Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Management Plan 2004-2009

In November 2003, the ‘Draft for Consultation’ of ‘A Management Plan for the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 2004-2009’ was published and Friends of the Lizard was invited to submit comments.  The document has been produced by the Cornwall AONB Partnership, on behalf of the local authorities in Cornwall, who have a statutory duty, under the Countryside & Rights of way Act 2000, to produce an AONB Management Plan by April 2004; the Plan must then be reviewed every five years.  The Plan is intended to provide a framework and context to guide the activities of many organisations and individuals with interests in the AONB.

The landscapes considered most valuable in England and Wales are designated as National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  There are 37 AONBs in England, protected and managed by law to maintain their special character for today and for future generations.  Designation as an AONB gives formal recognition to an area’s national importance and the purpose is to conserve the natural beauty, which includes wildlife and cultural heritage as well as the scenery of the area.  This requires integrated action by many partners to conserve the landscape through sustainable forms of environmental, social and economic development.

The Cornwall AONB consists of 12 separate parts, including ten stretches of coastline, Bodmin Moor and the Camel Estuary, totalling an area of 958 sq km equating to nearly one-third of the County.  Most of the land is privately owned and farmed, while much of the coastline is conserved by the National Trust, a public charity.  Local authorities manage rights of way and enhance opportunities for access and conservation.

The AONB Partnership is currently made up of the seven local authorities in Cornwall, together with representatives from the Countryside Agency, National Trust, Government Office of the South West, National Farmers Union, Country Landowners Business Association, Association of Parish and Town Councils, Environment Agency and Cornwall Tourist Board.  The Partnership, funded by the Countryside Agency (75%) and the local authorities (25%), is supported by an AONB staff unit headed by the AONB Officer, Paul Walton.

Friends of the Lizard took full advantage of the opportunity to comment on the draft and sent two pages of detailed and reasoned support or concern for the various questions posed.  Our major concern was the discrepancy between protection and enhancement policies on the one hand, and Kerrier District Council’s too frequent disregard of the policies in the development control and planning enforcement processes on the other hand.  Nevertheless, we expressed optimism for the future, mainly in the hope that Kerrier’s active participation in the Partnership would strengthen its Planning Committee’s resolve to accord with the Management Plan.  Also, we emphasised particularly strongly our enthusiasm for the Plan and our willingness to become further involved in its preparation, implementation and monitoring.  We look forward to an on-going active rôle, in a way that will benefit the Lizard Peninsula’s special environment.

David Richardson

Did you know –

         that starch made from bluebell bulbs was used to stiffen the ruffs of 16th century courtiers?