5th December 2024
Freddie van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, has successfully secured a strong commitment from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government to protect the Chilterns National Landscape. This follows a written parliamentary question posed by Freddie van Mierlo, which called for stronger protections for the Chilterns and other nationally significant landscapes under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
In the written question, submitted to the Secretary of State, Freddie van Mierlo asked:
" if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing protections for (a) the Chilterns National Landscape and (b) other national landscapes under the National Planning Policy Framework."
In an official response, the Secretary of State reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the UK’s most important and cherished landscapes, including the Chilterns, in any planning decisions.
The Secretary of State’s response stated that:
- The National Planning Policy Framework requires planning decisions to recognise the character and beauty of the countryside, with local authorities expected to protect heritage assets, which include landscapes and the setting of listed buildings.
- Only local authorities or the Secretary of State can give permission for development in or affecting a National Landscape (formerly known as AONB), and any development must be carefully considered to ensure it conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the National Landscape.
- Great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing the landscape and scenic beauty of National Landscapes, with any development in these areas being limited in scale and extent.
Commenting on the response, Freddie van Mierlo said:
"I am pleased that the Secretary of State has reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting the Chilterns and other National Landscapes. It’s vital that we continue to safeguard National Landscapes for the benefit of future generations, and I will keep working to ensure that the strongest protections are in place to maintain the natural beauty and heritage of the Chilterns."
“I am particularly pleased that ministers have reconfirmed that development must be carefully considered to ensure it conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the National Landscape, and that ‘great weight’ should be given to conserving the enhancing the landscape and scenic beauty. All too often developers seek to ride roughshod over these protections and my hope now is that these words will be absorbed into the planning decisions of the local authority.”
