Exploring if AONB can be extended to the south

This point was raised and taken up by members of the county council’s decision-making cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday, during approval of continued financial support.

Ongoing funding is available from Defra, but this is conditional on 25 per cent match funding being secured from local authorities.

Therefore, the council agreed to provide the Northumberland Coast AONB with its annual contribution of £33,700 and the North Pennines AONB with its £22,600 for the next three years.

Coun John Riddle said: “They are vital tourism assets for us here in Northumberland and, with the National Park, they are the jewels in the crown of our landscape.”

He also highlighted the value gained from contributing ‘this miniscule amount of money’, with projects like the £1.8million Peregrini Lindisfarne project.