Preston Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2018 - 2031

(3) 10. Environment and Heritage

10.1 Our small rural parish lies at the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills, a chalk escarpment. One small chalk quarry, now much overgrown with scrub, is still visible, at TL 177259. From its northern end, the parish stretches from Wellhead Farm at only 73m above sea level, for about three miles across changing scenery to the edge of Hitch Wood, one of Hertfordshire’s largest areas of ancient deciduous woodland. The soils are mostly the poorly draining clay-with-flints. Small zones of ‘brick earth’ are found, as at Kiln Wood, and, on the steep scarp slope of the escarpment, are nutrient poor chalky soils in Target Plantation. This variety in the surface geology gives rise to a diversity of natural plant communities. The River Hiz, draining north to the River Ivel, then into the River Ouse and, after 90 miles, to The Wash, rises from a spring in a meadow close to Wellhead Farm; the parish thus has a few yards of this small and shallow ‘chalk stream’ that is a rare aquatic habitat in England. Water is scarce elsewhere in the parish; the clay soil, when used to create surface ponds for man or beast, can be ‘puddled’ to give an impermeable lining.

10.2 Today’s man-made landscape includes many small woods and plantations, as well as the arable fields and grassland of the farms. Hazel and hawthorn hedges with oak and holly trees divide the fields and line the lanes. With narrow winding lanes, bridle paths and footpaths, and a scatter of outlying farmsteads, this landscape is typical of the Chilterns.

10.3 Farm livestock is almost an endangered species in Hertfordshire. This parish is very fortunate that we have had, and still have, farmers capable of succeeding in this branch of farming. Douglas Vickers had a famous herd of Wessex Saddleback pigs at Castle Farm in the 1940s; Ian and David Clark had the prizewinning Prescas herd of pedigree Holstein dairy cows. Horses and ponies now graze the former cattle pastures at Castle Farm. Pilkington Farm Partnership use land at Offley Holes Farm to graze their animals and farmers from outside the parish have cattle in the Park of Princess Helena College. These three zones of long established pastures add scenic variety, and support a diversity of wildlife, in the parish.

10.4 Located between the expanding towns of Hitchin and Stevenage not far to the east, and the large urban centre of Luton to the west, this parish is now buffeted between the different claims of the many people in this local population: the farmer, the forester, the gamekeeper, the rambler and the dog-walker, the horse rider, the commuter, and the ecologist. The location of the parish makes it available to serve the leisure needs of non-residents. Ramblers use the northern extension of The Chiltern Way and our many quiet and litter-free paths, often heading for our community owned Red Lion public house on The Green. Threads of cyclists regularly traverse our winding lanes. In late April or early May, carloads of visitors fill up Hitchwood Lane at the weekends to marvel at the sight of the many millions of bluebells in Hitch Wood. Our well-maintained Recreation Ground and the long established Cricket Club attract many visiting players, and their supporters, on summer weekends. Education facilities in the parish also draw in, by car, the parents and their children from beyond the parish, to attend the Nursery School, the Primary School and Princess Helena College, every day during term time.

10.5 Neighbouring parishes are also vulnerable to similar pressures. The task now is to monitor and assess, to conserve and enhance what we value and wish to maintain.

10.6 ‘Heritage’ is something we make from those habitats, structures and materials, which the past has bequeathed to us. Preservation, by law, of prehistoric sites and buildings, and some iconic landscapes, started over a century ago; preservation, by law, of habitats and individual species has been introduced only in recent decades. This is a reflection of our national values and ‘cultural mood’. Both man-made and natural features need recognition and maintenance, either by local residents or by statutory bodies.

10.7 In this parish, an early Victorian botanist, Henry Brown, from Hitchin recorded a plant colony inWainWood in 1838, and its descendants are still growing there. Brown’s herbarium, with theWainWood specimen, is now at the Natural History Museum in London. Several Victorian and Edwardian amateur naturalists fromHitchin,also visited the area and recorded their findings; Thomas Bates Blow noted orchids in the parish in the 1870s. Reginald Hine, in his book, The Natural History of the Hitchin Region, published in 1934, refers to others. The prize-winning scrapbook compiled by the Preston and Langley Women’s Institute in 1953 gives us a later glimpse of species then common: the birds - goldcrest, greater spotted woodpecker, tree creeper, nightingales, and the butterflies - Wall Brown, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell and the Comma. The yellow pimpernel and the creeping moneywort were identified along Dead Woman’s Lane. The lady members thought that ‘The bluebells are Preston’s crowning glory’, and ‘In winter, nowhere in all England are there Holly Trees to compare with those around Preston’. This is evidence that, more than 60 years ago, some local villagers noticed, recognised and valued their local wildlife species.

10.8 John Dony, in his book, The Flora of Hertfordshire, published in 1967, was well aware of the loss of plant diversity along the wayside verges, the falling water table and the shrinkage of springs and ponds, the pressure from the human population and the abrasive effects of their footwear and motor vehicle tyres. He conducted a special Habitat Study in Wain Wood in May and June 1962, and listed the ground flora: 6 ‘frequent’ species, 12 ‘occasional’ species and 23 ‘rare’ species. Ecologists know that wildlife is intrinsically dynamic – there will be gains as well as losses. Gardeners and walkers in the parish have noticed recent changes: fewer hedgehogs and thrushes, more red kites and black squirrels, and just as many hungry muntjac deer.

10.9 National and local concerns have recently brought much legislation from central government, and many initiatives from ecologists in this county. Following the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan, in 2011-2013, a new Hertfordshire Habitat Inventory listed and mapped the latest data. A new relationship with farmers is evolving; they are required to be stewards of the landscape and conservators of the wildlife, as well as producers of food.

The results of recent decades of both environmental and heritage legislation nowgivesus a framework of Environmental Assets for Preston Parish. This Framework can be seen in Appendix C starting on page 59.

10.10 More information relating to an Environmental Study with information on the statutory and the non-statutory Sites, and on the species of flora and fauna of the parish is contained in Appendix C Section C.2 Natural Environment, starting on page 64.

10.11 There is a clear visual and physical break between the village of Preston and villages and hamlets of neighbouring parishes. The open rolling countryside and woodland encircling the village is highly valued and richly biodiverse. At 143 metres the village is only 10 metres below the highest point in Hertfordshire which provides exceptional and highly appreciated views down and across the surrounding countryside. These views contribute to the distinct setting of Preston recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and must be maintained. Coalescence needs to be prevented including through visual intrusion which reduces the openness between villages and hamlets. See maps and photographs in Appendix C “Views and Vistas” and “Distinct Villages”, pages 61 to 63.

10.12 Preston enjoys the benefits of a Conservation Area, many listed buildings and a number of undesignated buildings that have the potential to be considered heritage assets. These are mostly located in and around the village.
See maps and lists in Appendix C Built Environment, pages 75 to 83.

10.13 Designated heritage assets of particular importance include the Grade II* Listed Princess Helena College and Tudor House and the Grade II* Listed Temple Dinsley Registered Park and Garden. The wall and gate piers to Princess Helena College form an important part of the street scene along School Lane. It is important that any development in the Conservation Area is well managed so that the most appropriate design is found for the site having regard to local character to ensure that all development is of high quality and reflects the character and setting of the areas around them in spatial layout, scale density, materials, design and landscape terms.

10.14 New development must take account of known surface and sub-surface archaeology and ensure unknown and potentially significant deposits are identified and appropriately considered during development. Lack of current evidence of sub-surface archaeology must not be taken as proof of absence.

Reference: Local Plan 2011-2031: Proposed Submission: Policy SP13: a, P57

10.15 Not surprisingly, it is very important for residents of Preston to protect the green spaces and views that they have and love.

10.16 The rural setting is why people choose to live in Preston and walking in the countryside is a popular activity. 98% agree it is important to have ‘green space’ such as woodlands and fields between Preston and neighbouring villages and towns; and 95% agree it is important to minimise the impact of development on woodland, hedges, footpaths, bridleways, green lanes, ponds, streams, verges and geological features.

10.17 There are no streetlights in the village, which means that night skies are dark, allowing wonderful views of the moon and stars on clear evenings. This darkness also guarantees regular feeding opportunities for moths, bats and owls.

10.18 During consultation, residents identified certain views and vistas they considered to be of particular importance. These are noted on the Views and Vistas Map in Appendix C page 61.

10.19 Residents place great importance on the green infrastructure in and around the parish. It is the network of open spaces, including woodlands, hedgerows, pastures and associated buffer zones, and green corridors, in addition to the protected sites and open countryside that make Preston such a unique place. Green infrastructure refers to all assets within and between towns and villages, both urban and rural.

10.20 Benefits to be gained from green infrastructure include a healthy environment, improved biodiversity value, climate change mitigation and flood attenuation as well as enhanced networks for walking and cycling, which contributes to a carbon neutral development. The retention of substantial connected networks of green space in adjacent countryside areas to serve growing communities is vitally important in ensuring these benefits are maximised.

10.21 The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has provided the Preston Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and Preston Parish Council with a set of detailed policies, along with justification for those policies, in relation to conserving and enhancing the natural environment (See Appendix D, page 87). Preston Parish Council (PPC) supports these policies, wherever they are relevant to Preston.

Objective E1: To protect and enhance the rural character and environment of the parish, its setting and its varied landscapes.

Objective E2: To recognise all merits of the built environment across the parish, and to seek to protect this architectural heritage, especially that of the many Heritage Assets and their settings.

Objective E3: To take special care of the Conservation Area, ensure that development in the Conservation Area or its setting is of an appropriate scale and maintains or enhances its character, and to raise awareness of the relevant legislation.

Objective E4: To protect and improve ‘greenspace’ e.g. The Green and all verges, within and around the village, to protect and enhance the features of the local environment, its views and vistas and to maintain the current level of tranquillity, so as to maintain and enhance the appearance of this rural settlement.

Objective E5: To maintain and protect good access to the countryside by means of statutory and permissive footpaths and bridleways.

Objective E6: To ensure new developments do not create flood risk and problems with the sewerage system and surface water drainage, while at the same time ensuring that any existing problems are not exacerbated.