Issue - meetings

Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan Adoption

 

 

Meeting: 30/03/2021 - Cabinet (Item 4)

4 Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan Adoption pdf icon PDF 221 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report explained that theCountryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 required local authorities to produce, adopt and keep under review Management Plans for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Kent Downs AONB covered part of the western and southern areas of Medway. Working through the Kent Downs AONB Unit and with other authorities in the Kent Downs AONB, a review had been undertaken to update the current plan for the period 2021 – 2026.

 

The report advised that all twelve local authorities with land area within the Kent Downs AONB were legally required to adopt the same AONB Management Plan.

 

The report proposed the adoption of the reviewed document, which strongly reflected the existing, already adopted plan and was the result of extensive participation and consultation, reflecting comments made by Medway Council.

 

The Plan presented for adoption was set out at Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

A Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) had been carried out in relation to the Plan, as set out at Appendix 2 to the report.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

39/2021

The Cabinet agreed to adopt the Kent Downs AONB Management Plan Review 2021-26 as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, subject to the agreement of the other eleven local authorities party to the Plan.

40/2021

The Cabinet delegated authority to the Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Growth and Regulation, to:

 

a)  Address the minor amendments to the Kent Downs AONB Management Plan Review, 2021-2026 as highlighted in yellow in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

b)  Consider and approve reasonable minor changes made by the other eleven local authorities to the Plan during the adoption process.

 

c)  Consider and approve minor changes to the Plan for the purpose of presentation or improving clarity.

 

Reasons:

 

To meet the statutory requirements on the Council to prepare and revise an AONB Management Plan.