Page 17 - Ickford Neighbourhood Plan

ICKFORD NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN : 2019 – 2033 : VISION FOR ICKFORD 17

of Pepper Hill. These are not outstanding features on the landscape however, and the
general view of the village is of a well treed and vegetated settlement. The hedgerows
lining Bridge Road are important in funnelling the view. The northern approaches
are more rural due to the lack of development along Rocker Lane, and the open fields
(well hedged) to either side of the upper reaches of Worminghall Road.

6.12.
6.12.
6.12.
6.12.
6.12. Due to hedgerows which line the main Shabbington to Worminghall
Road there is no open vista into Ickford itself from the north. The hedgeline and
trees are a key feature of these access roads into the village.
Views into the village: Footpaths

6.13. A key view of the village is from the fields that separate the village
6.13.
6.13.
6.13.
6.13.
from Worminghall to the west where there is a degree of visual connectivity
between the villages. Due to the open pasture and the linearity of building
line along Worminghall Road, the rear of houses and the church area are
prominent. The cluster of historic buildings around the Rising Sun are
prominent in views across the open ridge and furrow pasture, the patterns of
their rooflines a pleasing juxtaposition of shapes, punctuated by mature trees.
Views from the west towards the church are more limited by the tree cover,
although the gables of The Grange are visible. The rooflines of houses on
Farm Close and the western side of Worminghall Road are also visible in the
landscape from this vantage point.

6.14.
6.14.
6.14.
6.14. Views from Shabbington to the Little Ickford end of the village
6.14.
are focused more on the tree cover; few buildings are visible due to the
vegetation cover.
Views within the village

6.15.
6.15. Within Ickford, views tend to be focused along the length of the
6.15.
6.15.
6.15.
main roads through the village and are primarily contained by the hedges and
trees that line each side of sections of the carriageway. Where groups of
buildings are located towards the front of their plots, these buildings also
serve to contain views. Some buildings are thrown into visual prominence
by virtue of their position to road junctions, pinch points, or bends in the
roads. Significant examples are shown on the Key Views Map at Annex 2 and
should be protected.

Dark Skies

6.16.
6.16. As a village with little street lighting, particularly away from the
6.16.
6.16.
6.16.
areas of dense housing, and few night lit buildings, Ickford is a good place to
enjoy the night sky, and this was raised at the consultation exhibitions. CPRE
have an interactive map of dark skies and this shows that Ickford is within an
area of darker night skies. Some light pollution is visible from Thame, and
from the M40 motorway services at Wheatley but generally the dark sky is
valued by residents. Accordingly, all new lighting which needs planning
permission will be expected to adhere to the guidance contained within the
Institute of Lighting Professionals 2011 Guidance Note for Zone E2 (village or
relatively dark locations).

VISION FOR ICKFORD – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
www.visionforickford.co.uk