The Yorkshire Wolds could soon be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty after formal proposals were submitted to the government for final approval.
National recognition for the Yorkshire Wolds is moving a step closer.
Formal proposals to designate the region as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been submitted to the government for final approval.
Natural England announced the submission of the plans to Dame Angela Eagle, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The final decision over the future of the landscape now rests with the government.
The Secretary of State holds the power to confirm the order exactly as it has been submitted by Natural England.
Alternatively, the government can choose to make changes to the proposals or refuse the designation entirely, which would be pending a public inquiry.
Enhanced status for the landscape will officially come into force if the Secretary of State approves the order.
The submission marks the culmination of an extensive statutory process carried out by Natural England.
This process included a comprehensive review of evidence alongside a public consultation designed to gather the views of local residents and communities across the region.
Support for the plans proved strong during the consultation phase, with large majorities backing the proposals across different parts of the landscape.
A consultation response analysis report revealed that seventy-eight per cent of respondents agreed that the proposed inland area should be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Support was even higher for the coastal sections of the proposed zone.
Eighty-five per cent of people who responded to the consultation agreed with the plans for the coastal area.
Natural England officials stated that there is a clear weight of evidence demonstrating that both the proposed inland and coastal areas meet the required criterion of outstanding natural beauty needed for the designation.
They also noted that where minor boundary refinements are required to the plans, they are considered appropriate.
Local leaders have welcomed the progress of the application as a significant step forward for the region.
Councillor Anne Handley, East Riding of Yorkshire Council Leader, said:
"This is a key milestone, and we’re delighted that Natural England are submitting it to the Secretary of State."
"The Yorkshire Wolds are a stunning area of natural landscapes that fully deserve national recognition."
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