Archived decisions

AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY.

1. On 1 May 2001, Part IV of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2001 came into force placing a statutory obligation on local authorities to prepare land management plans for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AsONB) by 31 March 2004. This part of the legislation aims to strengthen the management and protection of AsONB and there is an additional requirement for these plans to be reviewed at intervals not exceeding five years. There are five AsONB in Hampshire (or part of Hampshire) covering 25% of the surface area of the County as follows:-

(i) East Hampshire


(ii) Chichester Harbour


(iii) South Hampshire Coast


(iv) Cranborne Chase


(v) North Wessex Downs

2. The Countryside Agency, which designates AsONB and advises the Government in such matters, proposes that an AONB Management Plan will:-

(i) highlight the special qualities and the significance of the AONB and the importance of its different features;


(ii) present an integrated vision for the future of the AONB as a whole, in the light of national, regional and local priorities;


(iii) set out agreed policies incorporating specific objectives which will
help secure that vision; and


(iv) identify what needs to be done, by whom, and when, in order to achieve these objectives.

3. The County Council already places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of appropriate management of the countryside and it is against this background that the Council will meet its new obligation, in partnership with others, for all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Hampshire. There will inevitably be resource implications for the County Council arising from this extra work but at this stage these are likely to be relatively modest.

8ER8701