To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.
Minutes:
Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager, noting the latest situation
in terms of the Welsh Government’s review of Designated Landscapes.
It was reported that the response
to Stage 2 of the review had been sent to the review Panel by Gwynedd Council
as an organisation.
Attention was drawn to a
letter received from Professor Terry Marsden, Chairman of the Review of
Designated Landscapes in Wales, introducing Stage 2 of the review and was
giving organisations an opportunity to submit evidence in writing regarding
designated landscape governance arrangements. The specific questions posed were
highlighted to assist the Review in identifying and gathering the necessary
evidence to come to a conclusion on Stage 2.
Members were given an
opportunity to offer observations. During the discussion the following main
points were noted:
·
In the current financial climate, it would be
more cost-effective to have one body to decide on planning applications, namely
Gwynedd Council;
·
There was a lack of awareness of the AONB and
there was a need to ensure stronger planning arrangements to safeguard the AONB
when deciding on planning applications;
·
There was need for a better balance between
beauty and the economy as so many young people were leaving the area;
·
Tourists visited the area because of its beauty
and there was a need to balance the value of economic development with
conservation. This meant that developments which were not in-keeping with the
natural beauty had to be refused, especially because of the duty to
secure/protect the beauty of the area under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act
2000;
·
Raising awareness of the AONB to a similar level
as the National Parks would encourage more people to come to the AONB;
·
A member expressed her concern that if the
National Parks and AONBs were governed under the same system, the AONB would be
swallowed by the Park;
·
There was a lack of resources and a low profile
within the Council and Gwynedd as a whole;
·
The AONB should receive resources/support that
was similar to the level of National Parks and keep its local
independence.
A member noted that the Crown
Estate received a substantial amount of money from Wales on an annual basis and
this was inequitable.
A member drew attention to a
local quality assurance plan in the Lake District where an additional fee was
charged on visitors and the money was used for marketing and maintaining the
area and the member was in contact with the Council with a view to establishing
a similar system in Gwynedd. He noted that establishing a pilot scheme would
take some time but it would be of considerable value to the area.
In response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that he had been in
contact with the Tourism, Marketing and Customer Care Unit and they were
looking into establishing a similar system. The Countryside and Access Manager
added that it was a complicated matter and there was a need for resources to
establish and administrate such a system and it would have to be independent
from the Council.
RESOLVED:
(i) to accept the report;
(ii) that the Llŷn
AONB Service Manager summarises the discussion and sends it to the Panel.
Supporting documents: