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Project Update – February 2026

On 4th February 2026, Natural England launched a statutory Notice Period for the Yorkshire Wolds Proposed AONB designation. The Notice Period will end on 6th March 2026. 

Legislation requires Natural England to publish notification of their intention to ‘make’ (sign and attach the Natural England seal) the designation Order in the London Gazette and local newspapers. The notice period provides an opportunity for anyone to view the proposals and, if so minded, make representations to Natural England; whether objecting to or in support of the draft Order, or proposing an amendment to the proposed boundary.

Notices were published on 4th February 2026 in the London Gazette and the Yorkshire Post. Information is being made available in various locations in and around the Yorkshire Wolds, and online via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yorkshire-wolds-area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty-proposed-designation.

A copy of the draft Order, and associated maps, will be deposited at each of the places listed below, and will be open for inspection free of charge, as indicated, from the 4th day of February 2026 until the 6th day of March 2026, at:

Natural England York Office: Foss House, Kings Pool, 1-2 Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PX. Please Contact Natural England on 0300 060 3900 to arrange a suitable time.

East Riding Council Customer Service Centre: Beverley Customer Service Centre, Champney Treasure House, Champney Road, Beverley, HU17 8HE. Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 09.30 – 16.30. Please contact 01482 393939 to arrange an appointment or to check location accessibility.

North Yorkshire Council Office: Ryedale House, Old Malton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7HH. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 09.00 – 16.30, Wednesday 09.30 – 16.30. Please contact 0300 131 2131 to arrange an appointment or to check location accessibility.

Howardian Hills National Landscape Office: The Old Vicarage, Bondgate, Helmsley, York, YO62 5BP. The documents will be available to view at reception during office hours. Filey Library: Station Avenue, Filey, YO14 9AE. Open every day except Tuesday or Sunday. Please contact 01609 536608, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Flamborough Library: South Sea Road, Flamborough, YO15 1NG. Open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Please contact 01262 850085, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Malton Library: St Michael Street, Malton, YO17 7LJ. Open every day except Thursday or Sunday. Please contact 01609 534565, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Market Weighton: Wicstun Centre 14 Beverley Road, Market Weighton, YO43 3JP. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Please contact 01482 393939, or check their website, for opening hours and location accessibility.

Representations may be sent in writing, clearly marked ‘For Natural England’, to Yorkshire Wolds AONB, PO Box 351, HOLMFIRTH, HD9 9GA, or via email to YorksWoldsDesignationProject@naturalengland.org.uk. They must be received before 6th March 2026 and should state the grounds on which they are made.

The Proposed Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Interactive map

The interactive map below identifies the Proposed Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The proposed boundary has been digitised at 1:25,000 scale against Ordnance Survey mapping. This may differ slightly from what is shown on the basemap or aerial imagery used in the online map. This interactive map should therefore be considered indicative. 

Maps of the area proposed for designation, shown on Ordnance Survey mapping, can be viewed on the Yorkshire Wolds AONB Proposed Designation page and should be referenced for all aspects pertaining to the draft Order.

Formal Statutory and Public Consultation on Proposed Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - now closed

Natural England held a formal Statutory and Public Consultation on the proposed Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)* from 8th October 2024 to 13th January 2025. This consultation has now closed. The consultation gave people an opportunity to tell Natural England what they thought about the proposals.

*AONBs were recently rebranded as National Landscapes. Legally however, Natural England can only designate an AONB. To avoid confusion, all documentation and consultation material refer to AONB throughout. If an AONB is subsequently designated, it would then be known as a National Landscape.

The consultation was statutory for the relevant local and combined authorities (East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire Council and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority), however, Natural England decided that it should be extended to other stakeholders and the public. 

Response forms were provided to give people the opportunity to comment on the proposals and to submit evidence. Responses could be submitted online, or via email or the post.

Formal responses could be submitted by completing an online response form on the consultation portal at:

• https://consult.defra.gov.uk/ne-landscape-heritage-and-geodiversity-team/yorkshire-wolds-designation

Alternatively, a printed consultation pack and response form could be requested by emailing the project mailbox YorksWoldsDesignationProject@naturalengland.org.uk or by telephoning 0300 060 3900.

All supporting documents, including the technical assessments that were carried out, are available to view and download on the consultation portal. During the consultation period, printed copies of these documents were also available to view at face-to-face drop-in events (see below) and in the following locations:

• Natural England Office, York

• East Riding Council Customer Service Centre, Beverley

• North Yorkshire Council Office, Malton

• Howardian Hills National Landscape office, Helmsley

• Filey Library, Filey

• Flamborough Library, Flamborough

• Malton Library, Malton

• Markey Weighton Wicstun Centre and library, Markey Weighton

Webinars & face-to-face drop-in events

A number of online webinars were held during the consultation. The webinars provided information about the proposals, and how to participate in the consultation. Two webinars were open to the public, whilst a further two webinars were open to members of the NFU, CLA, farmers, farming groups and land interest groups. All of the webinars covered the same content, and a recording of the webinar held on 9th October can be found below.

In addition, ten face-to-face drop-in events were held throughout the area, where people were able to view the maps and documents, and speak to a member of our team.

These events were held in the following locations and/or on the following dates:

• Market Weighton Community Hall (15th October 2024)

• Sherburn Village Hall (16th October 2024)

• Hunmanby Community Centre (17th October 2024)

• Online Webinar 1 (14:00 - 15:30, 22nd October 2024)

• Online Webinar 2 (19:00 - 20:30, 24th October 2024)

• Thixendale Village Hall (6th November 2024)

• Bempton & Buckton Community Hall (7th November 2024)

• Milton Rooms, Malton (12th November 2024)

• Pocklington Scout Hut (13th November 2024)

• Millington Village Hall (14th November 2024)

• Driffield Cass Hall (20th November 2024)

• Weaverthorpe Village Hall (21st November 2024)

• Online Webinar CLA/NFU 1 (10:30 - 12:00, 26th November 2024)

• Online Webinar CLA/NFU 2 (19:00 - 20:30, 27th November 2024)

Presentations

The following presentation, which runs for approximately 21 minutes, was used in the webinars in 2022, providing an overview of the AONB designation process.

The following presentation, which runs for approximately 41 minutes, is a recording of one of the webinars that was held in October as part of the statutory and public consultation. The purpose of this webinar was to provide an overview of the designation process; how it was applied to the proposed Yorkshire Wolds AONB; and how you can have your say and / or ask any questions.

More Information

You can also view a series of Frequently Asked Questions here and Natural England’s detailed Guidance for Assessing Landscape for designation as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England  

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