Yorkshire Wolds designation as a Natural Landscape to be welcomed
The beauty of the Yorkshire Wolds often flies under the radar but that could finally be about to change.
Natural England has submitted a proposal to Defra Secretary Angela Eagle to designate the Yorkshire Wolds as a brand new AONB, now known as a National Landscape.
The new Yorkshire Wolds National Landscape will be the first to be designated anywhere in England in over 30 years and will cover 463-square-kilometres.
However, some like Campaign for Rural England feel that the proposals don’t go far enough. While the designation will cover 463-square-kilometres, swathes of the countryside are missing out on the extra protection afforded as a result of being a National Landscape.
That is why the door must remain open to the designation being potentially expanded in the future.
Designation must not get unnecessarily in the way of working farms with concerns raised around planning implications. Landscape conservation goes hand in hand with agriculture. Farmers are custodians of the land and few know how to look after it better. But overall the proposal to finally designate the Yorkshire Wolds as a Natural Landscape is to be welcomed.
As Anne Handley, leader of East Riding Council, says: “The Yorkshire Wolds are a stunning area of natural landscapes that fully deserve national recognition.”
Recognition that hopefully will have a positive impact on not only conservation in this part of the region but also the economy. Designation as a Natural Landscape has the potential to attract even more visitors to the Yorkshire Wolds.