Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of national landscape importance and so development needs have to be met in a way which reflects the special character of the area.

We are therefore delighted that South Lakeland District Council and Lancaster City Council have agreed to work on a joint AONB Development Plan Document (DPD) – the first of its kind in the country! – to plan in a consistent way across the AONB both in terms of the identification of sites and development management policies.

The DPD will cover the need for affordable and market housing, employment land and community facilities, as well as policies for the conservation of landscape and biodiversity.

A Housing Needs Survey has already been completed and the report can be viewed on Cumbria Rural Housing Trust’s website. Local communities will soon be asked to submit potential suitable sites for development – a process termed a “call for sites”.

Please help us by taking the opportunity to give us your views during the public consultation exercise which will be taking place in early 2015.