Chilterns Special Qualities
The Chilterns is a globally rare landscape type – a dramatic chalk escarpment, interwoven with intimate valleys, rolling fields and sleepy villages.
The Chilterns is a National Landscape and a very special place for its cultural and natural heritage. An area is designated as an National Landscape if it meets criteria that relate to ‘natural beauty’ – a term enshrined in the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. Although seemingly obvious, legislation makes it clear that natural beauty is not just the look of the landscape, but also includes the landform and geology, the plants and animals, the landscape features, and the rich history of human settlement over the centuries. This set of ‘special qualities’ includes things like the natural or man-made landscape, relative wildness, distinctive geology or habitats, and cultural heritage. They give a landscape its distinctive character, identity, and sense of place.
The Chilterns National Landscape was designated in 1965 and extended in 1990 in recognition of its fine landscapes and unique features. It covers more than 883 km2(324 square miles) of countryside stretching across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. It is a living, working landscape, which has been shaped by people for centuries. It is home and workplace for more than 80,000 people and around 1.6 million people live within 8 km of it. It is highly valued by both its communities and those who use it for peaceful relaxation and recreation. Today, it provides a cherished landscape, biological diversity (biodiversity) and many vernacular (local) buildings.
- Find out more about the Chilterns National Landscape designation and natural beauty
So what makes the Chilterns special?
The Chilterns is an iconic chalk landscape giving rise to a rich and varied ecology, including internationally important chalk streams and beechwoods, and a distinctive cultural heritage, encompassing settlements, designed parklands and archaeological assets. The Chilterns’ special qualities include:
- A rich natural tapestry of ancient hedgerows, trees, orchards and parkland weaving across farmland.
- Unspoilt countryside with relative tranquillity and dark skies on the doorstep of 10 million people.
- Nationally important concentrations of species-rich chalk grassland, home to scarce and threatened species, such as Chiltern gentian and glow-worm.
- One of the most wooded landscapes in England, including the Chilterns beech wood Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
- Nine precious chalk streams, home to some of the UK’s most endangered species, such as otter, water vole and brown trout.
- A diverse archaeological landscape, with ancient parishes, medieval field patterns, Iron Age hillforts, and remnants of woodland heritage, such as sawpits.
- More than 2,000 ha of common land, heaths and greens, rich in wildlife and cultural heritage.
- A network of 2,000 km of rights of way, including two national trails and numerous ancient routeways.
- A rich industrial heritage of woodworking, quarrying, brick making and food production.
- Distinctive buildings made from local materials, attractive villages, notable stately homes and monuments, and medieval churches.
Discover the special qualities of the Chilterns and how they can be protected and enhanced within the Neighbourhood Planning process by following the links below.
Explore
Landscape and settlements
The beautiful rolling hills, wooded valleys and villages of the Chilterns have been shaped by both natural means and by humans over many centuries.
Chilterns culture and character
The Chilterns National Landscape is characterised by its special historic features, including a large array of heritage assets like parks, listed buildings and monuments
Biodiversity
Some of the Chiltern National Landscape's habitats and species are already protected in planning law and policy, but you can still help local nature in the Neighbourhood Planning process
Tranquillity and dark skies
The Chilterns National Landscape is a tranquil place where landscape takes centre stage and stars brighten night skies
Our Chilterns Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit was created as part of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme, made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Published by the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB), a Conservation Board established under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
DISCLAIMER: While every effort is made to ensure all the legal and policy references are correct, CCB always recommends that these are checked as revisions and updates will occur.
Influencing planning and development
The Chilterns National Landscape management plan
