Natural England

The Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership comprises of 17 members, 14 of which are from the relevant local authorities, the Countryside Agency, and other key stakeholder organisations with the remainder chosen to offer specialist advice in areas such as recreation, tourism, landscape, heritage and nature conservation, and local business interests.  It meets twice a year.

The role of the Partnership will be to pursue and champion the purposes of the designation of the Northumberland Coast AONB and to assist in the delivery of the partners statutory duties and other management aspirations in respect of the AONB.  

The Partnership is supported by an Officer Steering Group which meets quarterly, and consists of the main funding partners.  The role of the Steering Group is to advise the Partnership and to monitor progress in implementing the agreed work programme.

A staff unit has been established comprising of an AONB Officer, AONB Assistant (Natural and Cultural Heritage) and AONB Assistant (Access and Recreation), and is currently based at Northumberland County Council.  In the long term, the Unit may relocate to a base within the AONB.

In the spring of 2004 the partnership produced a new AONB Management Plan on behalf of its constituent local authorities to meet the requirements of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Statutory policies   

Specific provision for the AONB is made in the Northumberland County Structure Plan (1996).
 
Specific policies include the intention that "the natural beauty and heritage of the Northumberland Coast AONB will be conserved and enhanced". Detailed policies to achieve this are included in local plans.
 
Other policies confirm that "the local planning authority will not permit development which would adversely affect the quality and character of the landscape" and a commitment to give "maximum regard to protecting the integrity of the natural coastal defence systems".

A landscape assessment entitled The Northumberland Coast Landscape (CCP 489, £20.00) was published in 1996.

Action on the ground

Between 1993 and 2002, implementation of annual programmes of work on the Coast had been carried out by the Coast Management Service staff, in co-operation with other coast partners, and by a range of voluntary sector partners including the Holy Island Development Trust, North Sunderland and Seahouses Development Trust,  National Trust and Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

A wide range of projects to improve recreation, access and interpretation on the Coast have been successfully completed.  Habitat protection and enhancement schemes include the creation of new coastal wetlands, dune stabilisation projects, habitat management plans and Countryside Stewardship agreements.  Landscape features are improved through the provision of managed visitor facilities such as carefully landscaped car parks, picnic areas and high quality interpretative material.

Smaller conservation management tasks are carried out by a team of coastal volunteers.  In addition, a number of conservation bodies provide localised warden services including English Nature at Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve and the National Trust at various landholdings within the AONB.

The two AONB Assistants will have the lead role in co-ordinating future project work programmes to implement the AONB management plan.

Active conservation organisations

English Nature, National Trust, Holy Island Development Trust among others (see above).

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