Management Plan 2014 - 2019 Part One STRATEGY Introduction 1 AONB Designation 3 Setting the Plan in Context 7 An Ecosystem Approach 13 What makes the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Special 19 A Vision for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB 25 Landscape Quality & Character 27 Habitats and Wildlife 31 The Historic Environment 39 Access, Recreation and Tourism 49 Culture and People 55 Introduction The Clwydian Range and Dee lies the glorious Dee Valley Valley Area of Outstanding with historic Llangollen, a Natural Beauty is the dramatic famous market town rich in upland frontier to North cultural and industrial heritage, Wales embracing some of the including the Pontcysyllte country’s most wonderful Aqueduct and Llangollen Canal, countryside. a designated World Heritage Site. The Clwydian Range is an unmistakeable chain of 7KH2΍DȇV'\NH1DWLRQDO heather clad summits topped Trail traverses this specially by Britain’s most strikingly protected area, one of the least situated hillforts. Beyond the discovered yet most welcoming windswept Horseshoe Pass, and easiest to explore of over Llantysilio Mountain, %ULWDLQȇVȴQHVWODQGVFDSHV About this Plan In 2011 the Clwydian Range AONB and Dee Valley and has been $21%WRZRUNWRJHWKHUWRDFKLHYH was exteneded to include the Dee prepared by the AONB Unit in its aspirations. It will ensure Valley and part of the Vales of close collaboration with key that AONB purposes are being Llangollen. An interim statement partners and stake holders GHOLYHUHGZKLOVWFRQWULEXWLQJWR for this Southern extension including landowners and WKHDLPVDQGREMHFWLYHVRIRWKHU to the AONB was produced custodians of key features. This strategies for the area. in 2012 as an addendum to LVDȴYH\HDUSODQIRUWKHHQWLUH the 2009 Management Plan community of the AONB not just 7KLV0DQDJHPHQW3ODQLVGL΍HUHQW for the Clwydian Range. This the AONB Unit. It also recognises from its predecessors in that it Management Plan therefore is the that the AONB has an impact also begins to tackle the question ȴUVWRYHUDUFKLQJ\HDUVWUDWHJ\ on the wider region and can be of what the AONB can produce for the newly formed Clwydian D΍HFWHGE\LQȵXHQFHVRXWVLGH to meet society’s needs whilst Range and Dee Valley Area of of its boundary. It is a Plan for HQVXULQJWKHDFKLHYHPHQWRI Outstanding Natural Beauty. the AONB, its communities, $21%ȇVSXUSRVHVWRFRQVHUYHDQG EXVLQHVVHVYLVLWRUVDQG enhance natural beauty. It is a plan for all those with an organisations and will require interest in the Clwydian Range DOOZKRKDYHDQLQWHUHVWLQWKH Management Plan 2014 - 2019 | STRATEGY | Introduction | 1 AONB Designation The Clwydian Range was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in July 1985. In 2011 following detailed work by the Countryside Council for Wales and the three Local Authorities of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham the AONB designation was extended to include the Dee Valley. This is the most recent landscape designation in Wales and makes the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB the largest of the 5 AONBs in Wales. 1.1 Purpose of the AONBs together with National The concept of ‘natural beauty’ shaping of the land is fully 3DUNVUHFRJQLVHRXUȴQHVW LQFOXGHVWKHSURWHFWLRQRIȵRUD recognised. In Wales the added Designation landscapes and set a framework fauna and geological as well as dimensions of the language for their protection and ODQGVFDSHIHDWXUHV+RZHYHULW SURYLGHVDQHVVHQWLDOHOHPHQW enhancement. The primary LVYHU\LPSRUWDQWWKDWWKHFXOWXUDO of cultural richness that must statutory purpose of designating dimension of the landscape, be recognised too. These a tract of Countryside as an including the historical, spiritual should all be integrated into the $21%LVWRFRQVHUYHDQGHQKDQFH and inspirational elements, management of AONBs. the natural beauty of the area. as well as the physical human 1.2 The significance of The power to designate an Area Section 85 places a duty on all VHQVLWLYHO\ORFDWHGDQGGHVLJQHG of Outstanding Natural Beauty SXEOLFERGLHVWRKDYHUHJDUGWR and it complements or enhances AONB designation comes from the National Parks WKHSXUSRVHVRIFRQVHUYLQJDQG the special qualities and features and Access to the Countryside enhancing the natural beauty of the area. Act, 1949. The purposes, duties of the area in undertaking any and management requirements IXQFWLRQVRUDFWLRQVD΍HFWLQJDQ Section 89 requires the local for AONBs are set out in the AONB. It is not the purpose of authorities in whose area an Countryside and Rights of Way GHVLJQDWLRQWRVWRSGHYHORSPHQW AONB lies to prepare and publish (CRoW) Act 2000. Section 82 of the but the planning authorities an AONB Management Plan to CRoW Act establishes the primary ZLOOFRQVLGHUDQ\GHYHORSPHQW JXLGHSROLF\GHYHORSPHQWDQG purpose of AONB designation proposal to ensure that it does management actions. DVWKHFRQVHUYDWLRQDQG not unduly harm the character enhancement of natural beauty. and appearance of the AONB; it is Management Plan 2014 - 2019 | STRATEGY | AONB Designation | 3 1.3 Who is the Plan for? 7KH3ODQLVGHVLJQHGWRSURYLGHD and depth of political and Local Communities – The framework that can inform and professional expertise and plan commits to working with guide anyone who undertakes experience. It represents the local WKRVHZKROLYHDQGZRUNZLWKLQ DFWLYLWLHVWKDWPD\D΍HFWWKH authorities, landowners, farmers, WKH$21%DQGLGHQWLȴHVWKH AONB. These will include: FRQVHUYDWLRQDQGUHFUHDWLRQ importance of communities interests. The Partnership LQGHȴQLQJDQGFDULQJIRUWKH Relevant Authorities – All public VXSSRUWVWKHGHOLYHU\RIWKH landscape. The plan sets out bodies and statutory undertakers AONB Management Plan through an agenda for working with the ȂDVGHȴQHGLQ6HFWLRQRIWKH its expertise and experience in communities of the AONB. Countryside and Rights of Way DEURDGUDQJHRIȴHOGVUHODWHG $FWȂWKDWKDYHDGXW\WR to landscape management and Users of and Visitors to the KDYHUHJDUGIRUWKHSXUSRVHV reports to the Joint Committee. areaȂ0DQ\SHRSOHEHQHȴW RI$21%V7KLVSODQLQGHȴQLQJ IURPWKH$21%HYHQLIUHPRWH the areas special qualities and Partners of the AONB – from it and this plan recognises features sets out an agenda for RUJDQLVDWLRQVDQGLQGLYLGXDOVWKDW WKHSRVLWLYHLPSDFWWKDWWKH managingchange that will help KDYHDNH\UROHLQGHOLYHULQJDQG landscape of the Clwydian Range WKHVHERGLHVIXOȴOWKHLUVWDWXWRU\ championing the programmes of and Dee Valley has on people duties. The Joint Committee the AONB – as represented by the and communities beyond its of the AONB represents and AONB Partnership. boundaries. acts on behalf of the three local Authorities of Denbighshire, Landowners and Land Flintshire and Wrexham. managers – The Plan seeks to work with landowners and land AONB Partnership 2015 managers and recognises the key The AONB Partnership is an UROHWKH\KDYHWRSOD\LQUHDOLVLQJ H΍HFWLYHUHVRXUFHLQWKHUDQJH WKHRYHUDOOYLVLRQ 1.4 Governance Since the expansion of the AONB other partnerships in the new Lead members (members of to include the Dee Valley, parts AONB. WKH$XWKRULW\ȇV([HFXWLYHRU of which fall in to Wrexham Cabinet) of each Local Authority County Borough Council, a AONB Joint Committee 2014 and has the power to act on JRYHUQDQFHUHYLHZKDVEHHQ The three Local Authorities of behalf of those Local Authorities XQGHUWDNHQLQRUGHUWRGHYHORS Denbighshire, Wrexham and LQGHOLYHULQJWKHSXUSRVHVRI a more appropriate working Flintshire entered into a legal the AONB. It is supported by VWUXFWXUHWKDWUHȵHFWVWKHMRLQW agreement to jointly discharge DQ2ɝFHUȇV:RUNLQJ*URXS approach between the three their AONB functions by means RIUHOHYDQWRɝFHUVIURPWKH Local Authorities of Denbighshire, of a Joint Committee for the constituent local authorities and Flintshire and Wrexham as well AONB in the summer of 2014. Natural Resources Wales and the as the need to expand to include The Committee is made up of AONB Partnership. 4 | Management Plan 2014 - 2019 | STRATEGY | AONB Designation Setting the Plan in Context European Context 2.1 European Landscape The UK signed up to the European b) to establish and implement agricultural, social and /DQGVFDSH&RQYHQWLRQLQ landscape policies aimed economic policies, as well as in Convention 7KH&RQYHQWLRQFOHDUO\VHWVRXWDQ at landscape protection, any other policies with possible agenda for landscape protection management and planning. direct or indirect impact on and management on a European landscape. 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