Scrabo Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Expansive, relatively open farmland at the head of Strangford Lough.
• Scrabo Hill with the tower on its summit, is a dramatic landmark.
• Large houses and farms with extensive outbuildings.
• Extensive settlement including Newtownards.
• Major infrastructure and large scale industrial development.
• Tranquil, secluded wetland landscape on banks of Comber estuary.

Landscape Description

The Scrabo landscape is an area of flat, open land situated at the head of Strangford Lough. It incorporates the town of Newtownards, the distinctive steep rocky outcrop of Scrabo Hill and the meandering tranquil landscape of the Comber Estuary. The landscape has a relatively large-scale pattern, with large farms scattered evenly across the patchwork of arable fields. The fields on the lower slopes of Scrabo Hill are particularly prominent, although Killynether Wood, high on the south western slopes of the Hill, creates a more secluded landscape character in this area and provides a backdrop to the farmland. Farm buildings often have white finishes, extensive outbuildings and complex architectural forms. The relative lack of trees or hedgerows adds to the open, expansive character of this area and allows long views across to Strangford Lough to the east.

Scrabo Hill rises dramatically out of the sandstone plain, acting as a focus and landmark for miles around; this is reinforced by the tower which marks the highest point. A number of sandstone quarries expose sections of the underlying rock through the vent and sills of this impressive landform. Scrabo Hill's designation as a Country Park enhances its recreational potential and panoramic views from the top are breathtaking. The large settlement of Newtownards spreads across the northern flat, relatively accessible land at the head of Strangford Lough. There are several large scale developments on the outskirts of the town, including industry and a small airfield. A major road, the A21, cuts across the plain, linking Newtownards with the smaller town of Comber.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

This expansive, productive farmland has good field boundaries, although hedgerow loss is leading to a loss of the characteristic structure and pattern of the landscape in some areas. The landscape on the outskirts of Newtownards has been extensively developed for commercial and industrial uses and shows a degree of degradation in character and quality.

Landscape sensitivity is increased by the open character and the presence of Scrabo Hill Country Park which overlooks the area; vertical elements such as towers, hedgerow trees, pylons, masts and buildings stand out clearly in this open landscape. There are stunning views along Strangford Lough from this vantage point which are sensitive to change. In addition to the visual importance of this landscape, shoreline areas are designated as an ASSI and parts of Scrabo Hill have nature conservation and earth science value (the quarries have important sandstone and fossil exposures, together with a record of volcanic activity). Much of the area also falls within the Strangford Lough AONB.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Hedgerow planting and management will help to improve the strength of field pattern and the planting of occasional hedgerow trees will create strong features within this relatively open landscape.
• There are opportunities to enhance the degraded commercial and industrial landscape on the outskirts of Newtownards, through planting and boundary treatments.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Houses of varying architectural styles and colours add confusion in such a simple and open landscape; a local vernacular design, colour scheme and material type should be adopted.
• The siting and density of existing dwellings in the rural landscape should be considered when selecting new sites for development; houses which are built too close together may distract the eye, especially where there is also a clash of architectural styles.
• The stunning views along Strangford Lough from Scrabo Country Park should be taken into account in planning and designing new development.
• The scale of the landscape allows large scale development to be integrated, provided it is carefully sited to prevent obstruction of views and avoid sprawl on the outskirts of Newtownards; new development sites will be most effectively integrated into the landscape and setting of Newtownards if they are restricted to the flat lowland areas (including regeneration of some existing central urban areas) rather than adjacent hills.