Ballymena Farmland Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Rolling farmland within a wide, gently undulating vale.
• Medium-large pastures.
• Good network of hedgerows with scattered hedgerow trees and some deciduous woodland.
• Large houses and farms of a variety of styles scattered across agricultural patchwork.
• Nuclear, white-washed settlements.
• Shelterbelts, stands of mature trees and beech avenues are distinctive local features and draw attention to traditional farmsteads.

Landscape Description

The Ballymena Farmland is an extensive area of gently undulating farmland within a wide, open vale to the east of the River Main corridor. The area is underlain by rocks of the Lower Basalt formation and is bordered to the east by the open basalt ridges of the Larne Basalt Moorland. The town of Ballymena is sited within the flat floodplain of the Braid River and a network of rivers and roads radiate out from this central focus. Glacial action has produced a landscape of drumlins which are especially striking to the north of Ballymena, close to the River Main. These become gradually less pronounced to the east where gentle undulations predominate.

Tree cover is fairly sparse, but there are scattered hedgerow trees and a little deciduous woodland. Mature avenues of beech trees, shelterbelts and the groups of trees associated with farmsteads are important local landscape features and the extensive network of hedgerows provides a well-defined pattern in the landscape. Small, white-washed settlements stand out as distinctive features in the landscape and their clustered form is characteristic of the settlement pattern in the area.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

Ballymena Farmland is a well maintained and productive landscape. Farms are large and there is a diverse range of housing styles. The presence of a good hedgerow network and of beech avenues is important to the character of the landscape. The landscape is sensitive to sporadic housing development, which could change its rural character. The small, clustered settlements are sensitive to sprawling ribbon development. However, undulations in landform, a good hedgerow network and the presence of hedgerow trees reduce views and may help to integrate some forms of development into the landscape. The backdrop of Larne's basalt moorland to the east provides an attractive setting for settlements and farmsteads but the upper slopes are particularly sensitive to landscape change.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Extension of existing woodlands would enhance the woodland network, improve wildlife links and, possibly, provide opportunities to accommodate development.
• The maintenance of field boundaries will ensure the field structure remains a robust feature of the landscape.
• A programme to replace beech trees in avenues (and single specimens) should be established to conserve these characteristic features.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• The characteristic nucleated form of settlement may be maintained by ensuring that ribbon development does not continue along local roads.
• White-washed finishes are characteristic of rural housing.
• New avenues and shelterbelt planting may help to integrate development into the landscape.