North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Planning Guidelines SPD and Management Plan

The North Pennines AONB is one of Britain's most outstanding upland landscapes. The AONB Partnership with, and on behalf of the five local authority areas it covers, has produced the North Pennines AONB Planning Guidelines SPD and the North Pennines AONB Management Plan 2019 to 2024.

Management Plan 2019 to 2024

The Plan provides a framework for action for the conservation and enhancement of wildlife, landscape and aspects of our cultural heritage between 2019 and 2024.

It identifies a series of actions that should be taken to help reverse the decline in our biodiversity, conserve our landscape character, protect our heritage and help people enjoy and understand the area better.

View the North Pennines AONB Management Plan 2019-2024 on the North Pennines AONB website.

Planning Guidelines SPD

The guidelines ensure consistent and high quality land use and planning decisions across the whole AONB in order to conserve this unique landscape. They provide guidance on development in or affecting the AONB and are aimed primarily at developers and we will use them when considering planning applications.

The guidelines should be used when considering the details and the impact of major development in the vicinity of the AONB. The document does not deal with the principle of major development proposals in the AONB, as these are subject to national and local planning guidance. The principal threat to the character of the area however comes less from major development than from the piecemeal erosion of distinctiveness that accompanies small-scale change.

How had the guidance been produced?

The SPD was prepared using information from a range of background documents, including national and regional guidance and external technical documents. Much of the evidence base is taken from the North Pennines AONB Management Plan 2009 to 2014. The Planning Guidelines do not deal with design in any great detail, for a more detailed guide Building Design Guide SPD see links below.

The five planning authorities within the North Pennines (Cumbria County Council, Durham County Council, Northumberland County Council, Eden District Council and Carlisle City Council) have collaborated with the North Pennines AONB Partnership in developing these Guidelines.

North Pennines AONB Planning

Last updated: Thursday, 20 January, 2022.