The Bovey Basin is a relatively small area, characterised by predominantly flat, broad alluvial floodplain enclosed by encircling hills and, importantly, by the influence of ball clay extraction activities. The quarrying activity has resulted in large areas of despoiled land including open cast quarries, spoil heaps (creating regular-shaped hills), settling lakes, and large modern industrial buildings. These features, along with road infrastructure and development, have altered the river basin character, giving rise to a fragmented and disturbed ambience in places. Nevertheless, there are remnant areas of irregular, mainly pastoral fields with hedgerows, woodlands and some important areas of acid heath, e.g. Bovey Heath and Chudleigh Knighton Heath, reflecting the presence of underlying sand and gravel. The tree-lined Rivers Bovey and Teign also provide a more naturalistic character amongst an otherwise complex, settled landscape; and the designed parkland of Stover Estate lends a sense of continuity within an area which has undergone considerable change. This is generally an inward-looking landscape due to the basin landform and the presence of notable areas of mixed and coniferous woodland, which provide a sense of enclosure.

This area comprises a river basin containing the lower reaches of the River Bovey and middle reaches of the Teign. It extends from Bovey Tracey in the north-west to Newton Abbot in the south-east and is surrounded by rising land in adjacent areas. To the west the land rises noticeably to form the East Dartmoor Moorland Fringes and to the east the area is defined by spurs of higher land extending from the Haldon Ridge. To the north there is a more gradual transition to the Teign Valley and Slopes; while to the south there is a ridge of higher land which separates the basin from the Lemon valley within the Denbury and Kerswell Farmlands area.

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/bovey-basin  

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas 

http://map.devon.gov.uk/dccviewer/?bm=Aerial2015Onwards&layers=Landscapes;9&activeTab=Landscapes&extent=273964;68795;294046;82143 

Planning Strategy

To manage the valley basin character, particularly areas of remnant rural farmland, historic parkland, river corridor and heathland whilst planning to reduce the impacts of past and future extraction activities. Existing and new mineral extraction sites have progressive restoration plans with landscape enhancements. New built development (particularly that associated with existing settlements) assists in the restoration and enhancement of woodland, heaths, wetlands, fields and hedgerows and improvements to settlement landscape settings. Consideration is also given to the provision of appropriate recreational opportunities close to centres of population whist conserving special landscape qualities and features.

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