83% of Rother District falls within the High Weald National Landscape – a landscape of national importance which was designated as an Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1983.

High Weald AONB Management Plan 2024 – 2029

The High Weald AONB Management Plan is the single most important document for the AONB. The Plan provides a means by which all public bodies can judge, and be judged on, their duty to seek to further conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the AONB. It is a material consideration in relation to the determination of planning applications. It also provides a guide for residents, businesses and visitors on the actions they can take to help safeguard this special area.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires local authorities with land in an AONB to prepare and publish an up-to-date plan which ‘formulates their policy for the management of the area and for the carrying out of their functions in relation to it’. In the High Weald this requirement is met through the High Weald Joint Advisory Committee (JAC), a partnership which includes all 15 local authorities covering the area together with community, environment and land-based sector representatives.

The Plan includes:

• A Vision for the future of the High Weald
• A Statement of Significance defining the natural beauty of the High Weald
• Character statements, including a list of key characteristics, describing the components of natural beauty that policy and actions should aim to conserve and enhance
• Data and information about the High Weald’s natural and cultural assets
• A set of management policies (‘Objectives’) for the conservation and enhancement of the AONB together with a monitoring framework for judging success
• Proposed Actions which indicate the ambitions of partners for themselves, and for others, and which guide resources and effort to where they are most needed
• A set of programmes, principles for action and investment strategy for a range of cross cutting themes which address current and future major challenges
• References to evidence and supporting information.

View the High Weald AONB via our Online Mapping System

To view the Management Plan or for further information please visit the High Weald National Landscape website via the following link: AONB Management Plan – High Weald