Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Boundary Variation Project
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
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2023 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 -
2023 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. -
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
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