Annual Report 2014/15 CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD ADMINISTRATION

I have great pleasure in welcoming you Local Authorities are responsible for the management to the 2014/15 Review of the work of the arrangements in the AONB, which falls within the County of North and the Districts of Ryedale and Hambleton. AONB Joint Advisory Committee. AONB policy and programmes of work are overseen by a Joint Advisory Committee (JAC), supported by Officer groups. The In many ways it has been a year of endings Core Partners Group consists of representatives of the 4 main and beginnings. The 2014-19 Management organisations (see list below). The AONB Partnership Group Plan was published and circulated to our takes in a wider range of organisations and interests and helps partner organisations. It’s the backbone for our with developing ideas/projects. work on conserving and enhancing the AONB, The Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) as well as an important reference document During 2014/15, the members of the JAC were as follows: for developers. The 4-year Rural:Urban Schools Twinning Project completed its County Council Cllrs Caroline Patmore & Clare Wood final round of visits and was universally well- received by the participants. Ryedale District Council Cllrs Robert Wainwright & John Hicks

We started developing a new 4-year project Hambleton District Council to survey and manage Scheduled Monuments Cllr Christine Cookman in the AONB. A bid was submitted to Natural Historic England for funding and we have Rosy Eaton & Justine Clark subsequently learnt that this was successful. Parish Councils (Ryedale) - Sally Brown The programme involves two full surveys, Parish Councils (Hambleton) - Vacant scrub management work and re-seeding to create less damaging vegetation cover. Much Country Land and Business Association - William Worsley of the work will be carried out by volunteers, National Farmers Union - Rob Hicks demonstrating how vital they are in helping us Ramblers - Steven Harness achieve our objectives. Forestry Commission - Kate Hawley

A major decision has been taken to re-locate The JAC met twice in 2014/15: the AONB Unit from to the North 14th November 2014: Hovingham Village Hall. Christine York Moors National Park offices in Cookman continued as the JAC Chairman and Robert in December 2015. With declining levels of Wainwright as the Vice-Chairman. Members discussed the funding from both central Government and proposed 2015/16 JAC budget, including resolving to explore our constituent Local Authorities, the Joint options for relocating the AONB Unit office in the face of Advisory Committee felt that radical steps likely future significant reductions in funding. There was also a presentation by the LEADER Programme Manager on the were needed. The move will reduce our office 2015-2020 Local Development Strategy. costs by 65% and bring significant benefits th from joint-working, enabling us to continue 26 March 2015: Hovingham Village Hall. Members discussed the work achieved in 2014/15 and approved the Business giving grants and practical assistance for Plan and Action Programme for 2015/16. They also authorised works on the ground. the AONB Manager to progress relocation of the AONB Unit from the Wath Court offices to rooms at the As well as these two significant new initiatives National Park Authority in Helmsley. we’ve also completed a variety of works that conserve and enhance the biodiversity and Officer Steering Groups cultural heritage of the AONB, and I hope you The Core Partners Group convened on its regular quarterly enjoy reading about them. cycle. The AONB Partnership Group met in May 2015 to review progress made with implementing the Objectives of the AONB Management Plan over the previous year. The meeting was held in the early evening and included presentations on tourism development initiatives, to which local tourism Cllr Christine Cookman businesses were also invited. Chairman, Joint Advisory Committee

2 The AONB Unit AONB MANAGEMENT PLAN In 2014/15 the Unit comprised: The Management Plan is the key document setting out specific AONB Manager ...... Paul Jackson objectives for the sustainable management of the Howardian (1 FTE) Hills AONB. Engaging in the strategic plans and actions of

AONB Officer ...... Liz Bassindale (4 days/wk) other organisations, to promote the Objectives contained in the (1 FTE/0.8FTE) Rebecca Thompson (1 day/wk, Management Plan, is an important role for the AONB Unit. The April - November 2014) Plan must be reviewed every 5 years, by law.

AONB Assistant ...... Maggie Cochrane In 2014/15 we finished the latest review of the AONB (0.5 FTE) Management Plan: • 2014-2019 Plan published and distributed

FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2014/15

INCOME £ EXPENDITURE £

Defra 116,109 Staffing 91,585

North Yorkshire CC 43,566 Office costs 20,308

Ryedale DC 5,066 Partnership running costs 3,557

Hambleton DC 5,800 Publicity/Research 4,188

Heritage Lottery Fund 6,600 Management Plan 3,008

Environment Agency 1,500 Sustainable Development Fund 14,455

National Centre for the Uplands 1,250 Natural Environment projects 12,434

Donations 25 Historic Environment projects 11,601

Enjoying the AONB 6,165

Young People (JRC, etc) 157

Young People (Schools Twinning) 4,637

£179,916 £172,095 Brought forward (45,689) Carried forward (53,510) £225,605 £225,605

(Resources from grant recipients, volunteers, etc) 77,696

Total Value of AONB Unit Activity in 2014/15 £249,791

3 CONSERVING AND • Developing a targeted programme of survey and management work for Scheduled Monuments, ENHANCING NATURAL particularly those on the At Risk Register. Submitted a BEAUTY 4-year programme brief to English Heritage for funding • Carrying out bracken and rhododendron control This is the primary objective of AONB designation and the works on Scheduled Monuments at Hovingham and JAC attaches great importance to carrying out work on the Newburgh ground in the AONB, working in partnership with local farmers, landowners and communities. • Restoration of 4 traditional direction signs • Work on 6 other Local Priority Sites or other historic features, including repairs to a Listed field barn • Supporting the restoration of the Castle Howard Avenue, with a mixture of selective felling, replanting, woodland clearance and parkland re-creation • Advice given to 1 land owner on the management of historic features • Completion of undergrounding of electricity wires in Bulmer, and continuing liaison with Northern Powergrid on developing a framework for implementation of the next 8-year programme • Surveying National Grid overhead power lines close to the AONB and submitting these for potential inclusion in their Visual Impact Provision project New hedge planting,

Work funded or facilitated by the JAC in 2014/15 included: • 449m of hedge planting/gapping-up • 265m of wall restoration • 37 new in-field/hedgerow trees planted, with financial assistance from the Environment Agency • Continued control of Himalayan balsam along 5.8km of Wath Beck, and started control work at Fairy Dell and Jeffry Bog SINCs

• Continued control of rhododendron in and adjacent Tree planting, Sproxton to Yearsley Moor Woodlands SINC, completing the clearance of an area of wood pasture In addition to initiating and grant aiding work itself, the AONB Unit also gives advice to applicants and/or comments on • Conservation grazing of 7 SINC or other important sites applications submitted to the two main national grant schemes: by Exmoor ponies • Management of species/vegetation on or affecting 5 • Comments submitted on 3 Higher Level Stewardship other SINCs or SSSIs (by volunteers or contractors) applications • Support for 2 village wildlife projects • 13 English Woodland Grant Scheme applications appraised for impact on the AONB • Involvement in the North Yorkshire Local Geological Sites Partnership, to progress survey and management work on the AONB’s most important geodiversity sites • Improved management of 6 SINCs via Higher Level Stewardship or English Woodland Grant Scheme agreements • Management works on 45 Special Interest Road Verges • Participating in the new agri-environment scheme local verification process, to ensure that all information on species, habitats, heritage assets, etc was correctly identified

Wall restoration, East Newton 4 Planning Issues ENJOYING THE AONB The Joint Advisory Committee is consulted by the Local Planning Authorities on certain developments in the AONB, The Public Rights of Way network continues to be managed in line with an agreed protocol. The AONB Manager also to a generally high standard, with minor maintenance/ monitors the Weekly Lists of planning applications and calls-up improvement works continuing over the whole network. More details of any smaller schemes which might potentially have complex path routing issues are being resolved gradually, an impact on the AONB. Consultation responses are dealt depending on their complexity, whilst volunteers are still with by the AONB Manager, in consultation with the JAC and making a significant contribution to path management. Chairman in certain circumstances. In 2014/15 work included: Larger/more significant applications examined in 2014/15 included the erection of 3 houses in Welburn, construction of • Publishing a hub leaflet promoting routes in the wider a replacement dwelling close to Kirkham Priory, substantial Castle Howard area extensions to a house at Welburn, construction of 500 • Re-printing the Great Outdoors leaflet with the North dwellings on the western edge of Malton, erection of a new York Moors National Park and Welcome to Yorkshire, farmstead at Gilling, erection of an agricultural workers dwelling featuring some more of our walking and cycling routes at Husthwaite and erection of 3 polytunnels at Gilling. • Developing and implementing an initiative with Visit York, via Ryedale DC and Welcome to Yorkshire, to During 2014/15: encourage visitors to York to stay an extra night and visit • 91 applications were determined by the Local Planning the Howardian Hills area Authorities. 88% of these were approved • Continuing input into the ‘Moors and More’ local • 87 of the applications were scrutinised in detail by the distinctiveness project and other similar tourism AONB Manager business initiatives • Comments were submitted on 38 schemes, where • Continuing to negotiate a package of improvements in a conflict with AONB Objectives was identified, PRoW routing on the Castle Howard Estate improvements could be made or support was given • Supporting an AONB Photography Competition and • Objections or Strong Reservations were lodged in 14 of prize-giving event, principally organised by RAY those responses; the District or County Council followed • A team of at least 2 volunteers working on path the JAC’s recommendation of refusal, or the applicants maintenance in the AONB during the first half of the year amended or Withdrew the proposals, in 6 of the cases where a decision was required • Removing litter from at least 10 sites in the AONB, on a regular basis throughout the summer • 11 consultations on other development (primarily within roads or verges) were also scrutinised – comments submitted on 5 schemes

In other planning-related issues we: • Commented on national policy consultation documents by submitting local evidence/perspective to the National Association for AONBs (NAAONB) as necessary • Carried out site visits with the contractors during the seismic survey in autumn 2014, to understand the process • Attended meetings and debates to learn more about fracking • Supported new mobile phone masts proposed as part of the Government’s Mobile Infrastructure Programme to tackle ‘not-spots’ • Participated in the NYCC/RDC study to identify improvements to the A64, particularly relating to possible full dualling of the remaining single carriageway section within the AONB

New Rides and Rambles leaflet

5 COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS & • Obtained at least 6 known press mentions for projects/ AONB, equivalent to at least £7,000 of advertising EDUCATION space. This was for April & May 2014 only, after which time the monitoring scheme ceased Our 5-stage project to twin primary schools in the AONB with ones in Hull and York came to an end. The Junior Ranger Club • Mounted a display about the AONB at 2 events continued, with 4 activity sessions held during the school half- • Gave evening talks to 2 groups terms and holidays. • Published and distributed our annual Newsletter (AONB In 2014/15 the programme consisted of: News) in October 2014 Rural:Urban Schools Twinning Project • Published our 2013/14 Annual Report in December • 6 Round Four visits completed 2014 Junior Ranger Club (April) • Continued to manage the AONB website – 88,200 Page • Springtime Fun - 21 children Views by 13,700 Users. Also scoped options for a low cost re-fresh Junior Ranger Club (May) • Island Explorers, Howsham Mill - 15 children • Attended the Ryedale Show

th Junior Ranger Club (October) • Completed installation of the final three 25 Anniversary • Amazing Autumn - 18 children log seats Junior Ranger Club (February) • Winter Discovery -12 children SUSTAINABLE Communities: DEVELOPMENT • Projects funded in 2 villages, including 1 Village Hall project The Sustainable Development Fund distributed £14,500 to projects, assisting a variety of schemes addressing • Continued liaison with the principal organisations environmental, social and economic objectives. involved in community work in the AONB, via the regular Community Development Officers’ meetings In 2014/15 the Sustainable Development Fund assisted: • Year 2 of a Sustainable Rural Communities project run by Rural Action Yorkshire, assisting with community planning • Refurbishment of Coneysthorpe Village Hall • Enhancement of the outdoor areas at Terrington Village Hall, to create vegetable growing plots, artwork and play space

Making model waterwheels on a Schools Twinning Project day at Howsham Mill PUBLICITY

Promotion of the AONB has continued via our Newsletter, Annual Report and attendance at the local agricultural show. Increasingly our profile is being raised via the leaflets Outdoor pre-school classroom area, Terrington Village Hall and publicity being produced in partnership with other organisations, as detailed in the ‘Enjoying the AONB’ section.

In 2014/15 we: • Maintained the 14 AONB Gateway Signs • Approached the Highways Agency to enquire about installing brown tourism gateway signs on the A64

6 PARTNERSHIP WORKING • A secondee from the North York Moors National Park Authority continued to assist in the AONB Officer role for The AONB Management Plan is delivered via the policies and 1 day/week until November 2014 actions of many partner organisations, but we also make use • Volunteers helped us with 25 projects or tasks, equating of a number of sources of specialist help and assistance. to over 193 person/days of assistance worth £13,400

In 2014/15: • We continued work with Ryedale and Scarborough NATIONAL ACTIVITY Councils, to prepare a new Biodiversity Action Plan for the joint area The Howardian Hills AONB is part of the national ‘family’ of 46 AONBs in England, and . The National • We participated in the North York Moors, Coast and Association for AONBs (NAAONB) is an important umbrella Hills LEADER Transition phase, helping to prepare a new body that co-ordinates lobbying on behalf of all AONBs, Local Development Strategy. Approval received from responds to national consultations and organises training Defra, with funding of £2.34m events. Support and participation in NAAONB activities brings • We continued to explore options to support jobs, skills many benefits for the Howardian Hills and is important for and sustainable economic growth locally, as part of the staff development. joint Protected Landscapes Growth Plan submitted to the Local Enterprise Partnership In 2014/15: • We participated in the Dales & Moors Farm Innovation • We attended the national AONB Forum in July Project, with 1 farmer from the AONB taking part • We attended the national Chairmen’s meeting/NAAONB • We continued to work with a partnership focused on AGM in November the River Rye, to develop a project to tackle invasive • AONB Unit staff attended 1 Northern AONB Group species, river quality and sedimentation on a catchment meeting, as well as participating in many national scale. This is now part of the Yorkshire Derwent internet forum discussions on AONB projects/ Catchment Partnership, principally lead by the East management Yorkshire Rivers Trust and North York Moors National Park, and a comprehensive Strategy is being prepared

Volunteers clearing rhododendron, Gilling 7 HOWARDIAN HILLS AONB FACT FILE

• The Howardian Hills covers 204 sq. km (79 sq. miles) • The area was confirmed as an AONB in 1987 • About 9,300 people live in or immediately adjacent to the area • Around 18% of the area is wooded

AONB CONTACTS

AONB Manager Paul Jackson [email protected]

AONB Officer Liz Bassindale [email protected]

AONB Assistant Maggie Cochrane [email protected]

The Mews, Wath Court Hovingham York YO62 4NN

Telephone 0845 034 9495 [email protected] www.howardianhills.org.uk

Photos: AONB Unit, unless stated otherwise Front cover – Harry Kingman