Management Plan 2026 to 2031

The new North Pennines National Landscape Management Plan 2026-2031 has now been adopted by the four relevant local authorities – Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils. It is now therefore the new statutory plan for conserving and enhancing natural beauty in this National Landscape.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the North Pennines National Landscape team said: “Developing this plan has been a lot of work from a wide range of people, and at every stage from initial drafting to final adoption. In particular it’s moved on a lot from its consultation version, with valuable input from bodies like BASC, RSPB, GWCT, Natural England, the Moorland Association and Wildlife Trusts, plus individual gamekeepers, historic environment specialists, access specialists and others. It now feels like the strongest and most deliverable Management Plan we’ve had for the area since the CRoW Act in 2000 made the plan’s production a statutory duty.”

This is a plan for the place, rather than simply a work programme for the National Landscape, and everyone has a role to play in its implementation. Though there is no compulsion on anyone to take forward the measures set out in the plan, they represent a road map to a living, working landscape, that is rich in wildlife and heritage, and that provides benefits to local communities and visitors, but also, as a nationally designated place, to the whole nation.

North Pennines National Landscape Management Plan