Cornwall National Landscape


Cornwall National Landscape is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was formerly known as, and is still legally designated as, Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the National Landscape branding adopted in November 2023.
The National Landscape covers, or about 27% of the total area of the county. It comprises 12 separate sections, of which 11 cover stretches of coastline and one Bodmin Moor, which together are treated as a single National Landscape.
It was designated in 1959 for special landscape protection, and under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Cornwall Council is required to produce a 5-year management plan, and authorities must have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing natural beauty when discharging any function affecting land within the National Landscape.

Designation

The sections were designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 in 1959, except for the Camel estuary which was added in 1981. The list of designated sections is:
  1. Hartland
  2. Pentire Point to Widemouth
  3. Camel Estuary
  4. Trevose Head to Stepper Point
  5. St Agnes
  6. Godrevy to Portreath
  7. West Penwith
  8. South Coast—Western
  9. South Coast—Central
  10. South Coast—Eastern
  11. Rame Head
  12. Bodmin Moor
There are two other National Landscapes in Cornwall, Tamar Valley National Landscape and the Isles of Scilly.

Management

Cornwall National Landscape is managed by a partnership of 21 organisations, including:
  • Cornwall Agri-food Council
  • Cornwall Association of Local Councils
  • Cornwall Council
  • Cornwall Heritage Trust
  • Cornwall Rural Community Charity
  • Cornwall Sustainable Tourism Project
  • Cornwall Wildlife Trust
  • Country Land and Business Association
  • ERCCIS
  • Historic England
  • Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group
  • King Harry Ferry
  • National Farmers Union
  • National Trust
  • Natural England
  • Rural Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Partnership
  • University of Exeter in Cornwall
  • VisitCornwall
  • Volunteer Cornwall
  • Westcountry Rivers Trust
The partnership meets twice a year to identify the prioritisation of action and the implementation of the plan. The partnership also has an advisory role, providing advice to Cornwall Council and other organisations on matters such as planning and project development. The partnership is supported by a team of officers, the Cornwall AONB Unit, who exist to administer the partnership, undertake delivery, access resources, influence, enable and support partner organisations in the delivery of the management plan.
The first management plan was adopted by the members of the partnership in July 2004. The latest Cornwall AONB Management Plan, 2022-27, was adopted by Cornwall Council and the members of the partnership in May 2022.