The Dorest AONB

Planning for development in or around the Dorset AONB

The landscape and beauty of Dorset is protected in planning, and all public bodies and statutory undertakers must have regard to the area's AONB status in performing their duties in accordance to The Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000.

The Dorset AONB Partnership acts as an adviser to local planning authorities, but unlike National Park Authorities, they do not prepare statutory planning documents or determine planning applications. Instead they rely on the district, borough and county councils to follow their own individual AONB planning policies in order to protect the area's natural beauty from 'harm', and to have regard for the primary purpose of the AONB to “conserve and enhance natural beauty”.

The AONB partnership are consulted on a variety of planning applications that are likely to have a significant impact on the AONB landscape and features, or which would set a precedent. However, they do not tend to comment on applications which have a limited impact, residential extensions for example.

If you have any queries or questions about how the AONB status may affect development proposals or planning applications, the AONB partnership are obliged to advise you to contact one of the Local Planning Authorities for direct advice...

Needless to say, if you are unsure about how your proposal may be affected, we would encourage you to take advice from a local, independent planning expert before approaching the council...

Dorset AONB
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The Dorset landscape has been protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1959.

Dorset AONB consists of 1,024 square miles of virtually untouched natural beauty, dotted with farms, villages and ancient features, hugely rich in heritage. Most famous for its coastline, Dorset prides itself in it's jaw dropping rock formations and sheer coastal cliffs, that make it a huge tourist attraction for outstanding natural beauty. This AONB area seems to be endless, providing a landscape of rolling hills and charming flora as far as the eye can see entirely unique to that found elsewhere in the country.

This special place is home to wildlife and people, with valuable habitats existing alongside living, working communities. Unique geology creates an exceptional environment where rare plant, insect, bird and mammal species can flourish.