Visual Impact Survey

Often with new developments the aim is to shield them from public view, with measures such as tree planting, minimising the height of buildings, and so on. This is quite impossible with wind turbines; by definition they have to stand tall and need open ground for good wind coverage.

Therefore the aim is to site them where they are acceptable. In North Norfolk this has meant avoiding areas of outstanding natural beauty and other conservation areas. For the wind turbine site, we need to assess the changes in visual setting of nearby historic buildings and important landscape (such as conservation areas and recreational countryside – footpaths).

The organisation English Heritage lists a great number of listed buildings and scheduled monuments in North Walsham and the region. We need to assess the impact of the wind turbine development, but these go hand in hand with modern development, roads, car parks, supermarkets, etc. There are also various structures which present a significant impact on the landscape, such as the Trimingham radar station, the Bacton gas terminal, water towers and radio masts.

Our first task is to measure any significant change to the historic setting of Grade 1 and 11* listed buildings and Scheduled Monuments. Grade 1 Listed buildings are the most important category, and are considered first and according to their proximity to the turbines.

Here is a map of the sites we have identified:


View Visual Impact Points, North Walsham Wind Turbine Site in a larger map

The green pin is the wind turbine site.

The red pins are grade-I listed buildings.

The blue pins are grade-II listed buildings and other buildings of interest.

The purple pins are footpath viewpoints.

The yellow points are residences.
Paston Great Barn, Paston
[15 May 2011 22:05]
6.3km away. Local buildings and trees together with woodland at 850m will obscure the view of turbines.
Stump Cross, Southrepps
[15 May 2011 22:03]
4.9km away. Turbine blades may be visible over trees at 800m distant.
Gunton Hall, Hanworth
[15 May 2011 22:02]
4.6km away. It is just possible that turbine blades will be visible above trees 800m from the front of the Hall. Trees close to the Hall will ...
Church of St John the Baptist, Trimingham
[15 May 2011 21:56]
7.3km away. It is unlikely that there will be a view of the turbines past local trees and past trees at 1km.
Southrepps Hall
[15 May 2011 21:55]
6km away. Trees and buildings nearby will obscure a view of the turbines from street-level.
Stump Cross, North Walsham
[15 May 2011 21:53]
2.3km away. Buildings and trees nearby are almost certain to obscure a view of the turbines.
Battle Site, North Walsham
[15 May 2011 20:19]
3.1km away. There will be a view of the turbine hubs and blades.
Pigney's Wood, North Walsham
[15 May 2011 20:18]
2.7km away. A view of turbine hubs and/or blades may be possible from some parts of the wood at high elevation.
Sainsbury's Car Park, North Walsham
[15 May 2011 20:18]
1.8km away. It is likely that the turbine blades and possibly the hubs will be visible above or between nearby buildings.
Felbrigg Hall
[15 May 2011 20:03]
10.5km away. No view of turbines from 'street-level'. It is unlikely that any view of the turbines will be had through the various intervening ...
Ruins Of Broomholm Priory, Bacton
[15 May 2011 20:03]
8.2km away. Local trees and buildings will obscure a view of the turbines together with trees at 5km distance.
Church Of All Saints, Gimingham
[15 May 2011 20:02]
5.5km away. Trees nearby will obscure a view of the turbines. There are also trees 3km from the church which will also obscure any view of the ...
Church of St Margaret, Paston
[15 May 2011 20:01]
6.3km away. Local trees together with woodland at 850m will obscure the view of turbines.
Church Of St. Mary, Worstead
[15 May 2011 20:00]
6.2km away. It is unlikely that any view of the turbines will be had through the trees 350m from the church. Nearby buildings will also obstruct ...
Blickling Hall
[15 May 2011 19:59]
9.2km away. Trees nearby and at 1.3 km distant will obscure any view of the turbines.
Church Of All Saints, Bacton
[15 May 2011 19:58]
5.8km away. Trees bordering the churchyard and 2km distant will obscure a view of the turbines.
Church Of St Mary, Northrepps
[15 May 2011 19:57]
7.8km away. It is just possible that a localised view of the turbine blades can be seen between local trees.
Happisburgh Lighthouse
[15 May 2011 22:05]
10.9km away. It is possible that blades may be visible over intervening forest but they will be barely visible at this distance. Unfortunately ...
Sawmill, Gunton Park
[07 December 2010 20:07]
4.5km away. No view of the turbines from the sawmill. There is just a possibility of a glimpse of the blades from the lakeside nearby - over ...
Hanworth Lodge, White Post Road, Suffield
[07 December 2010 20:09]
4.5km away. Trees nearby obscure a view of the turbines.
Church of St Giles, Colby
[07 December 2010 19:51]
4.7km away. The churchyard is surrounded by tall trees. There is no view when looking at or from the front entrance; however, there is a ...
Quakers Meeting House, Swafield
[07 December 2010 20:00]
2km away The turbine site is potentially visible when looking at the house from the driveway. There may be a view of the turbines from the ...
Hall Farmhouse, Trunch
[07 December 2010 20:05]
3.5km away Not checked; it may have a view of the turbine site, but not from the front or when looking at the front. The hall has a lot of ...
Ivy Cottage, 15 Aylsham Road, North Walsham
[07 December 2010 20:11]
2km away This is a private residence. There is a potential view when looking at the front of the property, and a potential view from the rear ...
Bacton Wood Mill
[07 December 2010 20:10]
3km away Private residence, low down, surrounded by trees; potential view of the turbines when looking at the front of the property. There ...
Gunton Tower
[07 December 2010 20:09]
4km away. Turbine hubs and blades will be visible over trees from the top of the tower. There will be no view of the turbines from the base of ...
Church of St Margaret, Thorpe Market
[07 December 2010 20:08]
4km away from the wind turbine site. Thorpe Market is a conservation area, and the view from this church is the most affected. There is a main ...
Church of St Nicholas, Swafield
[07 December 2010 19:59]
2.5km away. Possible view of the turbines from the rear of church. No view when looking at the front of the church. There may be a view ...
Church of St Giles, Bradfield
[07 December 2010 20:06]
1800m from the site. There is a clear view of the turbines looking out from the church, through trees on the southern edge of the churchyard ...
Footpath: North Walsham, Weavers Way
[02 May 2011 13:36]
Weavers Way is a disused railway line, and is a long path stretching from Aylsham through Felmingham and North Walsham and on to Bacton on the ...
Footpath: North-Walsham, Folgate Road
[06 April 2011 20:58]
This location is just north of the North Walsham industrial estate (Laundry Loke), and heads between fields to Bradfield Road. There is a small ...
Houses at Lyngate Road (north end), North Walsham
[06 April 2011 21:15]
750m from the turbine site. There is a small cluster of houses, and Barge Farm, at this location, which is quite low lying compared to the land ...
Footpath: North Walsham, Bradfield Road North
[06 April 2011 21:04]
At the north end of the footpath from the industrial estate to Bradfield Road, a bungalow and scrap metal site are located. There is a clear ...
Wilds Farm, North Walsham
[06 April 2011 21:18]
600m from the northernmost turbine, there is a clear view of the turbines from the farm.
Grammar School Farm, North Walsham
[11 May 2011 22:58]
500m from the northernmost of the turbines, and with a clear view of the turbine site.
Footpath: North Walsham, Lyngate Road South
[06 April 2011 21:10]
400m from the northerly of the two turbines. A high hedge borders the western side of Lyngate Road. This view is at a field entrance, and the ...
Church of St Andrew, Gunton Park
[07 December 2010 20:04]
4.5km away, with little likelihood of a view of the turbine site with looking at or from the church. Trees nearby and 1.5km distant are almost ...
Beechlands Farmhouse, Southrepps
[07 December 2010 20:08]
5.3km away. Trees and buildings nearby are almost certain to obscure a view of the turbines.
Church of St Botolph, Banningham
[07 December 2010 19:49]
5km away. There is no view of the wind turbines when looking at the church, but there may be a view when looking out from the church entrance ...
Church of St Botolph, Trunch
[11 May 2011 22:39]
3.9km away, with no view of the turbines when looking at the church. There is a possible view when looking from the church. It is unlikely ...
Church of St Peter & St Paul, Knapton
[11 May 2011 22:33]
This church is 4.8km away from the turbines. There is no view of the turbines when looking at the church, and a possible view when looking from ...
Church of St Andrew, Felmingham
[07 December 2010 19:54]
2.5km away. There is a potentially affected side view (from the south-west corner of the churchyard). The turbines are not visible when looking ...
Church of St Margaret, Suffield
[11 May 2011 22:23]
The church is 3.2km from the turbine site. There is a high likelihood of a turbine view both from and near the church. There will be a view ...
Church of St Mary, Antingham
[07 December 2010 19:44]
1.8km away No view at front; potential view to left. Trees nearby are almost certain to obscure a view of the turbines. There is a possibility ...
Church of St Nicholas, North Walsham
[07 December 2010 19:56]
About 2km away from the site. The church is surrounded by modern shopping , street with cars, etc. No view of the turbines when looking at ...
Market Cross, North Walsham
[07 February 2011 20:05]
2km away from the turbine site. It is part of the busy centre of a modern town. Surrounded by two-storey buildings in the Market Place; possible ...
Bradfield Road residences, North Walsham
[11 May 2011 23:02]
Exact proximity to the turbine site to be determined. This location is in the middle of single-storey residences, with a train line and industrial ...
Norstead Hall Kennels
[11 May 2011 22:47]
320m away from the nearest of the wind turbines, the kennels have a clear view to the north.
Footpath: North Walsham, Tungate Road
[06 April 2011 20:54]
The footpath starts near to the Rossi Leisure Centre, and has a clear view of the wind turbine site, 1400m distant. This location is also a ...
Footpath: North Walsham, Bradfield Road South
[06 April 2011 21:08]
Just south of the scrap metal site on Bradfield Road, the footpath has a clear view of the turbine site (512m away) and the Cromer Road industrial ...
The Stables, North Walsham
[07 December 2010 19:58]
2km away. No potential view of the turbine site when looking at the Stables, but they may be visible when looking out from the entrance.
Church of St Michael, Swanton Abbott
[07 December 2010 20:02]
5km away No front view of the turbines; possible view when viewing the church from the south side. The site would be visible to the extreme ...
14 Aylsham Road, North Walsham
[07 December 2010 20:10]
2km away Possible views from front, as per 15 Aylsham Road.
Footpath: North Walsham, Aylsham Road Bridleway
[06 April 2011 21:20]
The bridleway runs between Cromer Road and Aylsham Road (near Felmingham) and at this location there are a couple of houses. There is a clear ...
The Stables, Gunton Park
[07 December 2010 20:07]
Unknown location
Church of St James, Gunton Park
[07 December 2010 20:04]
Unknown location