AONB Statement of Need

Required for all application in or affecting an AONB (excluding Householder Development or Listed Building Consent).

Guidance

For all applications, the statement should include an assessment of:

The existing site context
The nature of the impact of the development (i.e. negative, neutral or positive) and resulting site character, and
The statement should cross-refer to relevant content within formal or informal LVIAs where these are also required

For major development, the statement should also demonstrate exceptional circumstances (NPPF 172) by including an assessment of:

The need for the development, including in terms of any national considerations, and the impact of permitting it, or refusing it, upon the local economy;
The cost of, and scope for, developing elsewhere outside the designated area, or meeting the need for it in some other way; and
Any detrimental effect on the environment, the landscape and recreational opportunities, and the extent to which that could be moderated

Please note, in most cases, we will not accept outline applications with all matters reserved in AONBs.