Castlereagh Slopes Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Steep escarpment slopes on the south eastern edge of the urban areas of Belfast and Castlereagh.
• Patchwork of pastures and hedgerows on broader slopes; fingers of broadleaf woodland on steep-sided glens.
• Avenues, lines of mature beech trees and clumps of parkland trees at SW end of the escarpment, overlooking the Lagan Valley and to SE of Lisburn.
• Farms and farm buildings on the mid slopes of the escarpment.
• Steep, narrow, winding roads traverse the slopes linking the ridge-top with the edges of Belfast.
• Elevated views over Belfast.

Landscape Description

The Castlereagh Slopes are the steep slopes of the north western margins of the Castlereagh Plateau, to the south east of the Belfast/Castlereagh urban area. The prominent ridge has a smooth, rolling landform and a steep gradient. It averages 130m but at Braniel Hill, reaches an approximate height of 170m. It is deeply dissected by steep glens which are generally well-wooded. Within each glen, the roads are bordered by lines of mature specimen trees.

The broad slopes of the ridge are divided into a patchwork of undulating pastures and hedgerows. The remnant landscapes of the many historic estates and country houses of the Lagan Valley remain an important influence. Avenues and lines of mature beech trees mark the entrances, carriage drives and former estate boundaries and the buildings themselves are often important features in the landscape.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The historic parkland landscapes are generally in very poor condition and most have lost their visual integrity as the estates have been broken up and put to a variety of commercial and institutional uses. Most of the farmland and hedgerows are in reasonably good condition, although there are pockets of derelict land, often close to recent development. This landscape constitutes an `Area of Scenic Quality' owing to its prominent ridge profile, its function as a backdrop to South Belfast and the historic designed landscapes which it supports. The entire ridge is prominent in views from the lowland and is an extremely sensitive landscape in visual terms, as it forms a backdrop to views from Belfast and Lisburn. Overhead power lines cut across the ridge and radio masts are a dominant influence on the ridge tops.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Restoration of the visual and if possible, the historic integrity of historic parkland landscapes would conserve these valuable landscape features, which have been disrupted by recent developments and decay.
• The conservation and restoration of hedgerows, including planting of new hedgerow trees, would help to screen and soften the impact of built development. Priority should be given to hedgerows which follow contour lines as they lend emphasis to the landform.
• A research and implementation programme for planting the next generation of beech trees would sustain these important local landscape features.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Planting native woodland trees and shrubs in mass plantings on the fringes of Belfast/Castlereagh, would soften the edges of built development and contain the urban edge.
• There is intense pressure for further linear development, including road services and minor industrial units, along local roads. Further ribbon development would block views to the surrounding countryside and lead to a degraded, nondescript landscape at a key gateway location on the fringes of Belfast.
• Traffic management strategies would help to ensure that pressures from traffic and minor road improvements do not lead to the erosion of verges and hedgebanks along the narrow glen roads.