The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) confirms that National Landscapes are equivalent to National Parks in terms of landscape quality, scenic beauty, and planning status and that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing these qualities in such areas. The scale and extent of development should be limited within them while development in their setting should be sensitively located and designed to avoid or minimise adverse impacts.

Since December 2023, local planning authorities and public bodies have a strengthened legal duty under Section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to actively conserve and enhance the natural beauty of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty when performing any functions in relation to or affecting land within these areas.

The Nidderdale National Landscape Management Plan is a material consideration in planning decisions. It outlines the special characteristics and qualities of the landscape and provides policies for managing it. Development proposals within the National Landscape should contribute to the delivery of the Nidderdale NL Management Plan objectives.

Planning is crucial to protecting the landscape, ensuring high quality sustainable development and ensuring the essential needs of the people living and working there are met. It seeks to balance the overriding need to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the NNL with the need for new homes, jobs and services and in doing so makes balanced decisions through careful decision making to manage these often competing aims.

This general principle is operationalised by policies in key local authority plans. It is currently enshrined in Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2030 Policy GS6: Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

This states:

The natural beauty and special qualities of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) will be conserved and enhanced. Proposals will only be supported where they:

A. Do not detract from the natural beauty and special qualities of the AONB and its setting;
B. Contribute to the delivery of the Nidderdale AONB Management Plan objectives;
C. Support the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area or support the understanding and enjoyment of the area.

Applications for major development in the AONB will be refused unless justified by exceptional circumstances. The council will determine such applications in accordance with the approach set out in national planning policy.

The council will require development that is outside the AONB, but that affects land within it, to conserve the natural beauty and special qualities of the Nidderdale AONB and ensure that development does not:

D. Harm views out of the AONB particularly from public viewpoints; or
E. Harm views of the AONB from public viewpoints outside the AONB; or
F. Introduce an abrupt and/or harmful change of landscape character; or
G. Result in the loss of biodiversity, particularly of species of importance in the AONB.

Within the areas designated as Dark Skies, development proposals should ensure that lighting is directed and designed so as to reduce obtrusiveness and protect sensitive habitats.

Include link EN020024-000615-North Yorkshire Council – Responses to the Examining Authority’s Written Questions (ExQ1). 4.pdf

In due course the Harrogate District Local Plan will be replaced by The North Yorkshire Local Plan which is currently in development.

This Dark Skies Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) has been adopted as part of the Harrogate District Local Plan. Its purpose is to provide help and guidance for projects involving external lighting in Nidderdale National Landscape. It contains information on dark skies and light pollution and provides practical advice about the design of lighting schemes and the choice of appropriate lighting technology so that everyone can play a part in reducing light pollution and protecting Nidderdale National Landscape’s dark skies.

Our landscape features 570 listed buildings and 14 Conservation Areas. North Yorkshire Council provides information on protection, development restrictions, and possible grant assistance.

Two parishes in Nidderdale National Landscape – Darley and Kirby Malzeard have each produced and published a VDS. Kirby Malzeard also has a Neighbourhood Plan. Masham is currently developing a Neighbourhood Plan.

We have adopted a Position Statement Renewable Energy Position Statement which focuses on how to balance the need to protect Nidderdale’s landscape with climate change mitigation objectives. It is intended to provide advice and guidance to householders, farmers and landowners, rural businesses, and the local planning authority to ensure that renewable energy developments are appropriate to their locality and are compatible with the primary purpose of National Landscape designation, which is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the designated area.