The Cotswolds has been a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1966. If you’re curious about the technical and practical elements of AONB designation, the content on this page will help you understand further.
Links and downloads:
- Duties on relevant authorities to have regard to the purposes of National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads (Defra, 2005)
- Englands statutory landscape designations – a practical guide (Natural England, 2010)
- Guidance for assessing landscapes for designation as National Park or AONB in England (Natural England, 2021)
- Designation History Series – Cotswolds AONB: Vol 1 (2004)