Public Consultation-NOW CLOSED
The public were invited to give their views on the Draft Management Plan for the North Devon Coast National Landscapes which is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
A review of the management plan for National Landscapes is required every 5 years by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The next review for North Devon Coast was due to be completed by March 2024, however this deadline was extended by Defra to the end of December 2025 (see below).
The review process is delegated to the National Landscape team to coordinate. This process was started in January 2025 and a draft Plan has been produced. The policies and priority actions in the new Plan reflect the main drivers for change which were highlighted during discussions with National Landscape Partnership members, local and regional agencies and seven expert led workshops.
For a 6 week period we asked for feedback from people who live, work and visit the North Devon Coast National Landscape.
The public consultation period ran from Tuesday 15th September to Monday 27th October 2025
Download the draft Management Plan here
Extension to 2025 and Review
A review of the management plans for National Landscapes is required every 5 years by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The next review for North Devon Coast NL was due to be completed by March 2024, but this deadline has been extended by Defra to the end of December 2025 as a result of significant changes to operations and functions as a result of the Landscapes Review commissioned by the government in 2019. A statement about this delay can be read here.
The extension to the review process was formally notified by the Defra Minister in July 2022 and confirmed by the three local planning authorities in May 2023. Natural England produced updated Guidance on Management Plans in Spring 2024 and a Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework to deliver national priorities in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023. The North Devon Coast National Landscape Partnership started the process in July guided by the team and Partnership members.
Indicative Timetable:
2024 – September: State of the National Landscape and scope scale of review; November – December: stakeholder consultations and public survey.
2025 – Spring: draft plan; Summer: draft signed off by local authorities and County Council; Autumn public consultation; Winter: final revisions and adoption of revised Plan by local authorities and notify Defra.
Current Management Plan
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires that all Local Authorities covering the North Devon AONB act together to review their Management Plan every five years. The Review process is delegated to the National Landscape team to coordinate. This process was completed in March 2019 and a new Plan produced and adopted by the three local planning authorities. The policies and priority actions in the new Plan reflect the challenges and opportunities highlighted in the sections on ‘Forces for Change’ as well as the consultation responses from AONB Partnership members, local and regional agencies, six ‘expert debates’ and a formal public consultation process in the Autumn of 2019. Thank you to everyone who made contributions. Due to the changeable policy context, the AONB Partnership decided to produce an annual delivery plan rather than a five year one (see below), but have included indicative medium and long term priorities alongside known priorities for the first two years.
Supporting Documents
Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report
Statement of Consultation and Community Involvement
2014 – 2019 North Devon Coast AONB Management Plan
Habitats Regulation Assessment