Decision details

Proposed decision

Adoption of the revised High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2024-2029

Reason

The Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000 requires local authorities within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to act collaboratively to prepare and publish an up-to-date plan, which ‘formulates their policy for the management of the area and for the carrying out of their functions in relation to it’.

Background

The High Weald AONB Management Plan 2024- 2029 has been prepared by the High Weald AONB Unit and the High Weald AONB Joint Advisory Committee, a partnership which includes all 15 local authorities that have land within the High Weald AONB together with community, environment and land-based sector representatives for, and on behalf of, the borough and district councils of Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Tonbridge and Malling, as well as Kent County Council, and councils across Surrey, West Sussex and East Sussex.

In November 2023 all designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales became National Landscapes. This change was brought about as a result of recommendations published in January 2022 following the Governments Landscapes reviews (National Parks and AONBs). The new name reflects the national importance of these protected landscapes and is endorsed by Natural England. The High Weald National Landscape remains an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty insofar as all policy, legislation and guidance applies to the designated landscape. For this reason, the management plan document is still titled and refers to the High Weald AONB Management Plan. Reference is made in the document to both the AONB and the High Weald National Landscape interchangeably. The statutory purpose of the designated landscape “to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the designated landscape” remains unchanged.

The High Weald AONB Management Plan was originally adopted by the County Council in April 2004 and set out a 20-year vision for the AONB. Revisions to the Management Plan were subsequently adopted in 2009, 2014 and 2019. This is the fourth revision.

Options

This is a statutory obligation. 

The decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026 which makes specific reference to protecting and enhancing protected landscapes.

The decision supports Securing Kent’s Future as adoption of the plan does not place any additional financial obligations on Kent County Council.

As Cabinet Member for Environment, I agree to:

(i)         ADOPT the revised High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2024-2029 on behalf of Kent County Council (Appendix 1).

(ii)       To DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment to refresh and/or

make revisions to the Management Plan as appropriate during the lifetime of the plan

(iii)      To DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Growth, Environment and Transport to take relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of, and entering into required contract or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision .