Contact: David Carman, ext 5967 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That the comments in paragraphs 4.2 to 4.32 of this report on the draft Interim Management Plan for the South Downs, incorporating the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, be approved.

2. Reason

2.1 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are landscapes of national and international importance. The preparation, publishing and adoption of the Management Plans is a statutory duty on the local authorities. The plans have the potential to improve the quality of life for residents of Hampshire living and working in the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty through the conservation and enhancement of their landscapes.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Not to produce Management Plans. Not to produce drafts for consultation.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

Councillor J K Glen

Councillor J Waddington

1. Summary

1.1 This report has been prepared jointly by the Environment Department and Recreation and Heritage Department, and recommends approval of the comments on the draft Interim Management Plan for the South Downs, incorporating East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), as set out in paragraphs 4.2 to 4.33 of the report.

1.2 The Management Plan is an interim plan covering the joint responsibilities of the East Hampshire Joint Advisory Committee and the South Downs Conservation Board. Production was delayed due to inconsistent advice from Government on the need to produce a management plan, given the special circumstances with the proposed National Park. This has influenced the quality of the draft plan and the ability of the partners to carry out substantial amendments in the time available before adoption. The comments in this report are to assist the partners in meeting the minimum requirements set out in the Countryside Agency's guidelines for the production of AONB management plans. A substantial amount of work will be needed after adoption to ensure that the plan is of an equivalent standard to others across the country.

1.3 Under the terms of the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000, constituent local authorities have a statutory duty to publish Management Plans for AONBs. Four AONBs with a requirement for Management Plans lie within the boundaries of Hampshire:

(i) the North Wessex Downs;

(ii) Chichester Harbour;

(iii) Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs; and

(iv) East Hampshire.

1.4 This report comments on the first draft of the plan for East Hampshire. Reports on the North Wessex Downs, Chichester Harbour and Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB Management Plans were submitted to the Executive Members for Environment, Spatial Strategy, and Recreation and Heritage in September and October. Following revision of the drafts after public consultation, the final plans will be submitted to the local authorities for adoption in March 2004.

2. Introduction

2.1 AONBs are landscapes of national and international importance. The production and adoption of the Management Plans is a statutory duty on the local authorities. The plans have the potential to improve the quality of life for residents of Hampshire living and working in the AONBs through the conservation and enhancement of their landscapes.

Background to AONB Management Plans

2.2 AONBs are designated by Government under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, for the primary purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the landscape. Their legal status and importance are on a par with National Parks, although they do not have the same administrative powers as National Parks. The Government has made extra funding available for the production of management plans for AONBs (refer to paragraph 2.8).

2.3 Part IV of the CROW Act places a statutory duty on constituent local authorities of AONBs to publish Management Plans for AONBs by 1 April 2004 and to review them at five-yearly intervals. The Act also:

(i) places a duty on all public bodies and statutory undertakers to `have regard' to the purposes of AONBs;

(ii) establishes a process for creating AONB Conservation Boards, where this is locally supported; and

(iii) reaffirms the original purposes of designation and confirms the powers of local authorities to take appropriate action to conserve or enhance the natural beauty of AONBs.

2.4 A secondary purpose of designation is to "take account of the needs of agriculture, forestry and other rural industries and of the economic and social needs of local communities. Particular regard should be paid to promoting sustainable forms of economic development that in themselves conserve and enhance the environment". Whilst recreation is not an objective of designation, `the demand for recreation should be met so far as this is consistent with the conservation of natural beauty ...". Guidance for the production of Management Plans for AONBs is provided by the Countryside Agency in its publication `AONB Management Plans: A Guide'.

2.5 Four AONBs lie within the boundaries of Hampshire: North Wessex Downs; Chichester Harbour; Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs; and East Hampshire AONBs. Their locations are shown on the map attached as Appendix 1. A revocation order for the South Hampshire Coast AONB was issued in January 2002, and will take effect in the event of the New Forest becoming a National Park. The local authorities are not required to produce a Management Plan for this AONB.

2.6 The Management Plans are a Key Decision for the County Council's Forward Plan because of their significance for communities living and working in the AONBs.

2.7 The County Council has committed resources to the production of all the Management Plans, including Member participation and officer involvement in executive, steering and stakeholder groups, and funding.

2.8 Funding for the Management Plans is being shared between the Government and local authorities, with the detail of the arrangements varying according to local circumstances. In East Hampshire AONB, the Government, through the Countryside Agency, is providing 100% of the costs of management plan production. For its other duties as an AONB, the Countryside Agency this year provided over 75% of the costs. The balance is met by the local authorities.

3. Background to East Hampshire AONB

3.1 The AONB was designated in 1961 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, with the primary purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the chalk landscape. It covers an area of 380 sq. km, is contiguous with the Sussex Downs AONB and is managed through a Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) of local authority and local interest representatives. Much of the AONB lies within the proposed South Downs National Park, and over many years there has been co-ordination over management between the JAC and the South Downs Conservation Board (SDCB).

3.2 The Management Plan has been informed by working groups of officers from a range of organisations, and by a steering group. Hampshire County Council is represented by officers on both.

The East Hampshire AONB Management Plan

3.3 The East Hampshire AONB management plan and the Sussex Downs AONB management plan have been integrated to form the South Downs management plan. It is intended to function as an interim plan until a decision is made on the proposed South Downs National Park and the requirements for a new management plan are established. Its production within the timetable set by Government has been severely affected by DEFRA overturning, in early 2003, previous advice that there was no requirement to produce a plan. As a result, the JAC and SDCB have drawn heavily on previously published documents including earlier management plans and a draft vision document, edited to bring the new management plan into line with the Countryside Agency guidance. The time constraints have had an impact on the comprehensiveness and detailed information produced in the document, and on the level of participation in its production.

3.4 In line with current thinking about sustainability, the consideration of environmental, economic and social interests and their interrelationship characterises the Management Plan. It is based on a shared long-term vision for the two AONBs as a whole, addressing the themes of land (environment), people (communities) and work (economy). The vision will be delivered through a strategic objective for each of these themes, underpinned by five principles relating to conservation, sustainable development, integration, participation and planning. The plan is in 8 parts, some of which are incomplete:

(i) Part 1 is the Foreword;

(ii) Part 2 sets out the long-term vision for the South Downs, taken from the Draft Vision for the South Downs, last revised in 2001. The work on the Vision was suspended on the announcement of the proposed National Park but had been subject to stakeholder consultation, so validating its inclusion in the AONB management plan;

(iii) Part 3 addresses the statutory context of the AONB, the legal background to designation and the management and policy context of the plan;

(iv) Part 4 describes the key features of the South Downs landscape, based on the four types of landscape- chalk, Wealden/lowland, river flood plain, and coast - identified in two landscape character assessments, one for each AONB;

(v) Part 5 sets out the plan process, objectives and principles, including the process of producing the plan, participation and monitoring;

(vi) Part 6 is incomplete, but will set out the forces for change and the threats and issues affecting the South Downs;

(vii) Part 7 covers the objectives, policies and actions for each of the themes of land, work and people. Within each section, the topics addressed are:

(a) Land

- landscape character and diversity

- connecting with the past

- unspoilt and tranquil landscapes

- biodiversity action

- conserving the earth

(b) Work

- sustaining the rural economy

(c) People

- living in the South Downs

- enjoying the landscape

- new values for a new generation.

This section of the plan should inform the policies and actions. It comprises a vision statement, or aspiration, for the theme, an introductory paragraph about the theme, the objectives for it and the policies and actions needed to deliver the objectives;

(viii) Appendices:

(a) Legislation

(b) Designations (incomplete)

(c) Indicators

(d) Sustainable Development

(e) Table of organisations.

Copies of the Management Plan are available for inspection in the Members' Room.

4. Comments of the Director of Environment and the Director of Recreation and Heritage

4.1 Preparation of the South Downs Management Plan was delayed significantly by conflicting advice from Government and its agencies on the requirement to produce the plan, and this is reflected in the quality of the draft document when compared with other plans produced recently. The comments in Section 4 of this report recognise the limitations that this has imposed and the status of the plan as an `interim' document. Comments are divided into three categories:

(i) essential structural changes that will enable the partners to meet the Countryside Agency's minimum requirements and enable Hampshire County Council to adopt the plan;

(ii) essential changes to individual topics that will improve the clarity of thinking behind the plan; and

(iii) changes that need to be addressed after adoption to bring the plan into line with others.

This report seeks the approval of Executive Members to suggested amendments to the draft plan as set out in these comments, rather than approval of the draft management plan subject to the comments being addressed , because there is insufficient time remaining before the plan has to be published for consultation.

Essential Structural Changes Required Before Adoption

4.2 Section 4, The South Downs as a Protected Landscape, sets out the landscape characteristics of the AONB and the issues affecting it. In addition to the physical characteristics of the landscape, it should set out the perceptual qualities and factors such as the historic environment and settlement character. Section 4 should also address the social and economic characteristics of the area and their respective issues to ensure that the landscape is being considered in an integrated way.

4.3 Section 4 should also make it clear what makes the area worthy of designation as an AONB. The descriptions and issues are not reflecting the special qualities, and are too generalised to be directly relevant to the South Downs.

4.4 Section 6, Trends, Threats and Issues, will provide a useful `forces for change' background to the Management Plan. However, it should not replace the issues for each of the themes of land, people and work which need to be set out in the introduction to each of the three themes and so provide a context and reference for the subsequent objectives, policies and actions.

4.5 Section 7, Objectives and Partnership Policies. The introductory sections to each of the topics lack any real substance and contain no fundamental facts that underpin the issues, objectives and policies. Where information is available this should be incorporated, where it is not the introductory statement should make it clear that further research is needed.

4.6 Understanding the definitions (contained in the national guidance, `AONB Management Planning: Additional Clarification edition 2, Dec 2002)) of objectives, policies and actions, and the application of those definitions, are critical to the success of the management plan. Throughout the document there is confusion over these, with many policies reading as either objectives or actions. In accordance with national guidance, objectives state what is to be achieved by AONB management; policies are decisions about what the partners have agreed to do, and how; actions identify tasks or projects. There should be a clear and discernible link between them in the management plan. Those that are cross-cutting and those that are performing a particular function, such as awareness raising, should be grouped in categories and all policies presented in a matrix that demonstrates the interrelationships between them.

4.7 Policies must be realistic in what they seek to, or are able to, achieve. Terms such as `prevent' and `ensure' should only be used where the policy is achievable.

4.8 Across the whole of Section 6 the policies are listed under each of the topics. The relationship between policies (and the Actions that follow) needs to be demonstrated to ensure that those relevant to more than one topic or theme are recognised. This can be delivered through a summary matrix.

Essential Changes to Topics

4.9 Public participation in the production of the management plan would have been desirable and it is acknowledged that time constraints have affected this. However, a programme of awareness-raising is needed after adoption of the plan, and this should be reflected in the action plan.

4.10 Para 4.2.3 refers to the impact of climate change as an issue under River Flood Plain Landscapes and the Coast, but this applies as an issue across the whole AONB, with far-reaching effects on landscape, agriculture and wildlife. This needs to be reflected in the plan, with the subject having a section in its own right.

4.11 The implications of the CROW Act in relation to open access has a potentially high impact on the large tracts of open access land such as the downland in the AONB. The policies in Section 6 P2, `Enjoying the Landscape', should include an access planning strategy to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to fulfilling the potential for access improvements in the area between the various organisations duty bound under the CROW regulations.

4.12 Policy L1.3.1 is an important policy in the context of an AONB or national park. However, it should not be used in a blanket application to restrict all forms of development - particularly mineral development, which may have a temporary adverse effect on landscape but which can in the longer term contribute to the enhancement of the landscape and the biodiversity of an area.

4.13 Section L2, `Connecting with the Past'. Although references are made to 'cultural' landscape and 'historic' character, the document rather has the feel that these are sites, and buildings and perhaps glimpses of things in the landscape. It does not present 'natural' beauty as a product of historic processes, that these processes are deeply embedded in the landscape, and that understanding them and recognising them, and reflecting them in the management decisions is inherent in the management of the AONB. Perhaps it is regarded as inherent, but it should be explicit. This worry is amplified in the 'connecting with the past' section. The policies identify historic landscape characterisation as a process and the policies seek to protect archaeological sites, buildings and parks and gardens. A policy is needed that seeks to protect the historic content of the landscape in general and not as isolated assets, for example:

"Raise awareness of the historic importance of landscape structure in local character and distinctiveness, and seek to protect, manage and repair historic landscape character".

4.14 L5.3.3. Monitoring is a cross-cutting requirement and it needs to be made clear that any monitoring is not just about the environment.

4.15 Section 7.3, `Work'. Tourism is mentioned on the first line but then ignored in the rest of the section. Tourism is a major employer in AONBs and visitors contribute significant sums to the local economy (as shown in the visitor research mentioned above).

Changes to Follow Adoption of the Plan

4.16 Policy L5.3.1 links in with the County Council's Material Resources Strategy (MRS), which is promoting (among other things) exactly this approach. Some form of cross reference to the emerging MRS would be useful.

4.17 Policy P2.2.6 links in with Policy L3.3.2 - where mineral extraction extends below the water table, and restoration is low-level, this can be an important source of water-based recreation sites. A cross reference should be made.

4.18 Para 3.4 should give further information on the Landscape Assessment- by whom, when and for which area.

4.19 Para 4.2.1, sixth bullet point should refer to tranquillity rather than seclusion.

4.20 Para 4.2.2, first bullet point. It is not clear how a lack of management can cause a decline in secluded character.

4.21 Para 5.1, objective 3 needs to explain what is meant by `sustainable social development'.

4.22 Section 6, `Threats and Issues', reference should be made to diffuse pollution in relation to both water quality and soil erosion.

4.23 Policy L1.1.1, can only be achieved if there is some consistency in approach between existing studies. The need for a comprehensive, South Downs-wide landscape character assessment produced in line with the new guidance should at least be considered and set out in the action plan.

4.24 Policy L1.1.3, should refer to land management guidelines rather than design guidance.

4.25 Policy L2.1.1 needs to clarify whether preparation of an historic landscape assessment is needed.

4.26 Policy L3.4.1 refers to a tranquil area study. Is this in place for the whole of the South Downs? If not complete coverage should be proposed.

4.27 Policy W2.1.5. The meaning of the policy is unclear and needs to be rewritten.

4.28 Policy L3.3.1 regarding removal or lessening of the impact of inappropriate or intrusive features potentially conflicts with L5.3.2 which promotes the use of renewable energy. L3.3.1 should be expanded to clarify any intention to promote renewable energy structures.

4.29 Policy L.5.3.2 should be amended to state `where this does not conflict with protection of the landscape'. This reflects the position stated in the SEERA proposed Regional Planning Guidance, South East-Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, `Harnessing the elements', May 2003 which states that wind and other renewable energy should not be precluded in AONBs and proposed national parks as there will be locations where small scale construction can be accommodated where conflict with statutory landscape protection can be avoided or minimised through careful sitting and design.

4.30 W2.2.4 should be expanded to include the use of renewable energy technologies as an opportunity for diversification of the rural economy.

4.31 W2.2.6 should be explicit about the sectors in which sustainable economic development will be promoted and supported. Opportunities to promote sustainable development exist in the renewable energy sector, where woodland management, biomass production for bio fuels and wood fuel supply chains are linked.

4.32 L4.3.2. Comments on this policy apply to others, where it is essential that they are realistic in their aspiration. A more practical policy would be `to promote the integration of biodiversity considerations into social and economic issues.'

8247/DC

APPENDIX 2

LOCAL AUTHORITY PARTNERS IN AONBs

North Wessex Downs

Hampshire County Council

Oxfordshire County Council

West Berkshire Council

Wiltshire County Council

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Kennet District Council

North Wiltshire District Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

Swindon Borough Council

Test Valley Borough Council

Vale of White Horse District Council

Cranborne Chase

Dorset County Council

Hampshire County Council

Somerset County Council

Wiltshire County Council

East Dorset District Council

New Forest District Council

North Dorset District Council

South Somerset District Council

Salisbury District Council

Chichester Harbour

Hampshire County Council

West Sussex County Council

Havant Borough Council

Chichester District Council

East Hampshire

Hampshire County Council

East Hampshire District Council

Winchester City Council

South Hampshire Coast

Hampshire County Council

New Forest District Council