Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda item

Agenda item

AONB Management Plan Review

To receive a presentation from Paul Esrich (AONB Partnership Manager) on the Management Plan Review . To consider and then to endorse the text of the next Management Plan for the period 2019-2024.

 

Minutes:

A member of the public wished to put a question to the Committee which was relevant to the AONB Management Plan Review.

 

"What were the conservation objectives of grazing on the Malvern Hills? How does the AONB get involved in setting the objectives and measuring the biodiversity outcomes?"

 

In response it was explained that the AONB does not set the objectives for the area since, being an SSSI, objectives were set by Natural England who then worked with the Malvern Hills Trust as landowners to achieve favourable condition status. It was noted that no one form of management was going to be optimal for all species but the objectives were there to conserve a variety of habitats with the main one in that area being acid grassland. Grazing was a key component of management of that grassland interest and it was recognised that there was an element of flexibility around that management.  It was agreed that Hazel McDowall would be able to provide further information outside the meeting.

 

Management Plan Review

 

Paul Esrich talked to the paper which outlined the steps that had been taken in conducting the review, including two periods of consultation. The various responses which had been received on the recent public consultation draft had now been considered and these were reflected in the version of the Management Plan at Appendix 4 that the committee was being asked to consider and endorse. All the consultation comments which had been received would be posted on the website in due course.

 

Paul Esrich recognised that there was some repetition in the Management Plan but explained that it was because the plan had been structured to allow people to dip in and out of it (rather than having to read it through cover to cover). He also explained that the length of the document was partly down to a desire to clearly set out key issues and to justify policies.

 

During the discussion the following points were made:

·       Natural England had already considered the draft and given their comments. This meant that they were less likely to raise significant issues when asked for formal observations (the next stage of consultation)

·       Cllr John Raine commented that this was the third Management Plan he had been involved with and he felt this was the best one so far

·       It was suggested that more could be said on the issue of badgers and TB. The Committee recognised that it was an important issue but also one in which there were differing views, interpretations and opinions. Paul Esrich offered to look at this text again but since the Management Plan had to speak on behalf of the Partnership as a whole it was felt that there was merit in not pushing this subject too far. The current text allows for people to explore further information elsewhere

·       The list of examples of natural capital should include rocks

·       The failing market for hardwood referred to in the report was queried but it was felt that this was correct due to the current low cost of imported wood, high transport costs, an unsuitable road network and many woodlands and forests not being managed to supply construction timber, leading to an abundance of firewood

·       The appearance of fields covered in white fleece or plastic in November/December should be referred to since this would impact on views and visual amenity over a longer period of the year, including when the landscape was at its most exposed.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee:

 

a)     Noted the progress made with conducting the review (Appendix 1);

b)    Noted and commented on the consultation undertaken and its reach (see Appendix 2);

c)     Discussed the summary of key comments made in relation to the consultation draft text and the AONB Unit's response to them. (Appendix 3)

d)    Discussed and endorsed (subject to comments recorded above) the text for the next AONB management plan (Appendix 4). NB The committee recognised that further changes may still need to be made to the document following formal observations from Natural England and, possible, final comments from Local Authorities,

e)     Noted and commented on work undertaken as part of preparing and consulting on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); and

f)      Noted and commented on work undertaken as part of the State of the AONB report preparation.

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: