Outer Ards Coast Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Open, windswept gently sloping shoreline.
• Rocky coastal edge with stands of pine and beech.
• Large houses and hotels in landscaped grounds.Estates with stone walls and landmarks.
• Prominent static caravan parks on exposed headlands.
• Coastal road winds close to water's edge.
• Colourful harbour towns.
• Churches, mottes, standing stones, raths and castles.
• Panoramic coastal views.

Landscape Description

The Outer Ards Coast is a long, narrow strip of coastal land extending along the east coast of the Ards Peninsula from Groomsport to Cloghy. The landform is gently sloping, with an exposed rocky coastline which extends into the sea as small off-shore rocky islands. The intertidal foreshores provide a wide range of habitats and support a high diversity of wildlife. The character of the coastal edge landscape alternates between open, exposed pastures and the wooded areas, which are usually associated with estates. These contribute features such as stone walls, towers or large houses and often form settings to more recent settlements. Stands of pine and beech are recurring landscape elements, which stand out as distinctive silhouettes against the pale sky and expansive seascape.

Regular parking places and lay-bys provide opportunities to stop and admire the long sea views which this landscape offers. The A2 follows the coastline, wrapping tightly around the water's edge. This road links the main settlements and small roads extend inland from this major infrastructural element. Colourful harbour towns are found at regular intervals along the shoreline; these traditional settlements have a clustered form but there has been extensive linear development along the coastal road and around some settlements. There are also many static caravan sites along the coast. These are generally prominent and rarely sheltered by planting.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The managed estates contribute a strong landscape pattern and well-maintained landscape character. Small harbour towns create colourful elements in the landscape and provide an attractive linear sequence of focal points along the coastal road. The existing woodlands and shelterbelts may provide limited scope for accommodating development, provided existing trees are retained. However, the long tracts of open coastal landscape are sensitive to change and especially to built development which would alter its wild and exposed character. A number of sites along the outer Ards coast are recognised for their importance to earth science. Important geomorphological features include the storm ridge system and raised beaches on headlands along the coast (Ballymacormick Point and Ballyquintin Point). These sites are also important for their rare flora, which is found on the maritime cliffs and inter-tidal areas. In addition, the coastline as a whole provides a valuable habitat for wintering and breeding birds.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Conservation of the landscape settings of archaeological and historic sites is of particular importance along this windswept coast as many are striking landmarks; public access may be encouraged by appropriate signage and the provision of stopping places for vehicles.
• The management of estate woodlands, stone walls and other features will ensure the character of the coast and its robust landscape framework is retained.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Caravan parks which are sheltered by local landform (or carefully designed earthworks) and which are screened by semi-natural vegetation will have the least visual impact.
• The settings of towns should be conserved by containing new development within the limits of landmark features or prominent landforms such as mottes, estates or ridges.
• New development on the edge of existing towns should take account of the individual character of each town, especially where it forms a gateway to the settlement.
• Extensive scattered linear development along the coastal road should be avoided, especially between the coast road and the sea, where new development would detract from the distinctive visual character and scientific interest of the exposed, rocky coastline.