Expansive Crumlin Farmland Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Gently sloping farmland in the vicinity of Belfast International Airport.
• Large, open fields of pasture bounded by overgrown hedgerows and mature hedgerow trees.
• Shelterbelts add to the effect of a well treed landscape.
• Airfields occupy the flattest areas.
• A clear hierarchy of straight roads is evenly distributed, criss-crossing the flat plain.
• Housing development and farmsteads are evenly scattered across the area.

Landscape Description

The Expansive Crumlin Farmland lies near the eastern shores of Lough Neagh, occupying a relatively flat area underlain by rocks of the Upper Basalt formation. The land slopes gently from the lower slopes of the Belfast Hills (Derrykillultagh) to the fringes of Lough Neagh to the west. Clady Water, Dunmore River and the Crumlin River flow from the hills across the farmland but do not have a strong presence in the landscape. The valleys of the Clady and Crumlin rivers are narrow and steep-sided so the water channels are relatively inconspicuous. The extensive network of overgrown hedgerows gives the area a well treed character, although many are over-mature.

The pastures are large and geometric in shape contributing to the ordered, simple landscape pattern. Scattered farms and small villages form the main settlements; farms are typically sited at the end of straight tracks, at a distance from the road, while more recent housing tends to be sited right alongside the road. The largest settlement in the area is the compact town of Crumlin. The town is divided by the steep wooded valley of the Crumlin River, which is designated as the Crumlin Glen Woodland Park. The flat and open landscape character makes it ideal for the location of airfields and Belfast International Airport is one of the three airfields located in this area. The site of the old civil airfield at Nutt's Corner is an expanse of degraded, derelict land. .

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The agricultural landscape is in a reasonable condition, although the over-mature trees and degraded hedgerows are in need of replacement or management. The disused airfield has altered the scale and structure of the landscape and areas such as this require landscape enhancement and restoration to return the landscape to its original character. The most sensitive areas to change are the scenic landscapes close to the shores of Lough Neagh and areas with a more undulating landform on the edges of the Six Mile Water Valley and at the foot of the Belfast Hills. The small nucleated villages are sensitive to expansion and sprawl which would affect their character.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Neglect and lack of management has led to the gradual degradation of the hedgerow network and the over-maturing of hedgerow trees; restoration and management of hedgerows will prevent the presence of leggy, neglected hedgerows which contribute to a degraded character.
• New trees may be replanted to replace those which have become over-mature; these may be used to accommodate and shelter new development.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• There are considerable pressures from scattered built development in the countryside where it lies outside a greenbelt; the density of development in the countryside should not be pushed beyond its limits.
• Views to Lough Neagh from the western fringes of the area may be retained by ensuring that new development does not intrude into, or obstruct, important views.
• Airfields are a major feature of the area, causing an expansion of landscape scale and loss of vegetation; restoration or redevelopment of disused airport sites may result in enhancement of landscape character and restoration of landscape pattern.
• Conservation of the settings of the clustered settlements will prevent overspill of built development and protect their nucleated form.