North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast Management Plan, 3rd Review HERITAGE COAST North Yorkshire & Cleveland markdentonphotographic.co.uk www. photograph: North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast Contents Management Plan, 3rd Review STRATEGY Background 3 National Objectives for Heritage Coasts 3 2008 - 2013 National Targets for Heritage Coasts 4 Heritage Coast Organisation 4 Heritage Coast Boundary 6 Co-ordination of Work 6 Staffing Structure and Issues 6 Monitoring and Implementation 7 Involvement of Local People in Heritage Coast Work 7 Planning Policy Context 8 Relationship with other Strategies 9 Protective Ownership 9 CONSERVATION Landscape Conservation and Enhancement 10 Natural and Geological Conservation 10 Village Enhancement and the Built Environment 11 Archaeology 12 PUBLIC ENJOYMENT AND RECREATION Interpretation 14 Visitor and Traffic Management 15 Access and Public Rights of Way 16 HERITAGE COAST Tourism 16 North Yorkshire & Cleveland HEALTH OF COASTAL WATERS & BEACHES Litter 17 Beach Awards 17 Water Quality 18 OTHER ISSUES Coastal Defence and Natural Processes 19 Renewable Energy, Off Shore Minerals and Climate Change 19 ACTION PLAN 2008 - 2013 20-23 Heritage Coast - a coastal partnership financially supported by: Appendix 1 - Map Coverage 24-32 Printed on envir0nmentally friendly paper Published by North Yorkshire and Cleveland Coastal Forum representing the North York Moors © North York Moors National Park Authority 2008 National Park Authority, Scarborough Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council, www.coastalforum.org.uk Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Natural England. 1 NYCHC Management Plan NYCHC Management Plan STRATEGY STRATEGY North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast STRATEGY National Objectives for Heritage Coasts Management Plan, 3rd Review BACKGROUND 1.5 The 1992 Policy Statement on Heritage Coasts identified 1.1 The purpose of this strategy is to provide a framework for the following objectives: the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Heritage Coast over the • to conserve, protect and enhance the natural next 5 years. It forms part of the Management Plan beauty of the coasts, including their terrestrial, review and informs the Action Plan for the Heritage littoral and marine flora and fauna, and their Coast. These two elements of Strategy and Action Plan heritage features of architectural, historical and constitute the Heritage Coast Management Plan. The archaeological interest; original plan was produced in 1982 and the first review in 1987. The second review produced a strategy based on • to facilitate and enhance their enjoyment, the Statement of Issues report written in 1992, detailing understanding and appreciation by the public by the then current status of activities and responsibilities of improving and extending opportunities for agencies along the Heritage Coast. recreational, educational, sporting and tourist activities that draw on and are consistent with, the conservation of their natural beauty and the 1.2 The 3rd Review is based on the four objectives of national protection of their heritage features; Heritage Coast policy established by the Countryside • to maintain and improve [where necessary] the Commission in 1992. It is published jointly by the environmental health of inshore waters affecting authorities with a level of responsibility for the coast Heritage Coasts and their beaches through including Scarborough Borough Council [SBC], Redcar & appropriate works and management measures; Cleveland Borough Council [RCBC], North Yorkshire County Council [NYCC], North York Moors National Park • to take account of the needs of agriculture, forestry Authority [NYMNPA] and Natural England [NE]. and fishing, and of the economic and social needs of the small communities on these coasts, through promoting sustainable forms of social and 1.3 The review of the Heritage Coast Management Plan has economic development, which in themselves been carried out in the context of the 2006 Countryside conserve and enhance natural beauty and Agency report on the current status of English Heritage heritage features Coasts. This restated the national policy objectives set out by the Countryside Commission in 1992: ‘All Heritage Coasts should have a management plan setting out how 1.6 The coast holds an important place in the identity of the character of the coast should be conserved, how island Britain. It is the place where land and sea interact Heritage Coast objectives are to be met, including the and this interaction has produced landscapes and organisations involved, the targets to be adopted, the habitats of great variety where there is constant change. resources that will be required, and a timetable for These different coastal landscapes also offer a wide range implementation. The plan should complement the of recreational and economic opportunities. statutory plan policies and should also accord with, or be an identifiable part of, any National Park plan or AONB management plan that relates to the area’. 1.7 The concept of Heritage Coasts was first proposed in 1970. Today 46 of the finest stretches of undeveloped coastline in England and Wales have been defined as 1.4 This review also forms an important part of the strategy Heritage Coast. The North Yorkshire & Cleveland produced by the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Coastal Heritage Coast was defined by the then Countryside Forum in 2004 which can be viewed on the Coastal Commission in 1974 and the boundaries were amended in Forum website at www.coastalforum.org.uk . The Forum’s 1981 and 1996. The Heritage Coast extends for 55km [34 strategy is based on the principles of Integrated Coastal miles] from Saltburn to Scalby Mills with one small area Zone Management [ICZM], a theme which is now widely at Whitby being excluded [see maps in Appendix 1]. accepted as the future approach to management of all sections of the EU coastline. 2 3 NYCHC Management Plan NYCHC Management Plan STRATEGY STRATEGY 1.8 The purpose of the Heritage Coast definition is not 1.12 The terms of reference for the Forum are to provide: 1.13 The funding partners that form the Executive Group also simply to identify it for protection purposes but to focus Heritage Coast Organisation ‘An integrated forum for co-ordination of coastal support a Coastal Project Officer post. This post, which attention on the management needs of the coast and the management, focusing on conservation, recreation, is employed by the North York Moors National Park relationship between different, and sometimes 1.10 There has been no recent review of Heritage Coast policy coastal and flood defence, natural processes, water Authority is responsible for the delivery of practical conflicting, issues. at a national level. In terms of organisation structures on quality and marine issues, tourism and the economy’. conservation measures along the Heritage Coast. Heritage Coasts, the Countryside Commission’s 1992 policy statement states that: • Local Authorities should take the prime responsibility National Targets for Heritage Coast matters; • The prime need is for Heritage Coasts to have an for Heritage Coasts identity within a Local Authority; • For those Heritage Coasts within National Parks, 1.14 The following diagram shows the management structure; 1.9 A number of targets were set nationally relating to National Park Authorities should look after Heritage landscape, public access and environmental health issues Coast interests; which are still relevant today: • It has been the commitment and enthusiasm of Heritage Coast Officers and Rangers that has led to Landscape Conservation successful management measures. However, their North Yorkshire & Cleveland brief has often been too limited and the resources Coastal Forum • The creation or retention of a strip of grassland available only sufficient to cope with small scale or semi natural vegetation along heritage coasts management measures. Many problems remain that behind the beach or cliff edge, normally require the use of all local authority powers and accommodating the cliff path, or where greater financial resources; appropriate in the landscape, a fields width North Yorkshire & Cleveland • Local Authorities need to ensure that each has such a • The removal or amelioration of eyesores Coastal Forum Executive Group service and that responsibilities are clearly identified identified in the management plan at all levels, including senior ones so that the • The protection and enhancement of landscape principle tasks are carried out; features identified in the plan • Heritage Coasts are properly protected and funds secured for its management; Recreation • A Management Plan is prepared for the area including Environment Shoreline Heritage Coast Forthcoming the intertidal strand and adjacent inshore waters; Agency • A continuous path stretching the Management Management strategies from length of the Heritage Coast • The Management Plan’s implementation is overseen Water Quality through a countryside management approach Plan (SMP2) Plan the Marine Bill • The whole of the public rights of way within Management towards practical work, through liaison with all the Heritage Coast to be properly managed interests involved in the management and use of the Heritage Coast and through statutory planning. Beach & Water Quality • All intensively used beaches on Heritage Coasts be 1.11 A new structure for management of the North Yorkshire & designated as bathing beaches (in line with the EU Cleveland Heritage Coast has been developed following the SMP2