Caring for the Mendip Hills
Caring for the AONB
The Mendip Hills AONB Partnership
The Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty does not have a statutory conservation board or governing authority but it does have a Mendip Hills AONB Partnership which brings together organisations and interests and provides a strategic and co-ordinated lead to the protection and enhancement of the AONB.
Go to Partnership page for more information.
Management Plan
The Partnership produces a statutory Management Plan for the AONB – which provides both a strategic framework and a detailed Delivery Plan.
Management Plan 2009-2014 (PDF download – 2MB)
Management Plan 2009-2014 Text Only Version (PDF download – 450KB)
Delivery Plan 2011-2012 (PDF download 97KB)
National Policy and Statements
The AONB Management Plan and Delivery Plan are guided by National Policy. The Governmenst Natural Environment White Paper and the Think Big – joint statement are currently under consideration by the AONB Partnership.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/natural/whitepaper/
Think Big: ecological recovery in protected landscapes
Staff Unit
The AONB also has a small Staff Unit to act on behalf of the Partnership to co-ordinate and implement the targets and actions outlined in the Management Plan.
AONB Planning – Guidelines for Referrals for Planning Applications (PDF download – 25KB)
The AONB Partnership does not have the power to determine planning applications, all applications in the AONB are dealt with by the relevant local authority. However the Partnership has agreed Guidelines for Referrals for Planning Applications (PDF download – 25KB) i.e applications are referred to the AONB Unit that may have a significant impact on the AONB. In determining planning applications planning authorities follow policies designed to protect the AONB’s landscape in line with national government policy.
Events Code of Conduct
In recent years an increasing number of large-scale events have been taking place in the AONB. To try and ensure that such events do not have a negative impact on the environment and on other people’s enjoyment of the area the AONB Partnership has produced guidelines with the aim of ensuring that events within the AONB are appropriate, well planned, well located and well organised.
Code of Conduct for Event Organisers (PDF download – 30KB)