Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2011 - 2016

04 Trevose Head to Stepper Point

Location

This section of the AONB is on the north coast, running south from Stepper Point near Padstow and the mouth of the Camel Estuary to Bedruthan. It is bounded to the east inland by the B3276 running inland between Porthcothan and Padstow.

Extent

Approximately 2,400 hectares or just over 9 square miles forming 2.5% of Cornwall AONB.

Statement of Significance

The varied coastal scenery in this section arises from diverse geology including hard greenstones which form high headlands, for example at Trevose Head and Stepper Point. The large and indented cliffs include the rocky stacks of the iconic Cornish cliffscape at Bedruthan Steps. Between these headlands readily eroded slates of varying softness give rise to numerous small coves and gentle sandy bays, such as at Porthcothan, Harlyn and
Trevone. There are extensive coastal sand dunes at Constantine Bay. At Stepper Point the coast curves inland towards Padstow, past the secluded Hawker’s Cove and further sand dunes at Tregirls Beach, forming the western side of the expansive mouth of the Camel Estuary.

Whilst the coastal headlands of harder rock are elevated, inland from the coast the underlying slates and siltstones form a softer low lying and gently rolling plateau stretching some distance inland before only gradually rising toward distant higher ground such as Bear Downs. Shallow valleys shape the soft landform with their slow local streams flowing quietly
to meet the sea at sandy coves and bays. The high windswept headlands allow panoramic
views and from Stepper Point these include the yawning expanse of the Camel Estuary. Inland, despite being low lying, subtle variations in elevation allow visual appreciation of the wider local countryside.

In many locations the sparsely vegetated slate Cornish hedges display the characteristic ‘Jack and Jane’ herringbone pattern of alternating diagonal courses. Tamarisk, whose soft appearance belies its toughness against salt laden sea winds, tops many hedges near the coast creating shelter in an otherwise unremittingly exposed environment. Due to the exposure, there are few trees of any stature in this section; however some small stream
valleys do have narrow strips of woodland along with small fens and reed beds giving nature a presence in the largely agricultural landscape.

Substantial arable farming adds seasonal changes to the otherwise dominant year round green of the improved grassland pastures of this intensively farmed landscape. Inland the pattern of mostly medium sized irregular fields has medieval origins including the pattern of medieval strip fields preserved in more recent boundaries lending unity to the landscape. Near the coast however there is a contrast in field pattern where recent enclosure of rough ground has created larger rectilinear fields often ending close to the cliff edges and in some
places leaving just a narrow remaining strip of rough ground. At Bedruthan a more substantial extent of coastal heathland has survived enhancing the coast’s rugged qualities. The sandhills on the upper slopes of Stepper Point, and behind Hawker’s Cove, Harbour
Cove and St George’s Cove are covered with alkaline grassland and wildflowers, adding extra variety to the flora and fauna of the area.

The peaceful and wild nature found in much of this section contrasts sharply in places with its recreational aspects. The busy beaches of Harlyn,Treyarnon and Constantine Bay are particularly popular for surfing with its associated paraphernalia of camper vans, surf shops and surf schools. The sand dunes at Constantine Bay are managed as a golf course and Prideaux Place on the edge of this section is registered historic parkland.

Numerous visible prehistoric features occur in the coastal strip ranging from cliff castles to barrows and inland there are many vestiges of Romano British Rounds (settlements). The current settlement pattern retains much that is typical of the Celtic west with a dispersed scatter of small farm hamlets many still named with the ancient Cornish pre-fix “Tre-‘. Slate is the primary local building material and the widespread network of narrow winding lanes are
either bound by slate hedges or in places cut into the bare slate bedrock further emphasising this ever present unifying local material. Larger nucleated settlements such as Constantine Bay and Trevone, and St Merryn on the boundary of the AONB, benefit from the popular local coves and beaches and busy tourist activity.

Management

• The National Trust manages west facing coastal land at Porthcothan Bay, Park Head and Bedruthan Steps including the use of pony grazing for management of coastal rough ground.

• Padstow Town Plan and St Merryn Parish Plan have been prepared.

• The Cornwall Biodiversity Initiative aims to support RSPB targets for management to support farmland birds and Higher Level Stewardship is currently targeted at arable and grassland management to favour Corn Bunting.

• Pony grazing of coastal grazing is used in places to control scrub growth.

• The Bedruthan Steps to Park Head SSSI and the Trevose Head to Constantine Bay SSSI includes a significant part of the AONB coast.

Condition

• Some holiday and visitor developments and infrastructure are intrusive by their location and
design and cumulative effect.

• This area is subject to a large increase in summer visitors arriving by car and commercial tour vehicles causing significant peak season increase in traffic flows with associated congestion and pressures on some protected and sensitive habitats.

• Porthcothan is one of the few communities occupying a bay along this coast that has not been subject to significant commercial development.

• Some locally characteristic and protected habitats are fragmented

• Sand dunes at Constantine are subject to scrub encroachment

• Piecemeal minor additions to visitor sites have resulted in cumulative erosion of charter and
tranquillity at some popular locations.

• Large scale farming can have large scale impacts for example soil run off into the sea in heavy rainfall.

• Lack of grazing of coastal short grass and rough ground for example north of Porthcothan is allowing encroachment by scrub with consequent loss of biodiversity.

Trevose Head to Stepper Point -
Guiding Principles

It is intended that these local guiding principles will support the actions of the AONB Partnership and other stakeholders and that their actions will be informed by them. Note: Some local issues may be addressed by strategic policies.

GP04.1	Seek reduction of landscape and visual impacts and better integration of existing holiday sites, visitor infrastructure, signage and car parks. Have regard to increase in scale, massing, associated development and respecting local character in external works, landscaping, and site design for example at Mother Ivey’s Bay, Harlyn and Treyarnon.
GP04.2	Support settlement growth to accommodate affordable housing to meet identified local needs at Padstow, Trevone, Porthcothan, Constantine Bay, St Merryn and Treyarnon provided that this enhances settlement edges, respects local vernacular including use of characteristic local materials and conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the AONB.
GP04.3	Require an assessment of the landscape, visual and cumulative impact of future proposals for tall structures that are likely to have more than localised impact, and require this to be assessed within the context of the evidence base including the emerging Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Supplementary Planning Document. Those proposals which have an adverse impact on natural beauty should not be supported.
GP04.4	Seek restoration of the quiet rural character of locally distinctive lanes, by reduced signage, lighting, noise and by traffic reduction measures for example including consideration of better routing for visitor and commercial vehicles and seek reduced car parking provision close to the coast.
GP04.5	Seek conservation and enhancement of the undeveloped character of the coast at Bedruthan Steps, Porthcothan Bay and Park Head and encourage the enhancement of the coast around Constantine Bay, St Merryn, Mother Ivey’s Bay, Harlyn and Treyarnon, towards having a more undeveloped character.
GP04.6	Support a local partnership approach including the local community, Parish Councils, farmers, land owners, stakeholders and agencies toward seeking a more appropriate management balance between competing demands that impact on the rich natural environment and natural beauty.
GP04.7	Support, through a landscape scale approach, measures to enhance and connect locally significant BAP habitats and to increase their protection from visitor pressures. These include: reed beds and rivers; lowland meadows that are favourable to birds; maritime cliffs and slopes; lowland heathland and coastal sand dunes such at Constantine Bay.