Yorkshire Wolds considered for designation as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
People can have their say online
Parts of the Yorkshire Wolds is being considered for designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Natural England is asking for opinions on the landscapes and heritage of the Yorkshire Wolds as they assess its potential for designation.
In June 2021, the organisation announced that part of the Yorkshire Wolds would be considered for designation as an AONB, which would acknowledge the special beauty of the local landscape and could bring more environmental protection and investment to the area, as well as acting as a draw for tourists.
Members of the public are now being encouraged to contribute to the decision-making process with local knowledge.
People can have their say online by visiting https://www.yorkshire-wolds-designation-project.org, where an app can also be downloaded. A series of face-to-face events and webinars are being planned where people can find out more.
Paul Duncan, Area Manager for Natural England, said:
“The fact part of the Yorkshire Wolds is being considered as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an acknowledgement of how special it is. Designation as an AONB could see the landscape protected and draw investment, so we need local knowledge to help assess its suitability.
“We are urging members of the public to provide their comments at a host of drop-in sessions or via our new website and app. We want to know what people think about the natural beauty of the landscape; its condition, natural and cultural heritage, scenic qualities, relative wildness and tranquillity.
“Our assessments will help Natural England’s board decide whether to designate a new Yorkshire Wolds AONB. There would also be a statutory consultation, expected to take place in 2023, before a decision can be made and finally confirmed by Defra.”
Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, Scarborough Borough Council cabinet member for the environment and sustainability, said:
“Securing an area of outstanding natural beauty designation for the Yorkshire Wolds would be a significant development and bring many benefits.
“I urge everyone to add their views and provide evidence, whether you are an individual or a business with an interest in protecting the natural environment.”
Cllr Derek Bastiman, North Yorkshire County Council’s Executive member for business and economic development, said:
“We know how important North Yorkshire’s beautiful natural landscape is, to the people who live and work in and around it, those who visit from across the UK and the world and the businesses that serve those visitors. We already see these benefits in the county’s two National Parks and other areas of outstanding natural beauty in Nidderdale, the Howardian Hills and the Forest of Bowland, so I urge local people to have their say about this opportunity.”
Phillip Spurr, Programme Director for Place and Resource at Ryedale District Council, said:
“We would love to see the Wolds become an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
“Ryedale is lucky enough that part of this beautiful area sits in our district and it would be fantastic to see it formally recognised. I would encourage our residents to get involved in the public engagement process to make their views heard.”
The Drop-in Sessions
Thursday 9th June:
09:00 to 14:00 Strawberry Fields car boot, Bridlington
10:00 to 14:00 Bempton and Buckton Village Hall
15:00 to 18:00 Weaverthorpe Village Hall
14:30 to 17:30 Kilham Village Hall
Friday 10th June:
10:00 to 16:00 Settrington Village Hall
10:00 to 16:00 Kirkburn Village Hall
The second set of drop-in sessions are planned for 21st, 22nd and 23rd June. The venues, dates and times will be confirmed presently.
Webinars
There will be webinars available to tell you more about the Designation process and how you can share your views, including instruction on how to use the online form using a browser or the mobile app. Places in the webinars must be booked.
The webinar dates, times and links for booking via Eventbrite are as follows:
14th June, 19:30 - booking link
16th June, 13:30 - booking link
27th June, 19:00 - booking link
30th June, 19:00 - booking link
The webinars will last a maximum of 90 minutes.
Find out more and take part in the online consultation here.