§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to protect areas of outstanding natural beauty from untoward development(a) by strengthening controls or (b) by adding certain of them to national parks.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyControls over development in areas of outstanding natural beauty are already the same as those in national parks. Permitted development rights are restricted in those areas, and planning policy guidance note 7 (Rural Enterprise and Development), a copy of which is in the Library, recognises that the location, design and external appearance of development in these areas should be subject to special scrutiny, and that major industrial or commercial development would generally be inconsistent with their designation.
There are no plans to designate any AONB as a national park.