The North Witney Consortium is employing a landscape-led approach in the delivery of the North Witney SDA. As part of the development proposals, we have taken steps to mitigate any visual impacts and enhance the landscape value and visual quality of the area.

The approach is intended to produce a scheme of a high architectural and landscape quality and design, taking full account of the setting of the site. Creating an attractively landscaped new community is central to our proposals.

The key elements of the green infrastructure proposals include:

• To retain and enhance the existing landscape fabric (trees and hedgerows) as an integral part of the development wherever possible.
• Providing structural landscaping and planting to soften and bring character to the development, as well as improving biodiversity.
• Enhancing linear landscape features, including hedgerows, tree planting and woodland with structural ecotone planting as well as new clusters of trees.
• A large central green corridor, incorporating active spaces for play and sports, as well as more passive landscape spaces for contemplation in nature and to help encourage healthy lifestyles, happiness and wellbeing.
• Sustainable drainage measures, which are a key component of the masterplan, would be well integrated with water landscapes throughout the site.
• Amenity landscapes include the network of recreational walking and cycling routes, parks, squares, play facilities and community infrastructure, which would link to existing Public Rights of Way.
• A gentle transition from the existing agricultural character and wider open landscape, in part achieved through the provision of open recreational space in more sensitive areas to provide a positive development edge.
• Creation of new views and public vantage points within developable areas and wider open space, comprising of well-treed street scenes, open parkland and wooded landscapes as well as retained north-easterly views toward the wider landscape context to the north of Witney.