How is an area designated?

Designation means giving an area special legal protection as a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Natural England is responsible for considering which areas in England meet the criteria, set down in law, for being included in a National Park or AONB, and whether to proceed with their designation. To do this we carry out assessments, consult with people and manage the legal process that results in an area being designated.

The final decision, however, lies with the Secretary of State. An area only becomes a National Park or AONB when the Secretary of State confirms its designation.

This section provides a summary of the method we use to assess whether an area meets the criteria for designation as a National Park or AONB. More detailed information about our method can be found in the Supporting Documents, which are available from the Downloads page on this website.