Review of South Devon National Landscape (AONB) Management Plan
South Devon National Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is one of England’s finest landscapes, and protected by law.
The South Devon National Landscape Partnership is responsible for ensuring that the natural beauty of the designation is conserved and enhanced. The way in which we look after the area is set out in our Management Plan. This statutory document defines what makes it special, identifies the key issues facing this special place, and sets out our vision and priorities for conserving and enhancing its natural beauty for the next 5 years. It also describes the actions that we will take to deliver the vision, working in partnership with local communities and organisations.
The South Devon National Landscape Management Plan for 2025-2030 is currently under development, building upon the previous plan covering 2019-2024. This statutory document, required under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, serves as the principal guide for conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The 2019-2024 plan was formally adopted by local authorities, including South Hams District Council, Devon County Council, Torbay Council, and Plymouth City Council.
The 2025-2030 review process is designed to ensure that the Management Plan remains relevant and effective in addressing current challenges and opportunities. It involves a comprehensive assessment of the existing plan’s relevance, accuracy, and achievements, taking into account changing circumstances, new knowledge, and feedback from stakeholders. This review aligns with Devon County Council’s requirements, emphasizing the need to consult with statutory bodies and consider their observations to inform the updated plan.
The updated Management Plan will continue to highlight the distinctive qualities of the South Devon AONB, identify key issues affecting the landscape, and present a vision for its future. It will set out objectives and policies to guide the conservation and enhancement efforts over the five-year period, ensuring that the plan remains a dynamic and effective tool for all stakeholders involved.
The South Devon National Landscape management plan:
- Describes the special qualities of the South Devon National Landscape
- Explains why the South Devon National Landscape is important
- Sets out an agreed vision for its future
- Identifies the challenges and opportunities for the area, and how these will be tackled.
The management plan is reviewed every five years. It sits along side the business plan which sets out the key activities, core work and projects to be undertaken by the National Landscape team and the key members of South Devon National Landscape Partnership to contribute to delivering the management plan.
Our current Management Plan covers the period 2019 -2024 (extended to 2025) and is now due for review.
Consultation
We are consulting on our new Management Plan now. It will involve:
- A public survey. An opportunity for you to tell us what you value about this special landscape and what our priorities should be for the future
https://forms.office.com/e/6jvyuRxH74
- Consultation with relevant authorities
- Consultation with Partners
- A State of the South Devon National Landscape report complied by the University of Plymouth This report pulls together a range of data and information for the SDNL, from Natural England, Defra, 2021 Census and other sources as indicated
- Topic group meetings for Parish Councils, Business & Tourism, Nature Recovery, Rural Economy, Marine, Coast & Estuaries, Farming, & Climate
