Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Boundary Variation Project

Closed 13 Jun 2023

Opened 7 Mar 2023

Overview

Surrey Hills National Landscape (AONB) Boundary Variation Project

This webpage contains relevant information for statutory consultees, members of the public and other stakeholders wishing to be updated on the Surrey Hills National Landscape (AONB*) Boundary Variation Project.

The webpage was last updated on the 24th July 2024 with further information on the progress of the project, next steps and the publication of the consultation analysis report, which can be found below. All publicly available documents related to the project can be found at the bottom of this page.

*AONBs were recently rebranded as National Landscapes; however, when designating, Natural England still legally designates an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  To avoid confusion, the reports and documents attached to this webpage refer to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or AONBs, throughout. If additional land is subsequently designated, it would then be branded as part of the Surrey Hills National Landscape.

 

Background

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 National Landscape. The purpose of such designation is to conserve and enhance an area’s natural beauty, and the designation is made using statutory powers in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

In June 2021, Natural England announced an ambitious new programme to assess four areas for possible designation as National Landscapes. This includes the extension of two existing National Landscapes, the Surrey Hills and the Chilterns, and the consideration of two new areas, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge.

The Surrey Hills National Landscape boundary has not been reviewed since its original designation in 1958 but there have been various calls locally to reconsider the boundary. Some areas of countryside outside but adjacent to the National Landscape 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 National Landscape Board, Natural England began exploring whether certain areas adjacent to the Surrey Hills National Landscape should be included within the designation.

Why your views matter

Progress so far

In 2021 Natural England began work on the Surrey Hills National Landscape Boundary Review by conducting an early call for evidence that helped build an understanding of potential areas to extend the boundary. Our specialist landscape consultants then undertook technical assessments of the landscape, identifying distinct extension areas.

Statutory and Public Consultation

In 2023 Natural England held a statutory and public consultation for our proposed extension to the Surrey Hills National Landscape. We have since reviewed the consultation responses. During our analysis work we revisited our initial assessments and undertook additional field work, especially where a review of the boundary was required. We have now produced a detailed analysis report which presents the findings of the consultation and analysis process.

Of the 1518 responses, an overwhelming majority were supportive of the proposed extensions.  Every proposed extension area attracted respondents who wished to comment on the detailed boundary and a small number of responses did not agree with the proposed extensions.  You can find the consultation analysis report and analysis tables with accompanying figures below.

The evidence provided through the consultation process presented an opportunity to include additional land in the Surrey Hills and this has been reflected in the analysis tables and accompanying figures. 

Further fieldwork is also being completed on an area of land to the west of the Surrey Hills National Landscape in East Hampshire. This land was highlighted through the consultation process as having the potential to qualify for designation.

What happens next

Once the assessment of land in East Hampshire is completed, the findings will be published on this web page in August 2024.

The 2023 consultation has presented the opportunity to include additional land, and therefore a second round of consultation will be required in accordance with our duties under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. It is anticipated this consultation will be launched in September 2024 and will last for 12 weeks. This will be a statutory and public consultation and will be published on this website.  We will undertake a media and stakeholder engagement campaign to publicise the consultation.

The second round of consultation will be limited to new additions to the proposed extension areas only, including the land in East Hampshire, which will be clearly identified within the documents that are produced for the consultation. It will not be necessary to repeat responses that have already been submitted in the first round of consultation for a proposed extension area.     

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 the draft Variation Order. A Variation Order consists of the legal documents required to vary an AONB boundary. Natural England will then publish the Variation Order in the London Gazette and other papers as required by Section 83(2) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. Natural England Board approval will be sought for the draft Variation Order prior to publication of the Notice period.

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 proposal, and stating the grounds on which they are made.

Following the Notice Period, a further period of response analysis will be undertaken, and any further consequent changes made to the draft legal Order. Natural England Board approval will then be sought to allow the Order to be finalised 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, before deciding whether or not to confirm the Order.

It is important to note the Secretary of State may choose to confirm the Order, confirm with amendments, or reject the Order. It is not possible to say how long the Secretary of State's decision will take. The Secretary of State may also call a Public Inquiry to assist in their decision making in relation to whether the designation should be confirmed or not or amended. A Public Inquiry provides a further opportunity to explore any remaining unresolved objections to assist the Secretary of State in their decision making.

Events

  • 2023 Drop In Events

    From 23 Mar 2023 at 00:00 to 13 Jun 2023 at 00:00

    We 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

  • 2023 Documents were available at:

    From 23 Mar 2023 at 00:00 to 31 Dec 2023 at 00:00

    Documents 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.

  • 2024 Drop in Events will be published soon

    From 24 Jul 2024 at 00:01 to 31 Dec 2024 at 23:59

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