and does not seek t ocompare the relative value of differing areas by way of comparative evaluation . Thus,landscape classification should be an inherently more objective process than landscap eevaluation . It is primarily an objective process based on the intrinsic characteristics of thelandscape and although this requires some subjective description it does not involve subjectiv eevaluation, an important distinction. Subjective evaluation is not part of the process, bu tsubjective description is and can be accommodated in a way which is likely to lead to aconsistent approach by several landscape architects over a period of time, thus aiding the valu eof the Assessment in environmental monitoring . The distinction between subjective an dobjective description is built into the methodology by clearly separating the two sets o fdescription in fieldwork and later stages .

The Fieldwork stage covered, amongst other things :

a) visible (physical) elements and characteristics [mainly objective description] ; andb) experiential characteristics [mainly subjective description] .

Visible Elements and Characteristic sAn essential part of the assessment is the description of visible elements and characteristics an dtheir composition in the landscape . It can only be done by field survey . All of the physica lelements or components of the landscape should be included . They relate generally t olandform, land cover and land use, built structures, settlement and infrastructure . Some will beof a large scale (e .g . hills or lochs); some may be single point features such as a

163

telecommunications mast or small island ; others may be linear features such as rivers, railwa ylines and in this case the motorway.

Each element makes a contribution to the visual composition of the landscape . This may bebeneficial or adverse . Each element forms a part of the composition which may vary from th edominating role of a large-scale and conspicuous element to the insignificant role of a single ,inconspicuous, small-scale element of subdued colour .

The object of the descriptive fieldwork is to identify the visually significant component parts ofthe landscape and to consider their role in the composition of views and how they contribute t ovisible characteristics . This contributes not only to the description of the landscape resourc ebut also helps to understand it and to begin to appreciate its capacity for absorbing change .Considering the scale of significance in the landscape necessarily involves judgement, but this i snot an entirely aesthetic judgement . It is based on an impartial consideration of the physica lfeatures of a landscape . It is not reliant on personal taste and a large measure of agreemen twould be expected amongst a group of surveyors as to scale and conspicuousness of physica lelements .

It is necessary to structure this type of survey and to achieve consistency of application acros sa large area and differing landscape types . Contemporary good practice landscape assessmen trecommends the use of checklists . Standard checklists need to be used with considerable care .Ideally, each assessment should produce its own checklist for the visible elements which ar erelevant to the subject area . No standard checklist could be comprehensive for the range o felements present in all landscape types in Scotland . Equally, many items on standard checklist swould be irrelevant or would make the description too long and imbalanced . Consequently wedeveloped a sample checklist from the familiarisation stage and tested this in two differen tareas before applying it consistently across the study area . A copy of the checklist and fiel dsheet used is attached to this appendix .

Experiential CharacteristicsThese characteristics too can only be identified and described by field survey . The reading ofthe landscape is a skill which is acquired by training and experience . The survey of visibl eelements and experiential characteristics was carried out by qualified landscape architects, wit hat least two landscape architects looking at all areas, usually separately . They were alread ytrained and experienced to observe, analyse and assess the visual and perceptual aspects of th enatural heritage . They were responsible for drawing up the relevant checklists, and fo rundertaking the descriptive fieldwork in respect of visible elements and experientia lcharacteristics . Their skill in reading the landscape was also vital to the interpretation ofchange, trends and pressures on the landscape .

If landscapes are to be fully understood and their character protected or enhanced in planning ,land use and management decisions, then it is necessary to appreciate the key experientia lcharacteristics of the landscape type as well as the visible features . This not only contributesto the description and understanding of the landscape resource but also helps to appreciate it scapacity for absorbing change . Again, considering the characteristics of a landscape involve sjudgement . However, with the trained eye, impartial approach and professional experience of alandscape architect, these judgements should not be reliant on personal taste and a larg emeasure of agreement would be expected amongst a group of surveyors . The survey exclude sthose characteristics of landscapes that rely substantially or wholly on personal preference ,taste or experience and are essentially comparative e .g . 'beauty', 'wildness', or 'familiarity' .The range of experiential characteristics which were described are shown on the field sheets, a nexample of which is reproduced at the end of this Appendix .

This is an adaptation of Figure 4 in the CCS guidance (Land Use Consultants (LUC), 1991) .Landscape description and classification into landscape character types does not usually benefitfrom assessment of the full range of perceptual impressions which would only be required i fproceeding to the stage of landscape evaluation, which this project was not . Thus, 'rarity' ,

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'beauty' and 'familiarity', which are perhaps the most subjective factors are not necessary o rapplicable to landscape classification, they are relative judgements between one area an danother and more appropriate therefore to evaluation for AGLV etc . 'Wildness' and'productivity' can be inconsistently applied, even by experienced landscape architects and ,again, are relative in terms of one study area and another which may result in an assessmen tthat cannot be consistently repeated in future monitoring .

As in the case of visible elements, contemporary good practice in landscape assessmen trecommends the use of checklists to structure the survey consistently across a large an ddiverse area . Again, the use of a checklist was on the basis of a specific checklist drawn u pand tested by the landscape architects specifically for the assessment of this area .

In carrying out the descriptive fieldwork the landscape architect was also reading an dinterpreting changes in the landscape . Many changes are evident to the trained eye . Not onlydo these indicate how land use, management and development changes have affected th elandscape and resulted in present-day character but they also indicate how effectively th elandscape could absorb these or other changes in the future . Furthermore, reading pastchanges in the landscape (mentally replacing lost elements or removing added elements) ca nhelp the landscape architect to appreciate the relationship between natural processes andhuman activities . Self-evidently these both affect visible elements and experientia lcharacteristics .

Descriptive fieldwork has usually been carried out on the basis of fixed point surveys, on asample basis . This has not always been found to be satisfactory and we have develope dtechniques for appreciating the landscape and recording visible and experiential characteristic sdynamically whilst travelling on foot, bicycle or in a car around the preliminary landscape types .This supplements rather than replaces fixed point surveys which are useful where there ar egood vantage points over an homogenous area . In areas lacking good vantage points or area swith a complex and subtle changing character we place less weight on the fixed point surveys .Moving around the area to develop a feel for its characteristics and for the changes whic hinfluence it is an essential part of fieldwork which can usefully be repeated in later stages of th eassessment . Not all the landscape types were immediately obvious and amendments an dadditions were made . Comprehensive photographic coverage was obtained because fiel dsketching was impractical in the cold weather conditions .

Analysis and Presentatio nThe results of desk study and fieldwork were drawn together to provide the landscap eclassification into landscape types . These formed the basis of consultation with the projec tpartners and other relevant bodies where the implications of landscape change, developmen toptions and proposals and opportunities for positive enhancement were discussed .

Following consultation and discussion with the Steering Group of the project, guidance o nlandscape and visual impact assessment and priorities and specific projects and proposals wer eincorporated into the report after careful analysis of the assessment results . This included waysin which proposals for change could be assessed in relation to the capacity of the differin glandscape types to absorb the changes .

This report is the principal product of the Assessment and contains the impact assessmentadvice and the agenda for the landscape of Fife .

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FIFE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENTFIELDSHEET 1 OF 3

LOCATION

VIEWPOINT DATE

VISIBLE, PHYSICAL;COMPONENTS (FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS►

LANDFORM :High Plateau Peak Knoll

Ridge Spur Crags OutcropsCarrie/Gulley Low Plateau Distinct Hills Rolling hills Slope sGlen

Valley Gorge Bench/Terrace Flats Dens Hollows PlainWide Basin Confined Basin

Mounds/Moraines Cliff

Coastal Bra eBay Headland Beach

Intertidal

Notes

LAND COVER AND LAND USE - FORESTRY, WOODLAND AND TREES :Coniferous Plantation

Mixed Plantation

Broadleaved Plantatio nSemi-natural Woodland

Tree Clumps / Copse sShelterbelts / Tree Lines /Roadside Tree Belt sPolicy/Parkland Trees

Hedgerow Trees

Notable Single Trees

Notes

LAND COVER AND LAND USE - AGRICULTURE :Arable Horticulture

Intensive Livestock

Ley Grassland

Permanent Pastur e

Unimproved Grassland

Rough Hill Grazing

Heather / MoorlandAnimals :

Cattle Sheep

Pigs

Poultry

Horses

Deer

LAND COVER AND LAND USE - FIELDS AND BOUNDARIES :Stone Dykes Dykes with Fencing Remnant DykesContinuous Hedgerows Hedgerows with Gaps Remnant Hedgerow sLost Hedgerows Post and Wire Fencing Post and Rail Fencin gHigh Stone Walls Stone pillars Wooden / Metal Gate sBeech Hedges Hawthorn HedgesField size :

Very Large Large

Medium Smal l

Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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LAND COVER AND LAND USE - WATER :Sea

Sea Loch

Intertidal Mud / Sand Delta

EstuaryLochans

Pools

River

WhitewaterBurn

Drain / Ditch

Canal

Waterfal l

Notes

Loch

Reservoi r


F/ELDSHEET 2 OF, 3

LOCATION

VIEWPOINT DATE

LAND COVER AND LAND USE - OTHER LAND USES :Country Park

Urban Park

Nature Reserve

Car Parks

Sports Field sGolf Course

Angling

Camping Site

Caravan Site Marina/BoatsDock/Harbour

Military

Open-Cast Coal

Sand and Gravel Hard RockIndustrial

Warehousing Airfield

Retai l

Utilities

Notes

LAND COVER AND LAND USE SETTLEMENTS :Nucleated

Scattered

Linear

Unplanned

Model / Planne dTraditional

Modern

Mixed

Frequent

Infrequent

Absen tTown

Village/Township

Hamlet

SprawlingSteadings :

Regular

Irregular

Absent

Frequent

InfrequentSmall

Medium

LargeTraditional

Modified

Extended

ConvertedDominant Building Material s

Stone Colour Brick Colour Render / ColourwashTile Roof Colour Slate Roof Colour Stone Roof Colour

Notes

SINGLE POINT FEATURES :Church

Castle

Ruin

Folly

Obelisk

CairnBridge

Large House Steadings

Signs

Mast/TransmitterIndustrial Site Tips/Bings

Quarry/Mine

Quarry BuildingsNotes

Other Features and Visible Characteristic s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LINEAR FEATURES :B Roads

Minor Road sDrove Roads

Hill TracksEmbankments Cutting sLow Voltage

Rivers / Watercourse sPipelines

Coast / Shorelin e

Motorway

Main Roa dTracks

Bridleways/PathsDerelict / Operational Railwa yPower Lines

High Voltag eOverhead Telephone

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FIFE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER 'ASSESSMENTF/ELDSHEET 3 OF 3

LOCATION

VIEWPOINT DATE

COMPONENTS OF LANDSCAPE EXPERIENCE

Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

168

VISIBLE / SPATIAL CHARACTERISTIC SIntimate

Small

Medium

Large

Vast

Tightly Enclosed / Confined

Mixed

Open

Expose d

Monochrome

Muted

Colourful

Garish

Smooth

Varied Texture

Rough

Craggy

Uniform

Simple

Diverse

Complex

Vertical

Sloping

Rolling

Flat / Horizonta l

Straight

Angular

Curved

Sinuous

Harmonious

Balanced

Discordant

Chaoti c

Dead

Calm

Slow

Active

Busy

Random / (Semi) Natural

Organised

Planned

Forma lIndistinct / (Semi) Natural

Irregular

Regular

Geometri c

Derelict

Neglected / Unkempt

Tended

Manicured

SCALE :

OPENNESS :

COLOUR :

TEXTURE :

DIVERSITY :

FORM :

LINE :

BALANCE :

MOVEMENT :

PATTERN :

MANAGEMENT :

OTHER SENSESSilent

Quiet

Disturbed

Noisy

Fresh

Agricultural

Coastal

Industria l

Other

SOUND :

SMELL:

Appendix 2Glossary of Terms

Brae

A very steep slope, often wooded .

Den

Deeply incised, often narrow and sinuous gorge or valley cut int ohills or slopes and usually well wooded .

Dip (Slope)

A gradual, gentle, often even slope of a hill or range of hills .

Fluvio-Glacial (Deposits)

Material left behind by a combination of the movement andmelting of glaciers and by rivers .

Foothills Relatively lower hills or ranges of hills that are connected to o rseen in association with higher hills, and which often form atransition between upland and lowland landscapes .

Geology

The science and study of rocks and sediments .

The science and study of the shape of the land and natura lprocesses .

Material left behind by the movement or melting of glaciers .

The science and study of water and its movement .

The area of land intermittently covered by the sea, generall ybetween Mean High and Low Water Marks of Ordinary Sprin gTides.

All that covers the surface of the land including, for example ,woodlands, arable fields, grasslands or moorland .

Landform

The shape of the land and its physical features .

Landscape Experience

The aspects of the landscape that can be experienced throug h(Characteristics)

sight, sound or smell but which do not have a physical form, fo rexample, patterns, colours or textures, odours and noise .

The use of the land, for example, for forestry or agriculture an dactivities on the land past and present .

Physical features in the landscape that are in lines, for example ,roads, railways, hedges, stone dykes or shorelines .

Water flowing off or from melting glaciers often containin gsuspended material that would be deposited as the flow of wate rslowed down.

A bog or peatland, usually wet .

Physical features in the landscape that occur or are see nindividually (and cumulatively) as single, often conspicuou sfeatures .

Geomorphology

Glacial (Deposits )

Hydrology

Intertida l

Land Cove r

Land Us e

Linear Feature s

Meltwater

Mire

Point Features

169

Pressures for Change Changes in the landscape brought about over time by natura lprocesses (e .g . erosion, decay or maturity) or at any time b yhuman activity or lack of human activity (e.g . development orchanges in the way the land is used or managed) .

Raised Beach An area of often more or less level land standing like a terrac eabove the present day coast but formed originally as a coasta lbeach when sea levels were higher than today .

Riparian

Of or on the banks of rivers .

A steep, sometimes precipitous slope at the edge of a hill orrange of hills .

Near-natural communities of plants and animals where huma ninfluences have modified the natural state but where natura lprocesses continue in a way that is more natural than in othe rareas dominated by human activity .

Settlement Pattern

The scale, distribution and layout of built development, past andpresent .

170

Scarp (Slope )

Semi-natural

Appendix 3Bibliography and References

ASH Consulting Group 1998 Clackmannanshire landscape chars t r acs ssmenr NH R vi wNo . 96 Scottish Natural Heritage, Pert h

ASH Consulting Group 1998 The Lothians landscape character assessment SNH Revi w No 91Scottish Natural Heritage, Pert h

ASH Consulting Group (in press) Central Region landscape character assessment SNH R vi wSeries Scottish Natural Heritage, Perth

Birse EL & Dry FT 1970 Assessment of climatic conditions in Scotland Soil Survey of

otlandResearch Series Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Aberdee n

British Geological Survey Geological mans . Scotland SC series, Sheet 32W Livingston : Soli d1977; 32E Edinburgh : Solid 1977 ; Drift 1967 ; 39E Alloa : Solid 1971 ; Drift 1973; Sheet 40Kinross : Solid 1974 ; Drift 1974

Cameron, I and Stephenson, D . 1985 The Midland Valley of Scotland 3rd Edition . HMSO ,London .

Countryside Commission 1991 Environmental assessment the treatment of land ao andcountryside recreation issues (CCP 326) Countryside Commission, Cheltenham .

Countryside Commission 1993a Landsca p e assessment guidance (CCP 423) Countrysid eCommission, Cheltenham .

Countryside Commission 1993b Open-cast coal mining (CCP 434) Countryside Commission ,Cheltenham.

Dunfermline District Council 1991 Dunfermline District local plan . Draft written statemen tDunfermline District Council, Dunfermline .

Dunfermline District Council 1995 The evaluation of proposals for open-cast coal minin gDunfermline District Council, Dunfermline .

Dunfermline District Council, Fife Regional Council and Fife Enterprise 1995 The EastDunfermline master plan . public realm study Dunfermline District Council, Dunfermline .

Environmental Resource Management 1995 Overview of landscape assessment methodolog yUnpublished report for Scottish Natural Heritag e

Fife Council 1997 Strategy for crushed rock aggregate Fife Council, Glenrothes .

Fife Regional Council 1992 The Fife structure nlan . Technical memorandum (includes Fifeindicative forestry strategy) Fife Regional Council, Glenrothes .

Fife Regional Council 1994 The Fife structure plan Fife Regional Council, Glenrothes .

Fife Regional Council 1995 Lochore Meadows Country Park Fife Regional Council, Glenrothes .

Forestry Authority 1992a I owland landscape design guidelinesHMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1992b Upland landscape desig un guidelines HMSO, London .

171

Forestry Authority 1993 Forests and water guidelines HMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1994a Bulletin no 112• Creating new native woodlands HMSO, London

Forestry Authority 1994b Forests and nature conservation guidelines HMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1994c Forests and recreation guidelines HMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1994d Forest landscane design guidelines HMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1995a Forests and archaeologv guidelines HMSO, London .

Forestry Authority 1995bThe Forestry Authority, Edinburgh .

Forestry Authority 1995c The Woodland Grant Scheme Forestry Authority, Edinburgh .

Forestry Commission 1995 Forests of Fife and Kinross : forest walks Forestry Commission ,Edinburgh .

Historic Scotland Various dates, List of buildings of architectural and historic interes tDunfermline and Kirkcaldy Districts, Historic Scotland, Edinburgh .

Historic Scotland Various dates, I ist of scheduled ancient monuments Dunfermline andKirkcaldy Districts, Historic Scotland, Edinburgh .

Institute of Environmental Assessment and the Landscape Institute 1995 Guidelines fo rlandscane and visual imnact assessment Chapman and Hall, London .

Kirkcaldy District Council 1994 Levenmouth Area local elan Kirkcaldy District Counci l

Kirkcaldy District Council 1995a Glenrothes Area Local Plan Kirkcaldy District Counci l

Kirkcaldy District Council 1995b Kirkcaldy I oral Plan Kirkcaldy District Counci l

Lamont-Brown R . 1988 Discovering Fife John Donald Publishers Ltd ., Edinburgh, Reprinte d1994

Land Use Consultants (LUC) 1987 Inventory of gardens and designed landsca pes. Volume 4 :Tayside. Central and Fife Countryside Commission for Scotland, & Historic Buildings an dMonuments Directorate, Scottish Development Department, Battleby

Land Use Consultants (LUC) 1991 I andscane assessment, principles and nractice CountrysideCommission for Scotland, Battleb y

Land Use Consultants (LUC) 1994 Firth of Forth landscane assessment Unpublished report fo rScottish Natural Heritag e

Land Use Consultants (LUC) On press) Tayside landscane assessment . SNH Review Serie sScottish Natural Heritage, Pert h

Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI) 1993 The land cover of Scotland 19RR MLURI ,Aberdee n

Meteorological Office 1989 The climate of Scotland . some facts and figures HMSO, London .

172

National Trust for Scotland 1995 Culross National Trust for Scotland, Edinburgh .

NE Fife District Council 1993 Ciinar and Howe of Fife local planNE Fife District Counci l

NE Fife District Council 1995a Largo and Fast Neiik local plan NE Fife District Counci l

NE Fife District Council 1995b Tay Coast local nlar NE Fife District Counci l

NE Fife District Council 1996 St Andrews Area local olan NE Fife District Counci l

Perth and Kinross District Council 1994 Kinross Area local plan Perth and Kinross DistrictCouncil, Perth .

Rights of Way Society 1995 Royal Burgh of Culross Rights of Way Society, Edinburgh .

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) 198 5Fxnloring Scotland's heritage. Fife and Tayside HMSO, London .

Scottish Natural Heritage 1995 Land form inventory of North Fast Fife District, Scottish Natura lHeritage, Edinburgh .

Scottish Natural Heritage and Dunfermline District Council 1995 Sites of nature conservatio nimportance Unpublished report .

Scottish Wildlife Trust no date I isted wildlife sites Dunfermline District . SWT, Edinburgh .

Soil Survey of Scotland 1984 Organisation and methods of the 1 •250 000 soil survey ofScotland, Macaulay institute for Soil Research, Aberdeen .

Tyldesley, David and Associates (DTA) 1995a Dunfermline District landscape assessment . SNHReview No 19 Scottish Natural Heritage, Pert h

Tyldesley, David and Associates (DTA) 1995b The landscape of Kinross-shire, SNH Review No .77 Scottish Natural Heritage, Pert h

Tyldesley, David and Associates (DTA) 1996 Landscape assessment study of St Andrews, FifeRegional Council, NE Fife District Council and Scottish Natural Heritage .

173

UPLANDS : Cleish Hills (NGR 067 943) (iew looking north-east, across Nettly Bum an dLethans and Outh Muirs, towards the hest ground of the Cleish Hills . The highlydistinctive, open character of these upla; is threatened by ever encroaching coniferousafforestation (far right) .

UPLAND SLOPES : Benarty Slopes South IGR 152 966) - View south across the sout hfacing slope of Benarty and in the distancLoch Ore Improved grazing with matur edeciduous woodland dominate this area .

FIGURE 5The Uplands (CA and UP) an dThe Upland Slopes (C.2 and US)

UPLAND FOOTHILLS : Cleish Foothills4GR 097 931) - view of Roscobie, situated o none of the many low hills within the gent undulating landscape of this area . Improvedgrazing and, where conditions permit, arabldominate the land use . Stone dykes, generall ylacking repair, are being supplemented or repled by post and wire fencing . Mature deciduou strees dot the landscape and are particularltconcentrated around steadings . A quarry andKnock Hill can be seen in the distance .

PRONOUNCEDVOLCANIC HILLS & CRAIGS : Cullaloe Hills (NGR 207 874) - Viewlooking north-east across Stenhouse Reservoir, a small isolated loch located within a roughlandscape of knolls and hollows, dominated by grazing and blocks of deciduous woodland .

FIGURE 6The Upland Foothills (C.3 and UF) an dThe Pronounced Volcanic Hills and Craigs (C .4 and UV)

PRONOUNCEDVOLCANIC HILLS & CRAIGS : Cullaloe Hills (NCR 197 880) - Vie w

looking north-west towards the long ridge of the Cullaloe Hills, situated on the more resistan t

intrusive igneous rock . Extensive coniferous plantations dominate the hills and mask an y

detailed variations in landform .

LOWLAND HILLS & VALLEYS : Mel! (NGR 172 867) - View south west acros sFordell, an area of distinct character withthe lowland hills and valleys due to its relativelyundeveloped character of rolling grassld, blocks of deciduous woodland, and hedgerow s(although these are falling into disrepair:Policy planting associated with the Fordell estat eis seen in the middle-right. The Firth oiorth and the Forth Road Bridge are visible in thedistance .

OPEN SLOPING FARMLAND : Strathkit s (NGR 461 161) to the west of St . Andrews .Large, open, sloping arable fields, generally atureless with variable field boundaries and fe wtrees, though occasional plantations . Typi ; isolated farrnsteading with modern agricultura lbuildings .

FIGURE 7The Lowland Hills and Valleys (C .5 and LH) andThe Open Sloping Farmland (C6 and LF)

LOWLAND DENS : Lumbo Den (NGR 48 7148) to the west of St . Andrews. Here theundeveloped hills around Balone fall to thedensely wooded and steep sided Lumbo den .

LOWLAND DENS : Kinness Den & LumboDen (NGR 493 157) where the Kinness Bu mmeets the Lumbo Den at the foot of HallowHill . The Dens provide important green wedge sand open spaces extending into the heart of St .Andrews .

LOWLAND GLACIAL MELTWATER VALLEYS : Balmeadowside (NGR 320 175) lookin gNW. Large arable fields dominate the floor of the valley, interspersed with small, woode dglacial mounds, here recently replanted . Steadings are located on a spring line marking the edg eof the valley and rising slopes to the upland foothills .

LOWLAND GLACIAL MELTWATER VALLEYS : Lindores (NGR 248 167) looking northfrom B936 over Den of Lindores to Braeside of Lindores. Valley floor of predominantly largearable fields with some woodland over a pronounced and complex landform of glacial terraces ,eskers, kames and mounds, below the upland foothills .

FIGURE 8The Lowland Dens (C .7 and LD)The Lowland Glacial Meltwater Valleys (C.8 and LG)

- ` --

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- - .

~=-=,_-- ~

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LOWLAND LOCH BASINS :

~_ -

LucbOre (GD y7l 9h0)- Loch Ore Meadows Country Parkis a popular recreational facility offering a 'de range of activities centred around the 260 acr eloch at the foot ofQcourty Hill . Extensivplanting of mixed woodland species has occurredfollowing reclamation of the site from a cc mining wasteland .

LOWLAND RIVER BASINS : The Howe' Fife (NGR 335 (15) looking west towards th eOchil Hills in the distance . Flat basin of tRiver Eden with regular, medium to large scale ,intensively cultivated amble fields . Here extcve tree cover enclose the fields and form stron gvisual features, especially when seen from -ounding higher ground .

FIGURE 9Lowland River Basins (C.9 and LR)Lowland Loch Basins (C .10 and LB)

COASTAL HILLS : Valleyfield to Charlestoi (NGR 033 849) - View north-westwards alon gthe coastal hills, with the Firth of Forth visit in the distance below the densely wooded clif fwith wind blown trees, which form distinctivfeatures along this stretch of the Firth of Forth .Land use is dominated by large arable fields, ai with only occasional hedgerows and hedgero wtrees the landscape is open and subtle changlin topography are clearly visible .

COASTAL TERRACE : North Bank (NGR 483 165) as seen from the Strathkinness High Roa dwith the historic skyline of St . Andrews in the background Medium to large scale, geometricarable fields are relatively well screened, and the University playing fields are in the middl edistance .

COASTAL TERRACE: St. Monans (NGR 533 026) large scale, intensively cultivated arabl efields with few hedges or trees . Large steadings, overhead lines and the edges of settlement sfacing towards the coast are noticeable features of this open, relatively exposed landscape .

FIGURE 1 0Coastal Hills (C,11 and CH)Coastal Terrace (C .12 and CT)

COASTAL BRAES : Torryburn to Limekilns (NGR 077 833) - View look?L .g west along the.Firth of Forth with the typical wooded cliff and raised beach The raised beach has been utilise dfor the linear, south facing, developments of Limekilns and Charlestown, piers and harbours hav eextended this narrow strip of land in to the Firth of Forth ..

FIGURE 1 1Coastal Cliffs (C.13 and CC )Coastal Braes (C .14 and CB )

COASTAL CUFFS : St. Andrews (NGR 520 160) Rocky cliffs above the shoreline, dominate d

by natural elements and processes and general lack of human settlement and activity .


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