Landscape Protection
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) were brought into being by the same legislation as National Parks - the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.
They are fine landscapes, of great variety in character and extent. The criteria for designation is their outstanding natural beauty. Many AONBs also fulfil a recreational role but, unlike national parks, this is not a designation criteria.
The Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales are responsible for designating AONBs and advising Government on policies for their protection.
Administration of AONBs
The administration of planning and development control in AONBs is the responsibility of those local authorities within whose boundaries they fall.
The Government endorses the practice by the constituent local authorities of setting up joint advisory committees to bring together local authorities and amenity groups, farming and other interests to encourage a co-ordinated approach to the management of AONBs.
Larger and more complex AONBs can apply to the Secretary of State to establish independent Conservation Boards under s86 of the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000.
Purpose of AONBs
The statutory purpose of AONBs is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area. Policies and development control decisions affecting AONBs should take account of this, and it should also be reflected by local authorities in development plans.
Where an AONB has a Conservation Board, the Board has an additional purpose to increase public understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area.
If there is a conflict between the two, then a Board should attach greater weight to the first purpose. In having regard to its two purposes, a Board is also required to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of the local communities, but without incurring significant expenditure in doing so.
Boards will be expected to co-operate with other organisations to fulfil this requirement.
AONBs in England and Wales
There were 41 AONBs in England and Wales, 37 in England (covering about 15% of land area), and four in Wales. This reduced to 36 AONBs in England following the de-designation of the South Hampshire Coast AONB when the New Forest National Park was established on 1 March 2005. Designation started with the Gower in Wales in 1956; the most recent addition was the Tamar Valley in 1995.
A map of AONBs in England and Wales (and also those in Northern Ireland) and details of each one can be found on the website of the National Association for AONBs:
- A map of AONBs in England and Wales (on National Association for AONBs website)
Management Plans
Section 89 of the CRoW Act 2000 required all AONBs to prepare and publish a management plan for their area by the end of March 2004. A copy of the Countryside Agency's advice on producing an AONB Management Plan is available:
- AONB management plans: a guide (on Countryside Agency website)
If a management plan (written by a Local Authority or a Joint Committee of two or more authorities) already exists then Local Authorities in the AONB can choose to formally adopt that as the "AONB Management Plan". The Act also requires that the plan be reviewed every five years, consideration given to whether any changes need to be made and amended if necessary.
In the case of areas where a Conservation Board has been established by the Secretary of State to manage an AONB: the Board must either adopt an existing plan or prepare their own within two years of being established.
The process
Section 90 of the CRoW Act sets out the process of preparing an AONB management plan. In short, relevant Local Authorities must:
- Give notice (enclosing a copy of the plan) of proposal to publish, adopt or review a plan to the Countryside Agency and English Nature (Countryside Council for Wales for AONBs in Wales).
- Take into consideration any observations made.
A copy of the plan, notice or report on a management plan must be sent to the Secretary of State.
Defra is aware that every AONB has put immense effort into producing their management plan. Their investment is now paying off as the plans are being adopted by local authorities, and copies submitted to the Department. We hope that the plans will now become tailored "living documents" guiding the development and conservation of each AONB.
Changes to the arrangements for AONBs
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 strengthened the conservation and management of AONBs in partnership with local authorities. What follows is a brief summary of the improvements. Relevant sections of the 2000 Act are available on the HMSO website:
- S85 Lists relevant authorities that must have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing an AONB when exercising or performing any function that will affect land in an AONB.
- S86 Power for the Secretary of State to create AONB Conservation Boards - AONBs' management committees can ask the Secretary of State to create a Conservation Board for their AONB. Local Authorities will be able to delegate some of the powers (excluding those related to planning) to the Board, centralising the administration and allowing the Board to co-ordinate the management of the entire AONB.
- S89 The requirement for all AONBs to prepare and publish management plans within three years of the commencement of the section of the Act (in effect early 2004).
AONB Conservation Boards
The CRoW Act's most significant change to the way AONBs could be managed was the ability to create Conservation Boards. The intention was to help simplify the administration of larger and more complex AONBs so that one body would have the delegated authority to manage an AONB as a whole.
Conservation Boards will be made up of members appointed by Local Authorities, parishes and the Secretary of State.
An AONB Conservation Board is created by the Secretary of State signing (making) an Establishment Order, but before she will do this, she must be sure that the majority of Local Authorities within the AONB support the creation of a Board. The Order must have received an affirmative resolution from both Houses of Parliament.
On 8 July 2004, following a successful passage through Parliament, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw signed establishment orders to create Conservation Boards for the Cotswolds and Chilterns AONBs. This means that the orders came into force on 22 July 2004.
All Board members were appointed by the Board's formal establishment date of 14 December 2004. The Boards had access to the powers they share with their constituent local authorities on 1 February 2005. This is known as the Board's "operative" day.
Copies of the Chilterns and Cotswolds AONB Conservation Boards establishment orders are available from the Office of Public Sector Information:
Section 14 of the establishment orders for the existing boards require a Code of Conduct to be produced. Defra is currently drawing up a completely new Code of Conduct.
Guidance on AONB Conservation Boards
Defra has issued guidance notes on the establishment and operation of English AONB Conservation Boards:
- AONB Conservation Boards - Guidance
(59 KB) - October 2005 - Flow chart of generic Conservation Board establishment process (14 KB) - October 2005
The guidance was produced following discusion with interested parties. A summary of responses and the Defra's response to them:
- Summary of responses to draft guidance (117 KB) - October 2005
Sustainable Development Fund
In the late spring of 2005, Defra, through the Countryside Agency, introduced a Sustainable Development Fund for AONBs, making up to £3.5m available. Similar amounts have been provisionally earmarked for each of the following 2 years. The Fund is intended to support the purposes of AONBs and the delivery of their management plans; support Defra's objectives of sustainable development, partnership and social inclusion; and support the Natural England Confederation in working towards a sustainably managed countryside, improved environment and integrated delivery of rural services. The Fund will be administered by the Countryside Agency.
The National Association for AONBs
The Minister's speech [PDF] (33 KB) for the 2008 National Association for AONBs annual conference held in Newport, Shropshire.
Contacts
Sponsorship, Landscape & Recreation Division
Zone 1/03
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6EB
Email: nationalparks.aonbs@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 0117 372 8106 or 0117 372 6265
Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat documents.
Page last modified: 18 July 2008
Page published: 5 February 2003