What is the Sustainable Development Fund?
The ~ Sustainable Development Fund ~ is now entering its fourth successful year following the introduction of these funds nationally to all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England and Wales. The SDF scheme is funded by Defra and was launched in 2005. English National Park Authorities have been administering Sustainable Development Funds since 2002 and Government was keen to provide a similar scheme to support projects that bring environmental, social and economic benefits to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Within the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, our aim is to develop and test innovative methods of achieving a more sustainable way of life in a protected landscape of great beauty and diversity.
Approximately £60,000 has been made available by Natural England for the fund from April 2008 until the end of March 2009. We are therefore keen to receive project ideas from applicants. This year we intend to focus the bulk of the schemes support on renewable energy projects which will help deliver outputs in support of the AONB Management Plan.
The fund can provide grants to organisations, businesses, community groups and individuals who wish to explore and develop practical projects that conserve and enhance the local environment, develops local economic activity, promotes local produce and products or links local communities and improves quality of life.
You can see the latest newsletter by clicking the link here
SDF Newsletter 3
This document highlights the £65,341 which was allocated to Projects in the last year, which as you
will see covered a diverse range of schemes and projects.
What is Sustainable Development?
There are many definitions of sustainable development, some of them very confusing! Set out below is the definition that we use when considering projects for the fund.
"Sustainable Development will promote and enhance the environmental, economic and community well being of the Arnside/Silverdale AONB, and ensure a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come."
Achieving sustainable development requires working towards four main goals at the same time:
- Social progress which meets the needs of everyone
- Effective protection of the environment
- Ensuring a diverse and prosperous rural economy
- Prudent use of natural resources
A copy of the full sustainability checklist, which is used to assess your project, is available on line from the links and downloads page or a printed version can be picked up from the AONB Office. Completing this yourself will help you judge how or if your project fits the criteria of the fund.
AONB Designation and Purposes
AONBs came into existance under the same legislation that introduced National Parks onto the map of England and Wales. The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 established the framework for National Parks and AONBs and brought into being the Public Rights of Way network as we know it.
The designation reflects the high value society places on areas of exceptional landscape quality. Whereas National Parks came into being with two statutory purposes, AONBs have a single statutory role. Expressed simply, an AONB is designated for the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the area. Unlike National Parks there is no statutory purpose relating to recreation.
But landscape does not exist in a vacuum and in planning for the AONBs future we will therefore be taking account of the social and economic life of the area, the needs of local communities and opportunities for quiet recreation. It must be said, however that where these issues are in conflict with the statutory role, conservation will take precedence. (This concept is widely known as the Sandford Principle).
These purposes have been re-inforced by measures in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act), The Arnside/Silverdale AONB Executive, acting on behalf of the District and County Councils responsible for the AONB, has introduced a management plan for the AONB. This includes a clear vision as to the importance of Sustainable development and the role of the AONB Unit helping all who live and work or visit the AONB to make a difference to the AONB's future.
If you want to know more about the CROW Act 2000 and information
about the 40 AONBs in England and Wales, please refer to the
Natural England AONB pages
and the
CCW AONB pages
