A1(T) Elkesley Junction Improvements - Highways Agency

The five point scale is as follows:Value• Highest Quality - Areas comprising a clear composition of valued landscapecomponents in robust form and health, free of disruptive visual detractors andwith a strong sense of place. Areas containing a strong, balanced structurewith distinct features worthy of conservation. Such areas would generally beInternationally or Nationally recognised, e.g. World Heritage Sites andNational Parks.• Very Attractive - Areas primarily of valued landscape components combinedin an aesthetically pleasing composition and lacking prominent disruptivevisual detractors. Areas containing a strong structure with noteworthy featuresor elements, exhibiting a strong sense of place. Such areas would generallybe Nationally or Regionally recognised locations, e.g. Areas of OutstandingNational Beauty (AONB), parts within a National Park and the majority ofAreas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV).• Good - Areas primarily of valued landscape components combined in anaesthetically pleasing composition with low levels of disruptive visualdetractors, exhibiting a recognisable landscape/townscape structure. Suchareas would generally be Regionally and Locally recognised areas, e.g.localised areas within AONB and AGLV designations and the majority ofAreas of Local Landscape Importance.• Ordinary - Areas containing some features of landscape value but lacking acoherent and aesthetically pleasing composition with frequent detractingvisual elements, exhibiting a distinguishable structure often concealed bymixed land uses or development. Such areas would be commonplace at thelocal level and would generally be undesignated, offering scope forimprovement.• Poor - Areas lacking valued landscape components or comprising degraded,disturbed or derelict features, lacking any aesthetically pleasing compositionwith a dominance of visually detracting elements, exhibiting mixed land useswhich conceal the baseline structure. Such areas would generally berestricted to the local level and identified as requiring recoveryLandscape value relates to areas of particularly scenic quality or those displayingimportant historic and cultural associations. It is frequently addressed by reference tointernational, national, regional and local designations. A lack of formal policydesignation on a given landscape does not however necessarily infer the landscapeis of low quality or value.SensitivityThe local character areas have accordingly been rated in relation to their potentialsensitivity to the introduction of the proposed junction, taking landscape quality andvalue into account. Table 7.1 defines the sensitivity ratings adopted.38