Introduction

Ruskin described Sheffield as a: “Dirty Picture in a Golden Frame … encircled by seven hills and – unlike Rome – the majesty of the Peak District.” The following photographs illustrate how Sheffield’s Green Belt continues to provide the south western part of its “Golden Frame”.

The narrow strip of Green Belt between Upper Bradway (sometimes also known as “Bradway Bank” - 213 metres above sea level) and Dronfield Woodhouse in N E Derbyshire is only 0.5 miles wide and is therefore especially sensitive. Being clearly visible from a wide horizon with many vantage points, it constitutes an Area of County Landscape Value. The Peak District National Park is only 3km away. The 2015 development of 24 houses on the brownfield site of Standall Tools’ former factory at the top of Mickley Lane in Dronfield Woodhouse makes continued vigilance vital to prevent any further sprawl between the boundaries of these two urban settlements.

Sheffield lies on the edge of the Pennines, the land rising from the City centre in the east (60 metres above sea level), to the Peak District National Park to the west (up to 445 metres). It is from this topography that this part of Sheffield City Region acquires its character and beauty. The contours have to be seen to be fully appreciated. Site visits are therefore essential to fully appreciate the significance and value of each particular part of the Green Belt rather than mere reference to Ordnance Survey or, more particularly, Google maps which 'flattens' the contours of this hilly area.

The attached photos clearly show the stunningly beautiful strip of countryside between Upper Bradway (including Ox Close Field “OCF” -identifiable by the single Hawthorne tree in its centre) and Dronfield Woodhouse. This sinuous strip of Green Belt is situated in a highly prominent position and is clearly visible from Sheffield’s south-western elevated panoramic rim and Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park.

The topography provides both inward and outward panoramic visual amenities to and from Totley Rise (200m), Holmesfield (279m), Owler Bar (303m), Totley Moor (395m), Blackamoor Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (372m and within the Peak Park), Sheephill Road (318m), Long Line (324m), Burbage / Houndkirk Moor (427m), Lady Canning’s Plantation (Ringinglow / Roundhouse - 337m), Dore (217m), Bents Green (266m) and Ecclesall (196m), all of which comprise a wide horizon approximately 10 miles in circumference.

Inspectors appointed by the Dept. of Environment to hear previous planning appeals into applications for residential development toured each and every position from which these photographs were taken. During their visits similar photographs were submitted and accepted as evidence of OCF’s importance, it being in such a prominent and elevated position. It was confirmed as an integral part of Sheffield’s Green Belt and as an Area of County Landscape Value which should therefore continue to be preserved in that capacity. For these reasons all previous applications for residential development on this part of the Green Belt have all been rejected.

(All photographs taken by Jonathan Harrison of Harrison Cameras Thursday morning 11th February 2016. All altitudinal readings were taken by visiting each site and using a satnav and confirmed by reference to Ordnance Survey maps.)

Ordnance Survey map (Scale C1:10,000) showing Photographic Index of Inward Looking Visual Amenity looking toward Upper Bradway

View point T1 (photo C7388) - altitude 165m - from just below Green Oak Park’s Bowling Green and Pavilion, Totley.

Being part of the Green Belt Upper Bradway’s fields are clearly visible high on the skyline. Any development would constitute a loss of visual amenity to all users of Green Oak Park’s numerous recreational facilities, residents of several local housing estates, numerous motorists and other users of Mickley Lane including those attending Leonard Cheshire Homes for physically disabled adults and Cherry Tree Residential Support Services Home for young people.

View point T2 (photo C7409) - altitude 165m - from junction of The Crescent and the A621 (Totley Rise).

Upper Bradway’s fields are clearly visible on the skyline from this busy route in and out of south-west Sheffield and N Derbyshire. Any development would detract from the area’s beauty, be a loss of visual amenity to local residents, customers of Totley Rise’s shops, its Chapel’s congregation, pupils at nearby Totley Primary and Totley All Saints Church of England Schools, numerous motorists and users of public transport commuting to Sheffield and tourists to the Peak District National Park.

View point T3 (photo C7407) - altitude 267m from Mooredge Cottage at the junction of Moorwood Lane with the A621 near Owler Bar.

This view is from the Junction of Moorwood Lane and A621, a main tourist and commuter route south from Sheffield into the Peak District National Park which is used by motorists, users of public transport, cyclists, horse-riders, runners and walkers to access the many tourist attractions including Chatsworth and Bakewell. It illustrates the narrow Green Belt (only 0.5 miles wide) between Sheffield in Yorkshire and Dronfield Woodhouse in N Derbyshire. Any development on Upper Bradway’s fields would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View point T4 (photo S7315) - altitude 280m - from footpath sign outside Bolehill Lodge, Moss Road, Totley Moor.

Being on the skyline Upper Bradway’s fields comprise the Green Belt (only 0.5 miles at this point) which clearly divides Sheffield’s suburbs from the countryside and Dronfield. The fields, starting at the edge of housing in Bradway, stretch up to Holmesfield, a distance of several miles. The area’s labyrinth of roads, bridleways and footpaths are used by numerous walkers, ramblers, cyclists and horse-riders as a route over Totley Moor to the Peak District National Park and its Blackamoor Plantation Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest. Any development would be clearly visible from the surrounding area and constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View point D1 (photo C7422) - altitude 175m - from public footpath above Wyvern Grange residential development off Furniss Ave.

Upper Bradway’s fields, particularly OCF, are high above Dore and Totley’s skyline. They are at the end of an uninterrupted continuous skyline between Bradway and Holmesfield Woods, a panoramic view some 5 miles in length, all prominently visible from the footpath next to the Primary School. Any development of these fields would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, detract from its beauty and spoil the visual amenity enjoyed by existing and new local residents and particularly pupils at the adjacent Dore Primary School & Kingswood Day Nursery, the nearby Rowan School for children with special needs and the King Ecgbert School.

View point D2 (photo S7279) - altitude 170m – from the entrance to King Ecgbert’s School on Totley Brook Road.

Upper Bradway’s fields, being 170m above Dore and Totley, are clearly visible to local residents and particularly students at the newly rebuilt King Ecgbert’s School and the nearby Dore Primary School and its adjacent footpath.This uninterrupted panoramic skyline view continues to Holmesfield Woods some 5 miles beyond. Any development would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, detract from its beauty, and constitute a loss of visual amenity.

View point D3 (photo S7282) - altitude 320m - from the bus stop pull-in at the junction of Whitlow Lane and A625 between Sheffield and Fox House which is only approx. 100 metres from the boundary of the Peak District National Park.

Ox Close field (left) lies on the county boundary between Yorkshire and Derbyshire and at the end of Upper Bradway’s skyline ridge. It is the start of the Green Belt (only 0.5 miles wide at this point) and clearly constitutes the end of Sheffield’s suburban settlement and open countryside. This ridge continues up towards Dronfield Woodhouse to Holmesfield Woods and the Peak District National Park.

This view is frequently enjoyed by numerous walkers, ramblers, runners, cyclists, horse-riders, motorists, users of public transport accessing the Peak District National Park, visitors to the tourist attractions in the Hope Valley including Castleton and particularly visitors to the adjacent Blackamoor Plantation (Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest), Houndkirk Moor and beyond.

Any development would be clearly visible on the skyline, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from this area’s beauty.

View point D4 (photo C7440) - altitude 370m - from the end of woodland and lane leading from Strawberry Lea and Blackamoor Plantation car park.

This easterly looking panoramic view of Upper Bradway’s fields is frequently enjoyed by numerous runners, walkers, ramblers, cyclists and horse-riders who use the labyrinth of bridleways and footpaths over Eastern Moor which continue up over Totley Moor to Blackamoor Plantation’s Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest. Eastern Moor Partnership is managed by RSPB, the National Trust and Sheffield City Council. This view is also shared by motorists and users of public transport to access this part of the Peak District National Park, and its numerous tourist attractions such as the Hope Valley including Castleton.

This Green Belt between Sheffield and Dronfield Woodhouse in N Derbyshire (top right), is only 0.5 miles wide at this point and housing on each side of this narrow gap is clearly visible. Any development would constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from the area’s considerable beauty as well as a loss of this green field gap by urban sprawl.

View point R1a (photo C7449) - altitude 320m - from opposite the natural gas pipeline’s white post on Sheephill Road, Ringinglow.

This shows the start of the Green Belt’s panoramic ridge in Sheffield’s Upper Bradway in Yorkshire and Dronfield Woodhouse in N Derbyshire. This visual amenity is enjoyed by numerous walkers, ramblers, runners, cyclists, horse-riders who regularly use the labyrinth of footpaths and bridleways plus Houndkirk Road and Jumble Road over Houndkirk Moor, Sheephill Road, Long Line and the A625 to access the Peak District National Park. These are busy roads used by many local motorists, commuters and tourists who enjoy the views during their journey from which the narrowness of the gap between Sheffield and Dronfield is clearly visible.

The construction of 24 houses in 2015 on the former Standall Tools factory site has infilled the already narrow Green Belt. Any further development would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, and constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View point R1b - from same point as R1a but using a zoom lens (photo S7291) - altitude 320m – from opposite the natural gas pipeline’s white post on Sheephill Road, Ringinglow.

The narrowness of the Green Belt (only 0.5 miles wide) between Sheffield in Yorkshire and Dronfield Woodhouse in Derbyshire is clearly visible.

This south-easterly view is enjoyed by numerous walkers, ramblers, cyclists, horse-riders and motorists. Any development on OCF or any of the remaining fields would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View point R2 (photo S7296) - altitude 320m from the junction of Long Line with Sheephill Road.

This view is enjoyed by motorists on Sheephill Road and Long Line, both very busy routes used by local commuters and tourists travelling between Sheffield and the Peak District National Park. It is also enjoyed by the many users of bridleways and footpaths over Houndkirk Moor and down the Limb Valley, through Bole Hill Plantation to Whirlow Brook Park and Whirlow Hall Farm’s educational facility. Any development on OCF would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View point R3 (photo C7457) - altitude 280m – from Coit Lane Public Footpath and Bridleway, off Ringinglow Road, which encircles Birkdale School’s and Castle Dyke playing fields).

This view of Upper Bradway’s fields is enjoyed by the numerous horse-riders, walkers, runners, model aircraft club members using Coit Lane’s Public Footpath and Bridleway to access Whirlow Hall Farm and Birkdale and Silverdale schools’ soccer, rugby and cricket pitches, tennis and squash courts, playing fields and other sporting facilities. Any development would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

View from Ox Close Ave indexing the approximate location from which each of the previous inward looking photographs were taken.

This outward looking panoramic view from Ox Close Avenue and Totley Lane (an ancient coffin route and public bridleway which continues to denote the Yorkshire and Derbyshire county boundary) is enjoyed by numerous walkers, runners, horse-riders, residents and visitors to Upper Bradway including the elderly, parents bringing their young children and dog-walkers due to it being one of the few flat roads in the area, as well as linking to Totley and Holmesfield via public bridleways and footpaths.

Any development on these fields would be clearly visible from the surrounding area, constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty which is enjoyed not only by all the residents of and visitors to Bradway but particularly those using the A625 and the labyrinth of bridleways and footpaths in the Peak District National Park which comprises a majority of the facing hillside.

Ordnance Survey map showing the furthest points (lemon) on public roads, bridleways and footpaths from which Upper Bradway fields (Green) are clearly visible from this surrounding area. Any development of Upper Bradway’s fields would constitute a loss of visual amenity and detract from its beauty.

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