2A: Panorama from Parliament Hill

Viewing instructions:

All images should be viewed in ‘full screen’ mode by clicking the ‘+’ icon in the top right of the image. When the image is opened in full screen mode you will see a scale bar at the bottom of each image. Use the scroll wheel zoom function and a ruler held against the screen to ensure the scale bar correctly measures 10cm when viewed at a normal viewing distance (approximately arms length). The size of objects in the view will then equate approximately to the size they would appear when viewed at the scene. This technique is known as ‘Real Scale’ viewing.

LVMF – Parliament Hill 2A

Parliament Hill is situated on Hampstead Heath and is fully accessible to the public. The hill forms part of an east/west ridge that offers panoramic views of London to the south. Three Assessment Points are identified in the draft LVMF1, although two (2A.1 and 2A.2) share the same position. Each point is the starting position for a Protected Vista towards Strategically Important Landmarks identified in the draft LVMF.

Viewing Location 2A

Assessment Point 2A.1:

• Assessment Point 2A.1 is orientated towards St. Paul’s Cathedral. This position is identical to that described in the current LVMF guidance published in 2007.
• The Protected Vista from Assessment Point 2A.1 comprises a foreground Viewing Corridor that gently slopes from the prescribed viewing height of 98.1m AOD down to the centre of the Cathedral some 6.6km away and at a height of 52.1m AOD – approximately the base of the Cathedral drum. These threshold levels are equal to those described in the 2007 guidance.
• The viewing corridor at the centre of the Cathedral is 140m wide and encloses the main Cathedral dome and Western Towers, equal to that in the 2007 guidance.
• A left and right Lateral Assessment Area also forms the foreground of the Protected Vista, increasing the overall width of the vista to 300m at the centre of the Cathedral, 90m wider than the 2007 guidance. The 2007 guidance does not describe a right Lateral Assessment Area.
• A Background Assessment area continues at a height of 52.1m AOD from the centre of the Cathedral some 2.5km further south-east culminating in a width of approximately 413m at Bermondsey, the same length and height, but 124m wider, than the 2007 guidance.

Assessment Point 2A.2:

• Assessment Point 2A.2 is orientated towards The Palace of Westminster.
• The Protected Vista from this position towards Westminster is an additional vista that does not appear in the 2007 guidance.
• The Protected Vista from Assessment Point 2A.2 comprises a foreground Viewing Corridor that slopes from 98.1m AOD down to meet the Palace of Westminster at a height of 43.5m AOD over a distance of 7.1km.
• The Viewing Corridor where it meets the Palace is 300m wide and encloses the entire extents of the Palace and part of Westminster Abbey. No lateral Assessment Areas are described.
• The Background Assessment area continues at the height of 43.5m AOD from the Palace for a distance of 3.5km further south-east into Kennington culminating in a width of approximately 447m.
• The visual management guidance beyond the geometry described above that is presented in both the 2007 guidance and the draft 2009 guidance is generally consistent, with the exception of the additional constraints of the view from 2A.2 from the additional Protected Vista.

References

1. Draft revised Supplementary Planning Guidance – London View Management Framework May 2009 – Pages 40-48

2. Supplementary Planning Guidance – London View Management Framework – July 2007 – Page 76-86

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2B: Panorama from Parliament Hill

Viewing instructions:
All images should be viewed in ‘full screen’ mode by clicking the ‘+’ icon in the top right of the image. When the image is opened in full screen mode you will see a scale bar at the bottom of each image. Use the scroll wheel zoom function and a ruler held against the screen to ensure the scale bar correctly measures 10cm when viewed at a normal viewing distance (approximately arms length). The size of objects in the view will then equate approximately to the size they would appear when viewed at the scene. This technique is known as ‘Real Scale’ viewing.

LVMF – Parliament Hill 2B

Parliament Hill is situated on Hampstead Heath and is fully accessible to the public. The hill forms part of an east/west ridge that offers panoramic views of London to the south. Three Assessment Points are identified in the draft LVMF1, although two (2A.1 and 2A.2) share the same position. Each point is the starting position for a Protected Vista towards Strategically Important Landmarks identified in the draft LVMF


Viewing Location 2B

Assessment Point 2B.1:

The third Assessment Point on Parliament Hill, 2B.1, lies south east of the summit, further down the ridge.


The Assessment Point is orientated towards the Palace of Westminster. The position is identical to that described in the current LVMF guidance published in 2007.
The Protected Vista comprises a foreground Viewing Corridor from the prescribed viewing height of 71.6m AOD sloping down approximately 7km to meet the Palace at a height of 51.3m AOD – some 7.8m higher than the 2007 guidance.
The Viewing Corridor at the Palace is 220m wide - 10m wider than the 2007 guidance - and includes the entire extents of the Palace. No lateral Assessment Areas are described and this is consistent with the 2007 guidance.
The Background Assessment area continues at the height of 51.3m AOD from the Palace for a distance of 3.5km further south-east into Kennington culminating in a width of approximately 447m. This Background Area is 11.3m higher than the threshold described in the 2007 guidance.

When describing View 2B.1 both sets of guidance describe that all three of the principal towers of the Palace of Westminster are visible although clearly tree growth obscures St. Stephens Tower in the images provided in both documents. Both sets of guidance do make it clear that tree growth can affect the viewing experience and should be managed, but it is unclear to what level that extends to the trees that clearly obscure St. Stephens Tower.

References

1. Draft revised Supplementary Planning Guidance – London View Management Framework May 2009 – Pages 40-48

2. Supplementary Planning Guidance – London View Management Framework – July 2007 – Page 76-86
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Extract from LVMF: Parliament Hill: east of the summit 2B.1

Foreground and Middle Ground
110 The viewer’s ability to perceive the visual relationship between St Stephen’s Tower, the Central Tower and the Victoria Tower should be maintained and enhanced. Any development proposals that would undermine this relationship will be refused. A Protected Vista, incorporating the full width of the Palace of Westminster, reinforces this requirement.

Background
111 Small scale incremental change in the background of the three towers of the Palace of Westminster might be appropriate if it does not dominate the individual towers or diminish the spatial relationship between them.


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Extract from LVMF: London Panorama: Parliament Hill: the summit 2A.1 and 2A.2

Foreground and Middle Ground
101 The panorama is sensitive to large-scale development in the foreground and middle ground.

102 St Paul’s Cathedral and the western towers should be recognisable in the panorama. A Protected Vista supports this requirement.

103 The Victoria Tower of the Palace of Westminster should remain visible in the panorama. The view should also be managed to ensure that more elements of the Palace of Westminster become visible in the future. A Protected Vista supports this requirement.

Background
104 The form and materials of development in the background of St Paul’s
Cathedral should improve the clarity with which the silhouette of the
Cathedral can be distinguished from its background.

105 The backdrop of the Victoria Tower has significant influence over the viewer’s ability to recognise the Palace of Westminster in the panorama. Change may occur in this backdrop if it is incremental, carefully designed, and of a small scale. No development in the backdrop should dominate the Victoria Tower.


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