1.1 Designation and management

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), along with National Parks, make up our finest landscapes. Together they are a family of designated areas in England and Wales, which came into existence through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. AONBs are recognised as being equal to National Parks in landscape quality, although arrangements for their management and provision for outdoor recreation are different. There are currently 41 AONBs in England and Wales.

In 2000, the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act reaffirmed the objectives of designation of AONBs and gave a 'duty of regard' towards these objectives to all public bodies ('relevant authorities').

The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was designated in 1968. The final area confirmed (174 square miles, but re-measured in the 1990s as 451 square kilometres) includes the greater part of the remaining unspoiled coastal areas between the Wash and Great Yarmouth. The western outlier, coming within two miles of King's Lynn, takes in part of Sandringham Estate including Sandringham House, and also about six miles of the south-eastern corner of the Wash. The holiday resort of Hunstanton, and the coast immediately to the south of it, is not included, but from nearby Old Hunstanton a continuous coastal strip, varying in depth between three to five miles, extends eastwards to a point near Bacton, excluding the built-up areas of the resorts of Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley. The eastern outlier stretches from Sea Palling to Winterton, including the magnificent dune system of Winterton Dunes.

Though there are minor instances where boundary features have changed or disappeared, the statutory boundary remains as originally designated. Review of AONB boundaries is under control of Natural England and is a complex, time-consuming and expensive administrative process requiring approval by the Secretary of State. Natural England has no plans for a boundary review at present.

The designation helps to protect not just the natural features - the trees, fields and open spaces - but also settlements and working environments that are distinctive characteristics of the countryside. The designation allows for the sustainable† development of the communities and economic activity, including rural businesses, in ways that further enhance the character of the area.

The statutory purpose of designating an area of land as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area, comprising the area’s distinctive landscape character, biodiversity and geodiversity, historic and cultural environment. For the Norfolk Coast AONB, this includes the wider non-statutory objectives for the North Norfolk Heritage Coast*.

Two secondary non-statutory purposes of AONBs are also recognised

To take account of the needs of agriculture, forestry, fishing and other local rural industries and of the economic and social needs of local communities, paying particular regard to promoting sustainable forms of social and economic development that in themselves conserve and enhance the area’s natural beauty; and
To seek to meet the demand for recreation so far as this is consistent with the statutory purpose of conserving and enhancing the area’s natural beauty - and which preferably supports this purpose by increasing understanding, valuation and care for the area - and is also consistent with the needs of rural industries.

Section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 places a duty on relevant authorities and public bodies, in exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or which affect, land in the AONB to have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the AONB.

The term, 'public bodies' includes all arms of both central and local government:

Environment Agency (EA);
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra);
English Heritage (EH);
Regional Development Agencies (locally the East of England Development Agency - EEDA);
Forestry Commission (FC);
Natural England (NE);
Parish councils and joint committees of local authorities; and
Regulatory bodies of statutory undertakers such as Oftel (Office of Telecommunications), Ofwat (Office of Water Services), Ofgem (Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets), etc.

There are also other organisations and interests who do not have a formal statutory duty under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act but who have been part of the partnership for management of AONBs prior to the Act and have long had a significant and valuable role in conserving and enhancing the area's natural beauty.

People who live and work in an AONB or who visit it and other organisations can also play an important part in conserving and enhancing the character of the area.

Facts and figures
Item	Statistics
Date of designation confirmation	8th April 1968
Area	453 square kilometres
Local Authorities	Norfolk County Council (AONB is entirely within Norfolk) North Norfolk District Council (245.5 sq. kms) Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk (203.6 sq. kms) Great Yarmouth Borough Council (6.9 sq. kms) Broads Authority (7.2 sq. kms)
Length of coastline	Total length for AONB – 90.8 kms 44.8 kms in NNDC 42.8 kms in BCKLWN 3.2 kms in GYBC
Length of Public Rights of Way	287 kms
Highest point	Roman Camp 102 metres above sea level
No of parishes partly or wholly in the area	69

a) to conserve protect and enhance the natural beauty of the coasts, including their terrestrial, littoral and marine flora and fauna, and their heritage features of architectural, historical and archaeological interest;

b) to facilitate and enhance their enjoyment, understanding and appreciation by the public by improving and extending opportunities for recreational, educational, sporting and tourist activities that draw on, and are consistent with the conservation of their natural beauty and the protection of their heritage features;

c) to maintain, and improve where necessary, the environmental health of inshore waters affecting Heritage Coasts and their beaches through appropriate works and management measures; and

d) to take account of the needs of agriculture, forestry and fishing, and of the economic and social needs of the small communities on these coasts, through promoting sustainable forms of social and economic development, which in themselves conserve and enhance natural beauty and heritage features.

† The term 'sustainable' is sometimes used to replace the term green as in 'green' tourism or to refer to economic sustainability of a project or scheme without consideration of the social and environmental elements. True sustainability combines the three elements of society, economy and the environment. Where the term 'sustainable' or 'sustainability' is used in relation to the management of the AONB in this plan, it has the meaning above.