Yorkshire Wolds Proposed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Designation Project
Overview
Yorkshire Wolds Proposed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Project - Public and Statutory Consultation
We would like to give all those with an interest in the Yorkshire Wolds Proposed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)* Designation Project an opportunity to express their views.
This webpage contains information about the project, as well as an online survey to enable you to have your say.
Links to all of the relevant documents and maps, as well as details of where hard copies can be viewed, can be found on this website. Please read on to be signposted to these.
We will also be holding online and face-to-face events to explain the proposals. Details of these events are listed in the ‘Have Your Say’ section of this webpage.
Online responses to the consultation can be submitted via this website. Alternatively, you can submit your responses via email or post, using the contact details given at the top of this webpage.
*AONBs were rebranded as National Landscapes in November 2023. Legally however, Natural England can only designate as an AONB. To avoid confusion, all documentation and consultation materials refer to AONB throughout. If the proposed area were to be designated as an AONB, it would become known as the Yorkshire Wolds National Landscape.
Background Information
Natural England is the public body responsible for conserving and enhancing the natural environment in England. One of Natural England’s responsibilities 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 (CRoW) Act 2000.
For many years there has been a local desire for a new Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to include areas covered by local landscape designations and areas of wider countryside. These proposals have been supported by the local authorities in the area and in 2013, following a period of discussions, a formal request was put to Natural England by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, based on work it had carried out to support the proposal. The proposal was placed on hold until other NE national landscape designation work was completed.
In May 2021 the Natural England Board approved the commencement of a new programme of landscape designation projects. In June 2021 a Written Ministerial statement by then Secretary of State, George Eustace (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)) announced that Natural England "will be taking forward the government's commitment to designate additional landscapes and is currently considering the designation of four new areas". This included the possible designation of a new Yorkshire Wolds AONB.
Subsequently Natural England established a project Management Advisory Group (MAG) in order to include statutory local authorities in project governance and improve engagement. An Area of Search was defined collaboratively between Natural England and the MAG and used as a starting point for the assessment process. A consortium of specialist consultants was appointed to undertake the technical assessment and stakeholder engagement work.
An initial call for evidence ran from March to April 2022, followed by a period of analysis and commencement of natural beauty assessment. An extensive early stakeholder and public engagement exercise was held once a draft area considered likely to qualify for designation emerged. Around 700 people visited the project website, over 450 attended events and around 250 written responses were received from a range of local stakeholders and the public.
The results of this engagement were then taken into account as the technical assessments of the area progressed. Assessments to determine which landscapes meet the legal requirements for inclusion in an AONB have now been completed and proposals have been developed.
The proposed new AONB includes two areas of the Wolds:
An inland area comprising: an arc of elevated chalk wolds and valleys extending from Goodmanham in the southwest round to Folkton in the northeast, and stretching from the Howardian Hills AONB, along the Derwent Gorge, to the valleys of Langtoft in the east.
A coastal area comprising: the striking peninsula of the Flamborough Headland and its immediate hinterland stretching from The Speeton Hills around Reighton in the north to the Sewerby Cliffs in the south.
These areas have been identified as a result of detailed technical assessments commissioned by Natural England to investigate which areas meet the statutory requirements for inclusion in any new 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 AONB the opportunity to express their views on whether these areas should be designated.
Why your views matter
Have Your Say
We would now like to give all those with an interest in the designation the opportunity to express their views. The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on whether these areas have the qualities required for designation as AONB, whether they should be designated and, if so, where the boundary should be. This consultation will run from 8 October 2024 until midnight on 13 January 2025.
The response forms that we have provided give you the opportunity to comment on the proposals and to submit evidence.
The easiest way to respond to this consultation is via the online response form found at the bottom of this webpage. Alternatively, you may prefer to send your response via email or post, using the contact details given at the top of this webpage. You can also submit additional evidence this way, such as maps or photographs.
Please read the Consultation Pack documents before you respond. They provide further information on the proposals and the designation process. You can read and / or download the documents from this website, or request a paper copy to be posted to your address via the contact details given above. Further information is available within the technical documents listed below. Links to these documents can be found at the bottom of this webpage:
- Guidance on Assessing Landscapes for Designation as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England, June 2021
- Yorkshire Wolds AONB Designation Project Natural Beauty Assessment
- Yorkshire Wolds AONB Designation Project Desirability Assessment
- Yorkshire Wolds AONB Designation Project Boundary Assessment
- Yorkshire Wolds AONB Designation Project Boundary Maps
Hard copies of these documents are available to view from mid-afternoon on 8 October 2024 until 5.00PM on 13 January 2025 in the locations shown at the bottom of this webpage.
Consultation events
We will be holding a number of online webinars during the consultation. These webinars will provide information about the project so far and explain how you can participate in the consultation. There will be two webinars open to members of the public, at the following times:
Online Webinar - 22nd October 2024 at 2PM
Online Webinar - 24th October 2024 at 7PM
There will be a further two webinars, which are open to members of the NFU, CLA, farmers, farming groups and land interest groups at the following times:
Farming / Land interest Online Webinar - 26th November 2024 at 10.30AM
Farming / Land interest Online Webinar - 27th November 2024 at 7PM
All webinars will cover the same content and we will upload a recording of the presentation to this website for those unable to attend a webinar. This recording can be found below.
An opportunity to listen again to one of the webinars provided to introduce the consultation. The purpose of the webinar was to give an overview of the project so far, introduce the proposals for the Yorkshire Wolds AONB, and explain how to get involved with the consultation.
In addition, we will be holding ten face-to-face drop-in events where you will be able to view the maps and documents, and speak to a member of our team. Please note that whilst the project team will be available to answer questions about the proposals, and advise on how to respond to the consultation, we will not be collecting consultation responses at these events.
15th October 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Market Weighton - Market Weighton Community Hall, 2 Station Rd, Market Weighton, York YO43 3AX
16th October 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Sherburn - Sherburn Village Hall, St Hilda's Street, Sherburn, YO17 8PG
17th October 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Hunmanby - Hunmanby Community Centre, 35 Stonegate, Hunmanby, Filey YO14 0NS
6th November 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Thixendale - Thixendale Village Hall, Thixendale, Malton YO17 9TG
7th November 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Bempton & Buckton - Bempton & Buckton Community Hall, High St, Bempton YO15 1HS
12th November 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Malton - Milton Rooms, Market Pl, Malton YO17 7LX
13th November 2024, 12.00 - 18.00 - Pocklington - Pocklington Scout Hut, Burnby Ln, Pocklington, York YO42 2QD
14th November 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Millington - Millington Village Hall, Millington, York YO42 1TX
20th November 2024, 12.00 - 19.00 - Driffield - Cass Hall, King St, Driffield YO25 6QW
21st November 2024, 11.30 - 17.30 - Weaverthorpe - Weaverthorpe Village Hall, Main Street, Weaverthorpe YO17 8EX
What happens next
After the consultation closes, we will analyse all of the responses and review the proposals; amending them, if necessary, to take account of any relevant evidence provided. Depending on the number of responses received this is likely to take around six months. A summary of the responses will then be provided on this website.
The designation project can then move to the next stage in the process, if, as a result of the consultation:
- no fundamental objections arise which cannot be overcome; and
- no significant areas of additional land need to be included as a result of the consultation; and
- Natural England decides to continue with the proposed AONB designation.
The Natural England Board must then give approval:
- of the final technical assessments
- of a draft designation Order (the legal paperwork)
- to proceed to a formal period of Notice (known as the Notice Period) by publishing a Notice of the Order in the London Gazette and other newspapers as required by Section 83(2) of the CRoW Act.
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.
Following the Notice period, a further period of response analysis will be required, and any consequent changes made to the draft designation Order. Natural England approval would then be sought to allow the Order to be ‘made’ (signed and the Natural England seal approved) and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation.
If there are any unresolved objections, these would be submitted to the Secretary of State with the Order. The Secretary of State has the discretion to call a Public Inquiry to assist in their decision making, and to consider such objections further, before deciding whether or not to confirm the Order.
The Secretary of State may, or may not, confirm the Order, with or without amendment. This decision is not made to any specific timescale. Any designation would not come into effect unless, and until, confirmed by the Secretary of State.
Give us your views - Online Response Form
Events
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Document Viewing Locations
From 8 Oct 2024 at 09:00 to 13 Jan 2025 at 17:00Printed copies of the supporting information can be viewed at the face to face events and at the following locations:
Natural England office
Foss House,
Kings Pool,
1-2 Peasholme Green,
York,
YO1 7PX
East Riding Council Customer Service Centre
7 Cross Street,
Beverley
HU17 9AX
Market Weighton Wicstun Centre & library
14 Beverley Road,
Market Weighton,
YO43 3JP
Flamborough library
South Sea Road,
Flamborough,
YO15 1NG
Howardian Hills National Landscape office
The Old Vicarage,
Bondgate,
Helmsley,
York
YO62 5BP
Malton Library
St. Michael Street
Malton
YO17 7LJ
Filey Library
Station Avenue
Filey
YO14 9AE
North Yorkshire Council office, Malton
Ryedale House
Old Malton Road
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7HH -
Drop-in, Market Weighton Community Hall
From 15 Oct 2024 at 12:00 to 15 Oct 2024 at 19:00Market Weighton Community Hall
2 Station Rd,
Market Weighton,
York
YO43 3AX -
Drop-in, Sherburn Village Hall
From 16 Oct 2024 at 12:00 to 16 Oct 2024 at 19:00Sherburn Village Hall
St Hilda's Street,
Sherburn,
YO17 8PG -
Drop-in, Hunmanby Community Centre
From 17 Oct 2024 at 12:00 to 17 Oct 2024 at 19:00Hunmanby Community Centre
35 Stonegate,
Hunmanby,
Filey
YO14 0NS -
Online Webinar - 1
From 22 Oct 2024 at 14:00 to 22 Oct 2024 at 15:30Please book your place here:
https://proposed-yorkshire-wolds-aonb-designation-project-briefing-3.eventbrite.co.uk -
Online Webinar - 2
From 24 Oct 2024 at 19:00 to 24 Oct 2024 at 20:30Please book your place here:
https://proposed-yorkshire-wolds-aonb-designation-project-briefing-4.eventbrite.co.uk -
Drop-in, Thixendale Village Hall
From 6 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 6 Nov 2024 at 19:00Thixendale Village Hall
Thixendale,
Malton
YO17 9TG -
Drop-in, Bempton & Buckton Community Hall
From 7 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 7 Nov 2024 at 19:00Bempton & Buckton Community Hall
High St,
Bempton
YO15 1HS -
Drop-in, Milton Rooms, Malton
From 12 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 12 Nov 2024 at 19:00Milton Rooms, Malton
Market Pl,
Malton
YO17 7LX -
Drop-in, Pocklington Scout Hut
From 13 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 13 Nov 2024 at 18:00Pocklington Scout Hut
Burnby Ln,
Pocklington,
York
YO42 2QD -
Drop-in, Millington Village Hall
From 14 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 14 Nov 2024 at 19:00Millington Village Hall
Millington,
York
YO42 1TX -
Drop-in, Driffield Cass Hall
From 20 Nov 2024 at 12:00 to 20 Nov 2024 at 19:00Driffield Cass Hall
King St,
Driffield
YO25 6QW -
Drop-in, Weaverthorpe Village Hall
From 21 Nov 2024 at 11:30 to 21 Nov 2024 at 17:30Weaverthorpe Village Hall
Main Street,
Weaverthorpe
YO17 8EX -
Online Webinar - CLA / NFU - 1
From 26 Nov 2024 at 10:30 to 26 Nov 2024 at 12:00To book your place on this webinar please follow the link below: https://proposed-yorkshire-wolds-aonb-designation-project-briefing-5.eventbrite.co.uk
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Online Webinar - CLA / NFU - 2
From 27 Nov 2024 at 19:00 to 27 Nov 2024 at 20:30To book your place on this webinar please follw the link below: https://proposed-yorkshire-wolds-aonb-designation-project-briefing-6.eventbrite.co.uk
Audiences
- Anyone from any background
Interests
- Natural environment
- Local nature partnerships
- Biodiversity
- Plants
- Animals
- Tree and plant health
- Climate change
- Green infrastructure
- Ecosystems services
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