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

This consultation for the Yorkshire Wolds Proposed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)* Designation Project is now closed.  All information and documents related to the project and this consultation can be found below.  Once completed, a consultation analysis report will be uploaded to this webpage, along with any updates to the project.

*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.

Project Update February 2026

Following the close of the Statutory and Public Consultation in January 2025, Natural England have considered all of the responses and evidence received and have revisited some areas for consideration on site.    A detailed Consultation Response Analysis Report has been produced, which can be viewed online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yorkshire-wolds-area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty-proposed-designation. 

251 consultation responses were received in response to the consultation.  There was a significant majority of respondents in favour of designating the proposed Inland and Coastal Areas, though some voiced concerns, principally related to matters of desirability of designation.

Of the respondents who answered, ‘Do you think the proposed areas (Coastal and Inland Areas) should be designated as AONB?’:  

• 78% answered ‘Yes, I agree’ for the Inland Area 

• 85% answered ‘Yes, I agree’ for the Coastal Area 

Formal responses were received from the statutory authorities: East Riding of Yorkshire Council; North Yorkshire Council; Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority; and, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.  Their responses indicated a broad level of support for the proposed areas for designation and a desire to see land designated. 

Many respondents supplied additional evidence in support of their views, and Natural England considered whether this evidence necessitated changes to any of the proposals and especially to proposed boundaries.  It was concluded that the boundary should be adjusted in three locations in order to exclude small areas of previously proposed land; at Londesborough Avenue and near to Speeton.  No additional land is proposed for designation as a result of the consultation, meaning that a second round of consultation is not required.  

Natural England remains of the view that there is a clear weight of evidence that the proposed Inland and Coastal Areas meet the criterion of outstanding natural beauty required for AONB designation and that, where minor boundary refinements are required, they are appropriate.  Together these areas form ‘an area of land’ of outstanding natural beauty as required by the legislation.  Natural England considers that the designation of these qualifying areas is desirable and that the boundaries of the Inland and Coastal Areas are sufficiently robust and appropriate.

In response to the statutory and public consultation, the three technical assessments (Natural Beauty, Desirability, and Boundary) for this project have been updated, including amendments to the proposed boundary.  They can be found below with the prefix ‘November 2025’.

On 4th February 2026, Natural England launched a statutory notice period for the Yorkshire Wolds Proposed AONB Designation.  The notice period will end on 6th March 2026.

Legislation requires Natural England to publish notification of their intention to ‘make’ (sign and attach the Natural England seal) the designation Order in the London Gazette and local newspapers.  The notice period provides an opportunity for anyone to view the proposals and, if so minded, make representations to Natural England; whether objecting to or in support of the draft Order, or proposing an amendment to the proposed boundary. 

Notices were published on 4th February 2026 in the London Gazette and the Yorkshire Post.  Information is being made available in various locations in and around the Yorkshire Wolds, and online via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yorkshire-wolds-area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty-proposed-designation.

A copy of the draft Order, and associated maps, will be deposited at each of the places listed below, and will be open for inspection free of charge, as indicated, from the 4th day of February 2026 until the 6th day of March 2026, at:

Natural England York Office: Foss House, Kings Pool, 1-2 Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PX.  Please Contact Natural England on 0300 060 3900 to arrange a suitable time.

East Riding Council Customer Service Centre:  Beverley Customer Service Centre, Champney Treasure House, Champney Road, Beverley, HU17 8HE.  Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 09.30 – 16.30.  Please contact 01482 393939 to arrange an appointment or to check location accessibility.

North Yorkshire Council Office:  Ryedale House, Old Malton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7HH.  Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 09.00 – 16.30, Wednesday 09.30 – 16.30.  Please contact 0300 131 2131 to arrange an appointment or to check location accessibility.

Howardian Hills National Landscape Office:  The Old Vicarage, Bondgate, Helmsley, York, YO62 5BP.  The documents will be available to view at reception during office hours.

Filey Library:  Station Avenue, Filey, YO14 9AE.  Open every day except Tuesday or Sunday.  Please contact 01609 536608, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Flamborough Library:  South Sea Road, Flamborough, YO15 1NG.  Open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.  Please contact 01262 850085, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Malton Library:  St Michael Street, Malton, YO17 7LJ.  Open every day except Thursday or Sunday.  Please contact 01609 534565, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Market Weighton:  Wicstun Centre 14 Beverley Road, Market Weighton, YO43 3JP.  Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  Please contact 01482 393939, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

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.

Statutory and Public Consultation

These areas were 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 CRoW Act 2000 requires that Natural England carries out a statutory Local Authority consultation prior to reaching a final decision.  We 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.  Therefore, a combined statutory and public consultation on the proposals to designate a new AONB in the Yorkshire Wolds was held.  It opened on 8th October 2024, and closed on 13th January 2025. 

The purpose of this consultation was to seek views on whether the areas identified have the qualities required for designation as an AONB, whether they should be designated and, if so, where the boundary should be.  A Consultation Pack providing information on the proposals and the designation process was available to view online, following the links that can be found at the bottom of this webpage. Hard copies could be requested by contacting us by telephone, email or post.

Further information was available within the technical documents listed below:

• 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 were available to view throughout the consultation period in the following locations:

• Natural England Office, York
• East Riding Council Customer Service Centre, Beverley
• North Yorkshire Council Office, Malton
• Howardian Hills National Landscape office, Helmsley
• Filey Library, Filey
• Flamborough Library, Flamborough
• Malton Library, Malton
• Markey Weighton Wicstun Centre and library, Markey Weighton

The documents can also be viewed online, using the links found at the bottom of this webpage.

A number of online webinars were held during the consultation.  The webinars provided information about the proposals, and how to participate in the consultation.  Two webinars were open to the public, whilst a further two webinars were open to members of the NFU, CLA, farmers, farming groups and land interest groups.  All of the webinars covered the same content, and a recording of the webinar held on 9th October can be found below.

Click here to download the webinar recording from 9th October 2024

In addition, ten face-to-face drop-in events were held throughout the area, where people were able to view the maps and documents, and speak to a member of our team. 

These events were held in the following locations and/or on the following dates:

• Market Weighton Community Hall (15th October 2024)
• Sherburn Village Hall (16th October 2024)
• Hunmanby Community Centre (17th October 2024)
• Online Webinar 1 (14:00 - 15:30, 22nd October 2024)
• Online Webinar 2 (19:00 - 20:30, 24th October 2024)
• Thixendale Village Hall (6th November 2024)
• Bempton & Buckton Community Hall (7th November 2024)
• Milton Rooms, Malton (12th November 2024)
• Pocklington Scout Hut (13th November 2024)
• Millington Village Hall (14th November 2024)
• Driffield Cass Hall (20th November 2024)
• Weaverthorpe Village Hall (21st November 2024)
• Online Webinar CLA/NFU 1 (10:30 - 12:00, 26th November 2024)
• Online Webinar CLA/NFU 2 (19:00 - 20:30, 27th November 2024)

Response forms were provided to give people the opportunity to comment on the proposals and to submit evidence.  The response forms could be submitted online, or via email or the post.

Why your views matter

Following the close of the Statutory and Public Consultation in January 2025, Natural England have considered all of the responses and evidence received and have revisited some areas for consideration on site.  A detailed Consultation Response Analysis Report has been produced, which can be viewed online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yorkshire-wolds-area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty-proposed-designation.

In response to the statutory and public consultation, the three technical assessments (Natural Beauty, Desirability, and Boundary) for this project have been updated, including amendments to the proposed boundary.  They can be found below with the prefix ‘November 2025’.

On the 26^th November 2025, Natural England’s Board approved the updated technical assessments, as well as the draft Order and proceeding to a formal period of notice.

On 4th February 2026, Natural England launched a statutory Notice Period for the Yorkshire Wolds Proposed AONB Designation.  The Notice Period will end on 6th March 2026.  The Notice Period provides an opportunity for anyone to view the proposals and, if so minded, make representations to Natural England; whether objecting to or in support of the draft Order, or proposing an amendment to the proposed boundary. 

What happens next

Following the Notice Period, representations will be analysed, and any consequent changes made to the proposals, if required. Natural England will then proceed with preparing documentation for the making (signing and sealing) and submitting of an Order 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 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.