REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PLACE
NORTHUMBERLAND COAST AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY (AONB)
AND BERWICKSHIRE AND NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COAST EUROPEAN MARINE
SITE (EMS) MANAGEMENT PLAN 2009-14
APPENDIX ONE
NORTHUMBERLAND COAST AONB AND BERWICKSHIRE AND NORTH
NORTHUMBERLAND COAST EMS MANAGEMENT PLAN 2009-14
Statement of consultation
Mel Nicholls
Northumberland Coast AONB Officer
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 01665 511207
E-mail: mel.nicholls@northumberland.gov.uk
Web: www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org
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1 Introduction
1.1 Local authorities are required under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW
Act) to develop a management plan for AONBs within their jurisdiction. The CRoW Act
requires such plans to be reviewed at five-yearly intervals. This statement is a record of the
consultation undertaken during the production stages of the Draft Northumberland Coast Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast
European Marine Site (EMS) Management Plan 2009-14 (the Plan). The Plan has been
prepared by the AONB Partnership and EMS Management Group on behalf of
Northumberland County Council (NCC) pursuant to Sections 89 and 90 of the Countryside
and Rights of Way Act 2000.
1.2 The Plan covers the combined area of the Northumberland Coast AONB and the
Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast EMS. NCC is responsible under the CRoW
Act for the AONB. NCC (together with Scottish Borders Council) are Relevant and
Competent Authorities for the EMS, within their respective jurisdictions, under the
Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Regulations 1994.
1.3 Management plans for AONBs and EMSs must to various degrees be subject to Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA), Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitat Regulations
Assessment. It was agreed that consultation on the draft Plan should be undertaken in
accordance with the principles of the Council’s Draft Statement of Community Involvement.
2 Background
2.1 The first 2004-09 Management Plan for the AONB was adopted by the previous
Northumberland County Council, Alnwick District Council and Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough
Council in mid 2004. It was, therefore, required to be reviewed by 1 April 2009.
2.2 The first Management Scheme for the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast
EMS was prepared in 2000. There is no statutory requirement for review.
2.3 The review of the AONB Plan commenced in early 2008. However, the AONB
Partnership and the EMS Steering Group independently agreed later in 2008 to conflate the
two reviews and develop an integrated plan for the management of both the AONB and EMS.
A first draft Plan was prepared by 5 December 2008. In recognition of the complexities of
developing a joint Plan, and of the ramifications of the vesting of the new unitary NCC on 1
April 2009, Natural England (the government’s adviser on AONBs) agreed to an extension to
the date for adoption of Plan to 7 September 2009.
3 Preparation of the Draft Plan
3.1 An officer focus group, including officers from Natural England and NCC has provided
feed back to AONB and EMS officers at key stages of production.
3.2 Five informal stakeholder group workshops were convened throughout 2008 with
representatives of organisations with a responsibility or interest in natural environment,
historic environment, environmental quality, tourism and recreation and farming. Issues and
recommendations for management of the area were considered in the preparation of the Draft
Management Plan.
3.3 There is a requirement pursuant to published Natural England Guidance on AONB
Management Plans to subject the Draft Plan to independent SEA. The draft SEA Scoping
Report was submitted to the competent authorities (Natural England, Environment Agency
and English Heritage) for comment between 7 August 2008 and 11 September 2008. The
Scoping Report was amended in response to comments received form the three authorities.
In accordance with the amended SEA Scoping Report the first Draft Plan was then subject to
SEA by independent consultant Sue Hunter (System Dynamics) producing a Draft SEA
Environmental Report on 24 December 2008. The SEA is an iterative process so a number
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of amendments were made to the first Draft Plan prior to finalisation for consultation.
Ultimately, the SEA indicated that the cumulative effects of the Plan policies on achievement
of the SEA Objectives were assessed as mostly potentially very positive or positive. Two
policies were assessed as potentially negative, and the cumulative effects of policies on
managing the effects of climate change were assessed as uncertain.
4 Consultation
4.1 The Draft Plan and Draft SEA Environmental Report were released for public consultation
on 9 January 2009 with a closing date for responses of 6 March 2009. The Draft Plan made
reference to the re-issue of the Draft AONB Design Guide for the Built Environment as an
Appendix and its availability for public responses. On 28 January 2009 the Draft Design
Guide for the Maintenance and Management of Roads within the Northumberland Coast
AONB, to which reference was also made in the Draft Plan, was also notified for public
consultation as an additional Appendix to the Draft Plan. The closing date for responses was
extended to 20 March 2009 to encourage more participation.
4.2 On the date of notification of the Draft Plan for consultation (9 January 2009) a letter was
issued to notify key stakeholders and interested bodies that the Draft Plan was available for
public consultation and to seek their response. The letter and distribution list are detailed
in Appendices A and B. It was distributed to key stakeholders as either a paper copy or made
available as a CD ROM.
4.3 A Press Release on the Draft Plan, and its consultation period, was issued to
Northumberland Gazette, Berwick Advertiser, The Journal and Berwickshire News for
publication on 22 January 2009.
4.4 During the formal consultation period the Draft Plan and response form were available at
the following locations:
Alnwick District Council, Allerburn House, Alnwick; Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough
Council, Wallace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed; and Northumberland County Council,
County Hall, Morpeth, during normal opening hours.
Libraries located at the following addresses: Green Batt, Alnwick; Middleton Street,
Amble,during normal opening hours.
Other locations: Lindisfarne Heritage Centre, Holy Island: Seahouses Resources
Centre; and Tourism Information Centre and Community Library, Eyemouth during
normal opening hours.
They were also able to be viewed and downloaded from the AONB and EMS
websites: http://www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org.uk, and
www.xbordercurrents.com
4.5 A total of 39 responses were received: 31 on the “core” Draft Plan and eight on the Draft
Design Guide for the Maintenance and Management of Roads within the Northumberland
Coast AONB (AONB Highways Design Guide). A comprehensive Public Consultation Record
has been prepared which documents all items detailed in each response, and the extent to
which items have been noted and accepted together with any consequential amendments
made to the Plan. The full Public Consultation Record Document can be viewed at
http://www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org.uk/publications. A list of responses is included in
Appendix C.
4.6 On the advice of NCC Highways and Transport the Draft AONB Highways Design Guide
was temporarily removed as an Appendix from the Draft Plan. This will facilitate separate
analysis of responses on the AONB Highways Design Guide. Furthermore, it will permit
finalisation of the Draft AONB Highways Design Guide as NCC Policy and as an element in
the NCC Transport Assessment Management Plan without undue delay to the Draft Plan.
Once adopted as NCC Policy it will be recommended to the NCC Executive to be added as
an Appendix once again to the Plan.
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4.7 No responses were received on the Draft Design Guide for the Built Environment. NCC
Planning Strategy expressed concern that the consultation on the Draft AONB Design Guide
did not comply with the requirements of PPS12 and would be prevented from being adopted
by NCC as SPG. Therefore, on the advice of NCC Planning Strategy, a decision was taken
to temporarily remove the Draft AONB Design Guide as an Appendix to the Draft Plan. The
Draft AONB Design Guide will be re-notified for public consultation in late 2009. A Final draft
AONB Design Guide, amended after public responses, will be recommended to the NCC
Executive to be added as an Appendix once again to the Plan.
4.8 Four informal stakeholder workshops were held throughout the consultation period where
stakeholders had the opportunity to raise and discuss issues. These addressed the areas of
natural environment, historic environment, environmental quality, and tourism and recreation.
Participants were requested to formally submit Response Forms, however, comments made
in the workshops were noted and considered in amendments to the Consultation Draft Plan
when preparing the Final Draft Plan.
5 Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment
5.1 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) was completed on 22 May 2009 in accordance with the
appraisal tool within the Integrated Regional Framework published by Sustaine. It was
undertaken by Natural England officers in conjunction with NCC, AONB and EMS Officers
and with the support of Jon Riley (North Sunderland and Seahouses Development Trust) and
Kathryn Potts (Kafta Consultancy). The SA indicated that the Plan constituted either a strong
or slight positive impact on nine of the ten Sustaine SA objectives. It was deemed unlikely to
have an effect on Objective 4 – Developing a more sustainable employment market in the
North East. This Objective was not considered to be core business of the Plan although it will
have indirect benefits which will contribute to achievement of the Objective.
5.2 Habitats Regulations Assessment was carried out on 22 May 2009 by a Natural England
officer. The Assessment indicated that the Draft Plan did not constitute a significant adverse
effect on the AONB and EMS.
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APPENDIX A
Northumberland Coast AONB and Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast EMS
Management Plan 2009-14
Consultation Draft Notification Letter to Stakeholders
«CD» 9 January 2009
«Title» «First_name» «Last_name»
«Organisation»
«AddressLine1»
«AddressLine2»
«Town»
«County»
«Postcode»
Dear «Dear»,
Northumberland Coast AONB and Berwickshire & North Northumberland Coast
EMS Management Plan 2009-14 Consultation Draft
On behalf of the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership and Berwickshire and North
Northumberland Coast EMS Management Group please find enclosed a copy of the
Consultation Draft of the integrated 2009-14 management plan. To date the previous AONB
Management Plan and the EMS Management Scheme have separately guided the daily and
longer term management of the two areas. The close ecological relationship between the
two areas called for an equally close working relationship in their management. With both
management documents due for review, a decision was taken to produce an integrated
Management Plan. We believe this Plan to be the first of its kind in the UK.
The Draft Plan is now released for formal comment. It is available in printed form and as a
CD. It can also be viewed at www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org or
www.xbordercurrents.com. Please contact us if you require additional copies.
Submissions will be accepted at the address below until 5pm on 6 March 2009. To assist in
analysis of submissions it would be appreciated if you could please use the Response Form as
a template for your submission. It is available in all three of the above formats (paper copy
with the Plan, on the CD and on both websites) although you are encouraged to use the on-
line version if possible to further facilitate analysis.
If your organisation feels it would benefit from a meeting with AONB and EMS staff to discuss
the draft Plan then please contact us to arrange a meeting.
We look forward to hearing your views on this exciting initiative to integrate the management
of these two protected areas.
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Yours sincerely
Mel Nicholls Aisling Lannin
Northumberland Coast AONB Officer Berwickshire and North Northumberland
Coast EMS Implementation Officer
T: 01670 534088 T: 01670 533780
mnicholls@northumberland.gov.uk alannin@northumberland.gov.uk
Community and Environmental Services
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
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APPENDIX B
List of stakeholders sent above letter (Appendix A) on 9 January 2009:
First name Last name Organisation/Location
Lance Robson Adderstone with Lucker Parish Council
Judi Hill Alnmouth
Roger Clark Alnmouth Parish Council
Joan Littler Alnwick District Arts Association
Peter Biggers Alnwick District Council
Stephanie Linnell Alnwick District Council
Paul Gee Alnwick District Council
Gary Campbell Alnwick District Council
Audrey Jones Alnwick District Council
Bill Batey Alnwick District Council
Charlotte Colver Alnwick District Council
Frances Fewster Alnwick District Council
Julia Aston Amble Development Trust and Market Towns Initiative
Anthony Spiers Amble Town Council
EI Hunter Ancroft Parish Council
Frances Watson-Armstrong Armstrong Estates
Mark Ellis Arriva
Chris Calvert Bamburgh Castle
Charles Baker-Cresswell Bamburgh Hall
Susan Shanks Bamburgh Parish Council
Ian Danby BASC
JE Blackshaw Beadnell Parish Council
Tony Peerebroom Beadnell Sailing Club
Rodney Smith Beal Farm
Chris Budzynski Berwick Borough Council
Secretary Berwick Borough Disability Forum
Marjory Tharme Berwick Community Development Trust
Brian Watson Berwick Harbour Commission
Fiona Aungier Berwick Wildlife Group
Richard Patterson Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Peter Rutherford Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Annette Reeves Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Jane Pannell Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
John Elliot BNNC EMS Chair
John Rae British Canoe Union
Susan Rogers British Horse Society
Elaine Jaggs c/o Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Collingwood-
Angus Cameron CLA
John Sutherland CLA
Stewart Morland Coble and Keel Boat Society
Marc Johnson Community Action Northumberland
Vic Brown Coquet Shorebase Trust
David Thompson Country Trust
Rosie Whiteley CPRE
Mick Oxley Craster
Helen Brewis Craster Parish Council
Rod Henderson DEFRA
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Steve Collins DEFRA
Mick Townsend Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel
Niall Benson Durham Heritage Coast Partnership
E Gilliland Ellingham Parish Council
David Robertson Embleton Mill Farm House
S Brewis Embleton Parish Council
Elizabeth Moss ENCAMS
Kate Wilson English Heritage
Alan Hunter English Heritage
Malcolm Sutcliffe English Heritage
Caroline Chambers Entec
Peter Kerr Environment Agency
Cliff Garside Environment Agency
Maria Hardy Environment Agency
Paula McRitchie Environment Agency
John Hogger Environment Agency
Judy Foster-Smith Envision
James Joicey Etal manor
Jim Bruce Eyemouth Harbour Trust
Neil Dixon Forestry Commission
Angus Robson Greening For Growth
David Brettell Hands on Help
Dick Patterson Holy Island Development Trust
Robert Coombs Holy Island Parish Council
Di Spark Howick Estates
Ian Brown Lee Moor Farm Business Park
EM Carr Lesbury Parish Council
Catherine Atkinson Lindisfarne Castle
Sue Haughie Longhoughton and Boulmer Parish Council
Calum Duncan Marine Conservation Society
Jean-Luc Solandt Marine Conservation Society
Paul Chapman Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Peter Walton Ministry of Defence
John Walton National Trust
Hugh Dixon National Trust
Harry Beamish National Trust
Kevin Redgrave National Trust
Jenny Ludman National Trust
David Steel National Trust
Chuck Cuthbert National Trust
Liza Cole National Trust for Scotland
Richard Luxmore National Trust for Scotland
Tom Gledhill Natural England
Neil Tulloch Natural England
Steve Pullan Natural England
Adrian Vass Natural England
Stephen Preston Natural England
Jo Wilkes Natural England
Richard Hall Natural England
Martyn Howat Natural England
Phil Davey Natural England
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Ginny Swaile Natural England
Jen Ashworth Natural England
Mike Quigley Natural England
Jane Delany Newcastle University
Brian Cato Newton-by-the-Sea Parish Council
DJP Gerrard Newton-by-the-Sea Parish Council
Kathryn Potts Newton-by-the-Sea Parish Council
Nick Brodin North East Biodiversity Forum
Jules Brown North of England Civic Trust
Jon Riley North Sunderland and Seahouses Development Trust
Shirley Wright North Sunderland and Seahouses Development Trust
Phil Brabban North Sunderland and Seahouses Harbour Commission
Geoffrey Stewart North Sunderland and Seahouses Parish Council
S Casey North Sunderland and Seahouses Parish Council
Ian Webster Northern Lighthouse Board
Douglas Hoblyn Northumberland and Newcastle Society
Mark Shipperlee Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership
Pat Scott Northumberland County Council Councillor
Mike Jeffrey Northumberland County Council
Peter Rogers Northumberland County Council
David Feige Northumberland County Council
John Hamilton Northumberland County Council
Dick Fraser Northumberland County Council
Peter Jeffreys Northumberland County Council
Dianna Beith Northumberland County Council
John Bell Northumberland County Council
Hugh Clearhill Northumberland County Council
David Brookes Northumberland County Council
EI Hunter Northumberland County Council Councillor
James Smith Northumberland County Council Councillor
John Taylor Northumberland County Council Councillor
Jeffrey Watson Northumberland County Council Councillor
Chris/Sara Burgess/Rushton Northumberland County Council
Gordon Halliday Northumberland County Council
Ian Campbell Northumberland County Council
James Jackson Northumberland Estates
Barry Spall Northumberland Estates
George Dodds Northumberland FWAG
Tony Gates Northumberland National Park
Jon Green Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee
Giles Ingram Northumberland Tourism
Caroline Stewart Northumberland Tourism
Steve Lowe Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Mike Pratt Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Elaine Jaggs Northumberland Wildlife Trust
John Watts Northumbria Police Marine Unit
Stuart Pudney Northumbrian Water
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Jane Blackburn NSP
John Litherland NSP
John Cooper NSP
Janice Rose NSP
Mandy France One North East
Alan Clarke One North East
John Holmes One North East
Louise Davis One North East
EI Hunter Ord Parish Council
Mac Graham RAF Boulmer
Erica Bamford Ramblers Association
IJR Sutherland Rennington Parish Council
Nicholas Yonge River Tweed Commissioners
Adrian Carey RNLI Div Base North
Amanda Miller RSPB
Martin Kerby RSPB
Martin Kerby RSPB
Neal Hill RYA
Dave Morton SACN
Colin Matheson Sales and Partners
John Dent Scottish Borders Council
Andy Tharme Scottish Borders Council
Chris Cutts Scottish Borders Council
Michael Cook Scottish Borders Council
Eamon Murphy Scottish Government
Phil Alcock Scottish Government
Andrew Panter Scottish Natural Heritage
Carol Daniels Scottish Natural Heritage
Richard Kehoe Scottish Natural Heritage
Bernie McConnell Sea Mammal Research Unit
Janet Khan-Marnie SEPA
Sandie Downie SEPA
Kevin Kelly SFPA
Micheal Orde Smiths Gore
Robin Dower Spence and Dower
Leonard Crowe St Abbs Harbour Master
Jack Laws St Abbs VMR
Alistair Cochrane Strutt and Parker
Bryn Dowson Sustrans
Nicola Bissett Tweed Forum
Janet Jackson Warkworth Parish Council
Mary Lewis
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APPENDIX C
A list of responses received from 9 January to 20 March 2009 on consultation on the
Draft Northumberland Coast AONB and Berwickshire and North Northumberland
Coast EMS Management Plan 2009-14
Response Form Number Respondent
1 G Ingram Northumberland Tourism (NTourism)
2 M France, One North East (One NE)
3 CP Brabban North Sunderland Harbour Commission (NSHC)
4 M Kerby, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
5 F Aungier, Berwick Wildlife Group (BWG)
6 K Wilson, English Heritage (EH)
J Rae, British Canoe Union/Berwick Wildlife Group (BCU +
7 BWG)
8 Northumberland Strategic Partnership (NSP)
9 R Smith
10 J Thompson, Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT)
11 Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee (NSFC)
12 M Dobbin, Beadnell Sailing Club (Beadnell SC)
13 (& 39
Highways Design Guide) K Potts, Newton by the Sea Parish Council (N b/t S PC)
14 J Elliot
15 Northumberland County Council (NCC)
16 G Halliday, NCC Planning Strategy
17 Bamburgh Parish Council (Bam PC)
18 (& 28
Highways Design Guide) Amble Town Council (Amble TC)
19 Natural England (NE)
20 Kate Cairns, Cairns Consultancy
21 C Cuthbert, National Trust (NT)
22 J Bromly
23 R Dower, Northumberland and Newcastle Society (NNS)
24 R Whitely (CPRE)
25 J Sutherland
30 Mike Hosken
31 P Alcock, Scottish Government (SG)
26 C Baker-Cresswell
27 D Hoblyn
29 G Stewart, North Sunderland Parish Council (NS PC)
32 N Benson, Durham Heritage Coast Partnership (DHCP)
33 J-L Solandt, Marine Conservation Society (MCS)
34 K Rideout/L Cole, National Trust for Scotland (NTS)
35 L Comins, Tweed Forum (TF)
36 J Foster-Smith, Envision Mapping Ltd. (EM Ltd)
37 C Hume, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)
38 E Jaggs
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