Page 16 - Ickford Neighbourhood Plan

16 VISION FOR ICKFORD : ICKFORD NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN : 2019 – 2033

• Encourage good management practices.
• New housing and alterations to existing housing should be designed to reflect
the traditional character of the area and use locally traditional materials.
• Promote conservation and interpretation of rich historic environment.
• Promote the retention of the character of minor roads by the management of
hedgerows, ditches and verges and limiting urbanising elements such as
signage and kerbing.
• Identify key views from publicly accessible locations and promote their
conservation and enhancement.
• Encourage the preservation of historic earthworks and ridge and furrow
by maintaining a continuous grass sward.

6.6.
6.6. The landscape of Ickford Parish is not a formally designated landscape,
6.6.
6.6.
6.6.
however, larger scale development of any type would have a detrimental impact
on the rural and tranquil quality of the area and the setting of the village, given
that the landform is flat and open.
6.7.
6.7.
6.7.
6.7. Due to the linear nature of much of the village, the open fields to the
6.7.
rear of the buildings line form an important role in the setting of these houses,
and reinforce the rural nature of the settlement. Key areas include Worminghall
Road, the hayfield, fields to the south of Sheldon Road, and the field to the rear
of Sheldon House.
6.8. Ickford village is surrounded by a great deal of historic ridge and furrow.
6.8.
6.8.
6.8.
6.8.
The key reason for its survival is the low lying pastoral nature of the land and the
heavy clay soil, which has prohibited deep ploughing. Aerial photographs of the
village and surroundings indicate that nearly every field retains remnants of this
historical agricultural practice, and the traditional inverted shallow S shapes where
the plough was turned are still visible. Where there is well-preserved ridge and
furrow at locations around the village, this should be retained.

6.9. Some of the fields have clearly defined raised areas which indicate old
6.9.
6.9.
6.9.
6.9.
field boundaries, which the ridge and furrow system did not extend across.
Views
6.10 Ickford is a low lying village in the flood plain, surrounded by open
6.10
6.10
6.10
6.10
countryside. Views both towards the village and within it play a fundamental
role in the rural character of Ickford. The landscape is relatively flat which means
long range views of the surrounding countryside are important, particularly during
the winter months.
Views into the village: Road

6.11. Access to the village is from the south along Bridge Road, and
6.11.
6.11.
6.11.
6.11.
from the north along Worminghall Road. A secondary northern access is
along Rocker Lane, a narrow hedge lined track which is very much a secondary
road. All of the approaches to the village are very rural. From the Ickford
Bridges the view is northerly along the road. From this vantage point too,
the higher ground at Shabbington to the north west is visible, and the ridge

VISION FOR ICKFORD – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
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