The Management Plan for the Chilterns National Landscape

All National Landscapes must publish a management plan and promote its implementation by a wide range of organisations, including local authorities, government agencies, community groups and landowners.

In most National Landscapes, local authorities prepare this plan, but in the Chilterns it is prepared by the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) on behalf of, and in partnership with, the local authorities, communities and other stakeholders who have an interest in the landscape and can help to bring the plan’s vision into reality. The plan usually runs for five years and is then reviewed to see if its content needs to be updated.

The current plan for the Chilterns is “The Chilterns AONB Management Plan 2019–2024: caring for the Chilterns forever and for everyone”. It contains a comprehensive summary of the key issues facing the National Landscape and the management policies and actions needed to conserve this special place. It was adopted by the Conservation Board in 2019 following detailed research and wide public consultation and has been widely endorsed by local stakeholders.

The government is currently introducing a wide range of reforms and new requirements relating to National Landscapes and their management plans. To account for this, National Landscapes have the option to delay reviewing their plans by up to a year by publishing a “light-touch review” statement. The Chilterns National Landscape has taken up this option, and as a result, our current plan has been extended until the end of March 2025.

The CCB considers that much of the content of the current plan continues to represent aspirations for the conservation and enhancement of the National Landscape and was based on detailed evidence and community engagement, all of which remains valid. In addition, Natural England are currently reviewing the boundary of the National Landscape, which will require a whole new plan. As a result, the CCB is proposing changes to the current plan, limited to branding changes, progress updates, changes in law and policy, and an increased focus on nature recovery, climate adaptation, and diversity and inclusion. We welcome your views on these proposed changes.

You can read the plan below, or download it – in full or in shorter chapters – and various supporting documents, including the “light-touch review” statement.