Decision

Notice by the Secretary of State under section 52 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949: Amble to Bamburgh (length 4)

Updated 9 July 2020

Applies to England

Introduction

On 31 July 2019 Natural England submitted a compendium of coastal access reports relating to the stretch of land between Amble and Bamburgh to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under section 51 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (“the 1949 Act”), pursuant to its duty under section 296(1) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (“the 2009 Act”).

This determination relates only to length ABB4. The proposals within length reports ABB1, ABB2 and ABB3 were determined separately on 06 March 2020.

In reaching a determination under section 52 of the 1949 Act the Secretary of State has considered:

a. Amble to Bamburgh length report ABB4 – part of Natural England’s coastal access report compendium submitted to the Secretary of State on 31 July 2019

b. in accordance with paragraph 16(1)(a) of the Schedule, the objections which the appointed person determined to be admissible objections

c. in accordance with paragraph 16(1)(b) of the Schedule, Natural England’s comments on the admissible objections which it sent to the Secretary of State

d. in accordance with paragraph 16(1)(c) of the Schedule, the report given to the Secretary of State by the appointed person in respect of the objections which the appointed person determined to be admissible objections

e. in accordance with paragraph 16(1)(d) of the Schedule, representations made by a person within paragraph 2(2)(b) to (f) of the Schedule and the summary of other representations made, and Natural England’s comments on those representations which it sent to the Secretary of State on 18 October 2019

In this notice –

(a) “objection” means an objection about a coastal access report which is made under paragraph 3 of Schedule 20 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

(b) “representation” means a representation about a coastal access report which is made under paragraph 7 of Schedule 20 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Secretary of State’s approval of coastal access proposals

The Secretary of State has determined to approve in full those proposals for the route and associated coastal margin as set out in the coastal access report ABB4 so far as it relates to those parts of the route to which no objections were made.

Where proposals are approved in full, the additional conclusions and observations of the Secretary of State in relation to the representations are set out at Annex B to this notice.

In the respects specified in the objections set out at Annex A to this notice, the Secretary of State determines that the proposals set out in the coastal access report ABB4 do not fail to strike a ‘fair balance’ as a result of the matters specified in the objections. The Secretary of State therefore approves the proposals set out in the coastal access report, so far as they relate to those parts of the route (and associated coastal margin) to which those objections relate. Objection MCA/ABB4/0/2 is approved subject to a modification to roll back as set out at Annex A.

The Secretary of State has made available at www.gov.uk:

a. a copy of this notice;

b. The reports on the objections given to the Secretary of State by the appointed person;

c. Representations made by a person within paragraph 2(2)(b) to (f) of the Schedule, and Natural England’s comments on those representations, which it sent to the Secretary of State on 18 October 2019; and

d. Summary of other representations, and Natural England’s comments on those representations, which it sent to the Secretary of State on 18 October 2019.

Natural England has also made available here:

e. Amble to Bamburgh – the compendium of coastal access reports.

Annex A: objections which did not fail to strike a “fair balance”

Objection Reference: MCA/ABB4/0/2

The land in the length report to which the objection relates is route sections ABB-4-S009 to ABB-4-S013 (shown on map 4b). Secretary of State approves the proposals in relation to route sections ABB-4-S009 to ABB-4-S013, subject to a modification to roll back as set out in paragraphs 12 and 18 and at Annex A of the report given to the Secretary of State by the appointed person into objection MCA/ABB4/0/2. The report is published alongside this notice.

Objection Reference: MCA/ABB4/0/1 and MCA/ABB4/0/3

The land in the length report to which the objection relates is route sections ABB-4-S033 to ABB-4-S038 (shown on map 4c). Secretary of State approves the proposals in relation to route sections ABB-4-S033 to ABB-4-S038.

Annex B: conclusions and observations on representations

The Secretary of State has considered, in relation to the coastal access report, the following representations made under paragraph 7 of the Schedule.

Representation No. MCA/ABBSTRETCH/R/1/ABB0573

Name of representation:

Historic England, [redacted]

Length Report and route section(s):

Whole stretch (Secretary of State comments pertain to length report ABB4 only)

Secretary of State’s conclusion and observation:

Secretary of State welcomes representation and notes that Natural England’s proposals will not affect heritage assets in this area.

Representation No. MCA/ABB4/R/1/ABB0488

ame of representation:

Private individual

Length Report and route section(s):

Length Report 4, ABB-4-S025 to ABB-4-S042

Secretary of State’s conclusion and observation:

Secretary of State notes reasoning set out in response by Natural England and is satisfied the most appropriate route has been proposed by Natural England.

Representation No. MCA/ABB4/R/2/ABB0008

Name of representation:

Disabled Ramblers, [redacted]

Length Report and route section(s):

Whole stretch (Secretary of State comments pertain to length report ABB4 only)

Secretary of State’s conclusion and observation:

Secretary of State notes representation and encourages Natural England’s ongoing commitment to increase the accessibility of the trail where possible.