The guardians of Nidderdale’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty should be handed greater powers to determine the future shape of the landscape, it has been claimed.
Community leaders in both the Nidderdale AONB and the Howardian Hills AONB said while the areas were almost indistinguishable from their neighbouring national parks, they did not have the same protections.
National parks can make their own planning decisions, but decisions about AONBs are made remotely, often by people lacking local knowledge or expertise, they said.
Nidderdale AONB board member Keith Tordoff said the area had its own environmental and economic ecosystem to consider, but key decisions were being made by Harrogate Borough Council. He said:
“Harrogate is too remote from what is going on in Nidderdale. I would say it’s more important for the AONB to have input in planning decisions than planning officers who are based in Harrogate.
“Planning is something that should have been part and parcel of AONBs when they were established, like national parks, and there’s an argument that Nidderdale should have been included in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
“For planning issues it’s very important that it should be people who are already working in the AONB area and understand the issues.”
However, Councillor Margaret Atkinson, whose Masham division includes part of Nidderdale AONB, which covers 233 square miles, said she hoped the views the AONB’s executive provided about planning applications were already taken into account.
She added she was confident the formation of a unitary authority and ‘double devolution’, where extra powers will be offered to local areas, would see greater local expertise in dealing with rural issues.
Equivalent recognition
The comments come as the government considers proposals to strengthen AONBs planning powers to recognise AONBs are just as important for people and nature, but lack equivalent recognition in law or support in resources.
The government consultation follows the Glover Landscapes Review finding AONBs do not always have the resources to meaningfully engage with the planning system, and that their advice is sometimes given limited weight in planning decisions.
A government spokesman said it recognised weighing up planning decisions needed to be carried out differently in protected landscapes, to ensure their statutory purposes and special qualities are meaningfully protected.
One suggestion includes granting AONBs statutory consultee status, alongside bodies such as highways authorities and water firms, for planning applications to ensure greater weight is given to their special qualities in
planning policies, procedures, and decisions.
Councillors representing the Howardian Hills AONB said elevating its status in the planning process would help with specific issues, such as significantly higher house prices to the surrounding area and poor access to services.
A North York Moors National Park spokesman said it supported strengthening the AONB team’s planning powers as it was likely to be beneficial to delivering objectives in the national park.
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