This report sets out the findings of the natural beauty assessment undertaken for areas adjacent to, but outside of, the existing Chilterns AONB. It identifies areas that are likely to meet Natural England’s natural beauty criteria and could form a provisional Candidate Area as part of a Boundary Variation Order of the existing Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designation.
Following the process set out in the Natural England Guidance for Assessing Landscapes for Designation as a National Park or AONB (updated June 2021), the assessment was informed through detailed desk studies, extensive field survey work and partnership working with local authorities and key technical stakeholders.
The process was stopped before this assessment was tested through a Statutory and Public Consultation, as would have been the next step in the formal designation process, so it is worth noting that Natural England considers this a draft report.
This assessment has resulted in the identification of a proposed “candidate area” comprising land that demonstrates high levels of outstanding natural beauty. It is important to note that the boundary of this area is indicative and transitional, rather than a definitive line on the map. Consequently, a GIS file will not be provided alongside this assessment.
When the report was commissioned, Natural England intended to complete the designation process to extend the existing Chilterns AONB, via a boundary variation order. However, Defra was not able to continue to fund Natural England for the National Landscapes designations programme, so Natural England made the difficult decision to stop work the Chilterns boundary review. Although the project to extend the boundary has been discontinued, Natural England is committed to sharing relevant components of the collated evidence base where it is anticipated that this material will be of value to Local Authorities, as well as other partners and stakeholders, in supporting their own projects and plans. To that end, Natural England is publishing the draft Natural Beauty Assessment, which outlines the levels of natural beauty identified within the search area.
The existing boundary for the Chilterns National Landscape is unaffected and remains in place.
Related National Character Area Profiles