Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Boundary Variation Project
Overview
Natural England is the public body responsible for conserving and enhancing the natural environment in England. One of Natural England’s statutory duties is to decide whether an area should be given special status and protection by designating it as a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The purpose of AONB designation is to conserve and enhance an area’s natural beauty. AONBs are designated by Natural England using statutory powers in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
The Surrey Hills AONB boundary has not been reviewed since its original designation in 1958 and there have been repeated calls by local campaigners to reconsider the boundary. Some areas of countryside outside but adjacent to the AONB boundary are designated as Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) by local authorities in recognition of their value at a county level. Following a series of landscape evaluation studies and a formal request by the Surrey Hills AONB Board, Natural England has now started the AONB boundary review process.
All the relevant technical assessments and consultation documents can be downloaded via the links below.
These proposed extension areas have been identified as a result of detailed technical assessments by Natural England following a period of Public Engagement to investigate which landscapes meet the statutory requirements for inclusion in the Surrey Hills AONB. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires that Natural England next undertakes a statutory Local Authority consultation prior to reaching a final decision. This is the current stage reached by the project and we have decided that we would also like to give everybody with an interest in the proposed extensions the opportunity to express their views on whether these areas should be designated.
Why your views matter
Your responses will help to inform Natural England’s decision on whether to take forward our proposals and, if so, where the boundaries should be. We will publish a summary of the responses following the end of the consultation period.
What has happened so far:
What happens next
Following analysis of consultation responses, the proposals will then be reviewed and where necessary, proposed boundaries amended to take account of any further relevant evidence received.
If no fundamental objections arise which cannot be overcome, and assuming no identified boundaries need to be altered as a result of the consultation, the next stage will be to draw up a draft Order and to publish Notice of the Order in the London Gazette and other papers as required by Section 83(2) of the CRoW Act. Natural England Board approval will then be sought for the draft Order prior to publication of the Notice.
The Notice period allows anyone who wishes to do so to make representations to Natural England, objecting to, supportive of, or proposing amendments to the Order, and stating the grounds on which they are made.
If, however, as a result of the consultation, any of the proposed boundaries need to be amended within the proposed boundary variation, an additional statutory consultation will be required.
Following the Notice period, a further period of response analysis will be required and any further consequent changes made to the draft legal Order. It is difficult to provide a time estimate for this at this stage. Board approval will then be sought to allow the Order to be ‘made’ and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation. If there are any unresolved objections, these will be submitted to the Secretary of State with the Order, who has discretion to call a Public Inquiry to determine them, before deciding whether or not to confirm the Order.
It is important to note that the Secretary of State may or may not confirm the Order, with or without amendment; and has the discretion to subject the Order to Public Inquiry if minded to do so. This decision is not made to any specific timescale.
Events
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Drop In Events
From 23 Mar 2023 at 00:00 to 13 Jun 2023 at 00:00We held a series of events throughout the consultation, which anyone was welcome to attend. At these events you could find out more about the proposals, speak to a Natural England officer, view documents and maps, and pick up a consultation pack. The details of the events were:
Thursday 23rd March – 10:00-15:00 daytime drop in – Leatherhead Institute
Monday 27th March – 10:00-15:00 daytime drop in – Guildford Institute
Wednesday 29th March – 18:00-20:30 evening session – Soper Hall, Caterham
Tuesday 18th April – 10:00-15:00 daytime drop in – St John’s Centre, Guildford
Thursday 27th April – 18:00-20:30 evening session – Chichester Hall, Witley
Saturday 20th May – 10:00-15:00 daytime drop in – Soper Hall, Caterham -
Documents were available at:
From 23 Mar 2023 at 00:00 to 31 Dec 2023 at 00:00Documents are also available to view on request at the below locations:
Natural England Offices
Natural England Reading Office
6th Floor North Gate House
21-23 Valpy Street
Reading
RG1 1AF
Natural England Eastleigh Office
4th floor, Eastleigh House
Upper Market Street
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO50 9YN
Natural England Worcester Office
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester
WR5 2NP
To arrange an appointment to view documents at any of the Natural England offices please contact SurreyHillsAONBboundaryreview@naturalengland.org.uk
Surrey Hills AONB Offices
Surrey Hills AONB Office
Warren Farm Barns
Headley Lane
Mickleham
Dorking
Surrey
RH5 6DG
To arrange an appointment to view documents at any of the Surrey Hills AONB office please contact SurreyHills@surreycc.gov.uk or phone 01372 220 653.
Local Planning Authority Offices
Guildford Borough Council
Council Office
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 4BB
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Guildford Borough Council office please contact please call 01483 505 050.
Mole Valley District Council
Planning Policy Team
Mole Valley District Council
Pippbrook
Reigate Road
Dorking
Surrey
RH4 1SJ
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Mole Valley District Council office please contact please call 01306 885 001 and ask for David Webb or Marie Killip.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 0SH
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council office please contact please call 01737 276 000.
Tandridge District Council
8 Station Road East
Oxted
Surrey
RH8 0BT
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Tandridge District Council office please contact please call Bradley Saffery, Customer Services on 07786 200 690.
Waverley Borough Council
Reception
The Burys
Godalming
Surrey
GU7 1HR
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Waverley Borough Council office please contact please call the Planning Department on 09876 547 224.
Croydon Borough Council
6th Floor Zone B
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon
CR0 1EA
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Croydon Borough Council office please contact please call Julia Dawe, Spatial Planning Service on 020 8726 6000 (Ext 28457).
East Hampshire District Council
Penns Place
Petersfield
Hampshire
GU31 4EX
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the East Hampshire District Council office please contact please call Adam Harvey, Planning Policy Manager 01730 266 551.
Sevenoaks District Council
Argyle Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 1HG
To arrange an appointment to view documents at the Sevenoaks District Council office please contact please call 01732 227 000.
Libraries
Guildford Library
77 North Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4AL
0345 600 9009
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Dorking Library
St Martin's Walk
Dorking
Surrey
RH4 1UT
0345 600 9009
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Redhill Library
Warwick Quadrant
Redhill
Surrey
RH1 1NN
0345 600 9009
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Oxted Library
12 Gresham Road
Oxted
Surrey
RH8 0BQ
0345 600 9009
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Godalming Library
Bridge Street
Godalming
Surrey
GU7 1HT
0345 600 9009
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Croydon Library
Croydon Clocktower
Katharine Street
Croydon
CR9 1ET
020 7884 5220
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Petersfield Library
27 The Square
Petersfield
Hampshire
GU32 3HH
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Sevenoaks Library
Buckhurst Lane
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 1LQ
0300 041 3131
Please see the library website for opening hours.
Audiences
- Charities/Voluntary Organisations
- Environmental campaigners
- Operators of animal gatherings
- National Park Authorities
- Recreation sector
- Aggregates sector
- Energy sector
- Water/water Industry sector
- Angling Organisations and Trade
- Fishing Focus individual recipients
- Water Abstractors
- Environmental professional services
- Estate Agents
- House Building Industry
- Property Management
- Households
- Local Authorities
- Consumer Groups
- Business/Private Sector
- Pet Owners
- Transport Organisations
- Walkers
- Horse riders
- Families
- Students
- Farmers
- Fishermen
- SME businesses
- Energy suppliers
- Water suppliers
- Leisure industry
- Tourism industry
- Horticulture Industry
- Tenant Farmers
- Agricultural Landlords
- Land Agents
- Public Bodies
- Consultants
- Stakeholders
Interests
- Natural environment
- Local nature partnerships
- Biodiversity
- Plants
- Animals
- Tree and plant health
- Climate change
- Green infrastructure
- Ecosystems services
- Green economy
- Sustainable development
- National Adaptation Programme
- Flooding
- Water quality
- Air quality
- Water conservation
- Sewerage
- Air pollution
- Chemicals and pesticides
- Noise
- Local environments
- Pollution Sector
- Science
- Conservation
- Water Abstraction
- Holiday Accommodation
- House Building and Planning
- Watercourse maintenance
- Consultations
- Impact Assessments
- Disability Access
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