Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to set out a timetable and a strategy for expanding the number of National Landscapes.

Natural England (NE) is the organisation which has powers to designate National Landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, AONBs).

NE is working on proposals to extend the boundary of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, and to create a new National Landscape in the Yorkshire Wolds. The package of evidence for each designation project is expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State (SoS) in Summer 2026. The SoS will then make a decision for each project.

There is no formal application process for National Landscape designation and NE takes an evidence-led approach, guided by government policy steers. Beyond the present projects, Defra is prioritising support for our existing Protected Landscapes.