AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY (Hansard, 17 January 1991)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is grateful to the Countryside Commission for revising and updating its policy statement on AONBs and for the opportunity it gives the Government to restate our policies towards the protection and promotion of these valuable areas. 87WA Copies of the full text of our response to the commission's statement have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

AONBs are an important element in this Government's commitment to protect the countryside —for the sake of its beauty, for its diversity of landscape and the wealth of its natural resources, and for its ecological, agricultural and recreational value. The commission's statement is a step forward in the protection and enhancement of the countryside and we look forward to seeing it positively applied by all involved.

The formal recognition of the national importance of the natural beauty of an area conferred by AONB designation should be reflected by local authorities in 88WA their preparation of structure and local plans and in the exercise of their development control functions. We support the commission's proposals for statements of intent further to clarify the role and purpose of designation for new AONBs and for management plans to be prepared for existing areas.

We also endorse the commission's proposals for joint advisory committees and for the appointment of officers to co-ordinate and promote local policies towards each AONB. Following the Government's very generous increase in the commission's grant-in-aid for 1991–92 announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, we expect to see its programme to appoint AONB officers in 1991–92 expanded and plans for future years brought forward.