Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty could expand - report

The exiting Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty spans the area between Reading and Hitchin

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) could be expanded, Hertfordshire County council has said.

The Chilterns Hills AONB covers the area around High Wycombe, Tring, Berkhamsted and Luton.

The legal designation means councils have to "conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area".

Natural England could submit an order to expand the Chilterns AONB, but a council meeting was warned this may "pinch" space needed for housing.

Natural England is still gathering evidence and consulting with councils about the proposed expansion

Hertfordshire County Council documents revealed Natural England, the government's adviser on the environment, could submit an order to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to expand the AONB by 2024.

The expansion was likely to take place within the Chilterns National Character Area, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Liberal Democrat Hemel Hempstead town councillor Adrian England told a county council environment panel meeting he welcomed the recommendation, but warned it could "pinch" space that Hertfordshire needed to support housing and economic demands.

"We also need to get the evidence bases right so that local authorities can develop their local plans - and this is so we can get the right housing ambitions," he said.

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Bim Afolami, Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, said he was "campaigning for AONB status because it would give greater protections to our local countryside from inappropriate development".

Natural England is still gathering evidence and consulting councils before it decides where the new boundary should fall.

The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty includes nine chalk streams, ancient hedgerows, trees and parklands.