Present:-

Devon County Council:-

Councillors Ball, McInnes, Sanders and Sellis

Apologies:-

Councillors Marsh and Sampson (West Devon Borough Council) and Hill (Devon Association of Local Councils)

*1 Election of Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Ball be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

*2 Election of Vice-Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Sellis be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

*3 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2013 be signed as a correct record.

*4 Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan Review

(Councillor Sellis declared a personal interest in this item by virtue of being a County Council representative on the Tamar Valley AONB Partnership)

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment (PTE/13/37 - text only | pdf PTE/13/37) seeking approval to the process for the review of the Management Plan for the Tamar Valley AONB and received a presentation on the matter from Ms C Woodall, Tamar Valley AONB Partnership Manager.

The Head of Service s Report indicated that, in line with statutory requirements, a further 5 year review of the Management Plans for each of Devon s five Areas of Outstanding National Beauty adopted in 2009 was being undertaken to ensure that the Plans remained relevant to key partners in the light of changing circumstances and resources, new knowledge and lessons learnt from implementing previous Plans. The County Council had set out its expectations and requirements for the reviewed Plans which reflected national guidance. AONB Partnerships were following a consistent approach to Plan development and a similar timetable; they were preparing Consultation Drafts of the reviewed Plans for approval by local authorities in the Autumn of 2013. The review process would be completed by the Spring of 2014 and when adopted final Plans would be submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

A working group of the Tamar Valley AONB Partnership had identified the following key issues; planning; renewables; biodiversity; food and farming/woodland. A particular concern throughout the AONB was the need to reconcile the wider ambitions for the installation of renewable energy capacity with the impacts on the character of the AONB.

It was MOVED by Councillor McInnes, SECONDED by Councillor Sellis and

RESOLVED

(a) that the process and timetable for undertaking the AONB Management Plan Review be noted;

(b) that the principles set out in the Report for the 2014-19 Management Plan for the Tamar Valley AONB be endorsed;

(c) that the final agreement of any outstanding detailed issues for the Consultation Drafts be delegated to the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment;

(d) that the Committee note that approval to the final version of the new Management Plan would be sought from the Cabinet Member in line with the Council s Constitution, in the Spring of 2014.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 12.30pm and finished at 12.55pm

The Minutes of the West Devon Locality Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-