This study has defined 15 landscape types within the AONB. Each is described in relation to five key headings: landform and context; land use and landscape pattern; settlement, subjective response and sensitivity to change. Landscape guidelines, suggesting the key issues for management in each of the areas, follow the descriptions.

Geology is the key influence on landscape character. A comparison between the landscape character map and the map of the geology of the area (below) indicates an obvious close relationship.

The influences of geology, geomorphology and topography are described under the heading landform and context, at the beginning of each description of landscape character.

Overlaid upon the geological structure has been a long history of man's activities, shaping the agricultural landscapes, forests and settlements and leaving a legacy of distinctive features. The land use and landscape pattern section focuses on this aspect of landscape character. Landscape management practices, both past and present, are a key influence, contributing directly to landscape quality in terms of land use and the characteristic patterns formed by woodlands, fields and hedgerows.

It is important to note that while land use has a significant influence on landscape character, it does not provide a basis for the definition of landscape types. This is because land use is often only a temporary influence - commercial forestry plantations can disappear in a matter of days and the introduction of economic subsidies and incentives can rapidly alter an agricultural landscape. Most recently, set-aside has had a significant visual impact in areas where arable farmland predominates.

All landscapes are made up of a mosaic of different elements. The scale and diversity of the mosaic influences visual character, but the way the mosaic fits together is also significant and there is a need to describe and manage the character of landscape edges. For instance, in the west chalk valleys the deeply indented woodland edges usually relate closely to landform, with woodland curving around the upper slopes of coombe valleys; while in the sandy arable farmland, small woodlands typically fit into the fairly tight, geometric layout of fields and hedgerows. In both situations these important relationships can only be discussed if landscape types are defined with sufficient breadth to include the mosaic of different landscape elements within any one area. Edge characteristics can therefore be described, and if appropriate, altered and there is also scope to enhance the overall proportion and balance of the mosaic itself.

The description of settlement character includes the local settlement pattern, with reference to its historic development, and also the use of local materials.

The character of each of the landscape types stems from the complex interrelationships between many factors and the resultant landscapes therefore have varying capacities to absorb and assimilate change. The sections entitled sensitivity to change analyse the different landscape types in terms of their relative vulnerability to forces for change such as built development, changing agricultural or forestry practices and pollution. In many cases, certain elements within a landscape type will be more robust than others and ongoing forces for change may lead to a progressive imbalance in the visual structure of the landscape and an erosion of its distinctive character as the cumulative effects of small, piecemeal changes become evident. Of particular importance are factors such as the overall visual scale of a landscape and the degree of vegetation cover, as well as its physical context and whether it is overlooked from adjacent, more elevated areas.

The mood of a landscape is hard to define but is a critical factor in describing distinctiveness and what it is that makes somewhere special. The final part of the description for each type, entitled subjective response, is an attempt to define these more evocative and intangible aspects of landscape character.

Landscape guidelines suggest the key issues for management and priorities for action in each particular landscape type. They are intended to demonstrate how landscape management action can influence landscape character, conserving its existing distinctive qualities and enhancing or upgrading as opportunities arise. The guidelines highlight general issues; wherever possible any visually significant operations i.e.. modifications to field boundaries and woodlands, should be carefully considered and designed by a specialist in relation to each particular site. The guidelines are intended to guide, and sometimes to act as a catalyst for, such site-specific design.

The 15 landscape types defined within the AONB are mapped in detail at a scale of 1:25,000. This has been achieved to ensure that the practitioners who undertake a wide range of practical work within the AONB have clearly defined boundaries to the landscape types. The key plan (Drawing 727D/1), shown below, indicates the location of each of the landscape character maps (Drawings 727D 4-11). A Reduced version (Drawing 727D/2) is provided at the end of this section for reference. A description of the methodology used is provided as an appendix.

The boundaries between the different landscape types are usually transitions, i.e. there are gradual changes in character rather than abrupt divisions. However, there are also some prominent visual edges in the landscape, such as the skyline of the chalk escarpment or the edges of conifer plantations, which are important in defining broader visual structure.

The detailed 1:25,000 landscape character maps also show landmarks. These are generally features which can be seen over long distances and which provide a means for orientation in the wider landscape. They are often upstanding features, such as follies, prominent tree clumps or ridgetop summits with a unique and distinctive character which is always immediately identifiable and associated inextricably with a particular local landscape.

They are important components of the cultural as well as the physical landscape. Slides and colour photographs illustrating the different landscape types and copies of the 1:25,000 landscape maps may be obtained from the Conservation Board:

Landscape Assessment
Sussex Downs Conservation Board
Victorian Barn
Ford Lane
Nr Arundel BN18 0EF
West Sussex

The landscape types within the Sussex Downs AONB can be divided into three general groups, relating to the geological and topographical structure of the area. These are: chalk landscapes, Wealden landscapes and river floodplain landscapes. These general categories are further differentiated into the landscape types listed below:

Chalk landscapes:

• Chalk uplands
  • East open chalk uplands
  • West enclosed chalk uplands
• Chalk valleys
  • Principal chalk valleys
  • East chalk valley systems
  • West chalk valley systems
• Chalk escarpment
  • Open chalk escarpment
  • Wooded chalk escarpment

Wealden landscapes:

• Scarp footslopes
• Sandy arable farmland
• Heathland mosaic
• North wooded ridges
• Low Weald

River floodplain landscapes:

• Brooks pastures
• Principal river floodplains
• Minor river floodplains

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