Plans to extend conservation protection along Northumerland Coast put on hold ahead of shake-up

Any effort to extend the Northumberland Coast AONB will remain on hold until a proposed shake-up of the country’s protected landscapes comes into effect.
Budle Bay, near Bamburgh, part of the Northumberland Coast AONB. Picture: Gavin DuthieBudle Bay, near Bamburgh, part of the Northumberland Coast AONB. Picture: Gavin Duthie
Budle Bay, near Bamburgh, part of the Northumberland Coast AONB. Picture: Gavin Duthie

Councillors are interested in exploring whether the Northumberland Coast area of outstanding natural beauty, which currently stretches from Berwick to the Coquet Estuary, could be extended, particularly down through the Druridge Bay area.

Providing an update to the communities and place committee on Wednesday, June 3, David Feige, the county council’s principal ecologist and AONB officer, recommended waiting until the outcomes of a major Government review of protected areas in England become clear.

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The review was carried out by an independent panel, led by writer Julian Glover, and its summary and 27 recommendations were published last September.

The recommendations, which are currently being considered by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), include the creation of a National Landscape Service (NLS) to support national parks and AONBs.

Mr Feige explained that one of the findings of the panel was that issues with the current process for boundary changes, managed by Natural England, mean there is a 50-year backlog; the recommendation is that the new NLS would take over this work.

“We know that Defra is very keen on the setting up the National Landscape Service,” he added, noting that the Government’s response to the Glover report is due to be published this autumn.

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This is why Mr Feige’s recommendation – accepted by the committee – was to wait; ‘ there seems little point spending money to meet the requirements of a system that is about to end, given that we will simply be joining such a long queue, and we won’t know if the documentation we prepare to do thiswill be transferable to the new system’.

The other issue is the proposed Highthorn opencast mine, between Druridge Bay and Widdrington, which is still awaiting a final decision from the Secretary of State.

“A decision has been imminent for a significant amount of time and remains imminent, but we just don’t know,” said Mr Feige.

The committee also endorsed the latest AONB management plan, which covers the period from 2020 to 2024, ahead of it being signed off by the cabinet next week.

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The plan, which is the AONB’s most important document, sets out long-term aims and objectives to ensure that the nationally important landscape is conserved and enhanced for future generations to enjoy as it is today.

Some of these aims and objectives could also be affected by the Glover review, which recommended that the AONBs should get an uplift in funding, from £6.7milllion a year to £13.4million, while Brexit and changes to the likes of agricultural and environmental policy has also led to uncertainty.

“For those reasons, it’s been a very light-touch review,” Mr Feige said.

Following a question from committee chairman, Coun Jeff Reid, he also agreed that the longer-term effects of coronavirus were also unclear at this stage.

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