West Darent, North Darent, Knockholt.
Key Characteristics
- Steep, often wooded scarp top and greensand ridge.
- Strong hedgerow patterns on valley sides.
- River within tree-lined corridor.
- Riverside trees and pasture.
- Flint and brick and weather boarded buildings.
- Much of the floodplain is arable farmland.
- Motorway.
Overall Landscape Character Objectives
- To maintain and improve where necessary the existing hedge network, in particular on the scarp foot and on the northern downland “prairies”.
- To enhance the river corridor by conserving and extending the variety of tree and grassland habitats.
- To curb the general suburbanisation of the countryside due to inappropriate development, introduction of non-native species and use of unsympathetic materials and design.
- To protect and enhance unimproved chalk grassland.
- Conserve the historic landscape and special character of villages and settlements.
- To reduce the impact of major roads in the landscape.