Natural England

There is a Partnership Steering Group comprising of a member from each of the 11 local authority partners, CPRE, English Heritage, English Nature, the Government Office for the South West, Defra, NFU, and SW Tourism.  There is also a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) (which acts as an officers support group), and four temporary working groups which have been established to guide/inform production of the management plan under the themes of environment, economy and community with a planning group to cut across the three themes.
 
These groups are supported by the AONB unit which consists of the AONB Management Plan Development Officer, Communications Officer and two part time Admin Support Officers.

During 2004, the AONB Unit published an AONB Management Plan on behalf of it's constituent local authorities.

Statutory policies   

The statutory plans of four counties and five districts affect the AONB. The county structure plans, supported at district council level, contain a number of general and specific protective policies on major and residential development and protection of the landscape. Common themes running through these policies include:

• conservation of the special character of the AONB; 
• a presumption against major developments which have an adverse impact on the character of the AONB, unless shown to meet a national need; 
• the restriction of development to that essential to the local economy or social well-being or the enjoyment of the amenities of the area; and 
• a special regard to the design, scale and location of new development in order to enhance and relate to the character of the surrounding area.               

A Position Statement published in 1993 reviews the policy contexts within the relevant statutory plans. An appreciation of the importance of landscape character is now taking a higher profile in both structure and local plans.

An Issues Report was produced in 1997 to help raise awareness of the AONB, to engage local communities in its future and identify the scale and scope of the issues that influence the landscapes of the area.
 
An updated landscape character assessment of the AONB was completed in June 2003 and will be available on the AONB website shortly.

Action on the ground     

Countryside management initiatives are undertaken by the individual authorities as needed. A week, or fortnight, of AONB celebratory activities and events (such as guided walks) is organised for July/August each year. There is also a bi-annual newsletter 'The Hart' produced by the AONB Unit.
 
The South Wessex Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area is the main mechanism for management action, plus the Habitat Fringes Project in the Wylye and Nadder Valleys.

Active conservation organisations     

Dorset Wildlife Trust, Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
 
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