North Yorkshire Council

Climate change impact assessment

The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.

This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.

If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk

Version 2: amended 11 August 2021

Title of proposal	Approval and Adoption of Nidderdale National Landscape (NNL) & Howardian Hills National Landscape (HHNL) Management Plans
Brief description of proposal	Adoption of the Management Plan for Nidderdale National Landscape and Howardian Hills National Landscape, falls within the responsibility of North Yorkshire Council, as per the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which requires local authorities whose area includes a National Landscape to prepare and review on a 5-yearly cycle management plans for that protected landscape. The Plan sets out objectives relevant to the designated area to deliver the statutory purpose to conserve and enhance natural beauty.
Directorate	Environment
Service area	Environment and Sustainability
Lead officer	Iain Mann & Ellie Hook
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment	Shaun Berry
Date impact assessment started	27/10/2025

Options appraisal

Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.

Undertaking the review of the Management Plan is a statutory requirement under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, therefore there are no alternative options available for consideration and North Yorkshire Council must carry out the review.

What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?

Please explain briefly why this will be the result, detailing estimated savings or costs where this is possible.

The proposal is cost neutral.

North Yorkshire Council hosts both the Nidderdale and Howardian Hills National Landscape Teams, which deliver programmes of conservation works in line with the respective Management Plan’s objectives and which convenes the wider partnership that helps to deliver theirs Management Plans. The National Landscape Teams are mainly funded through external funding from Defra, Natural England and other external funding sources.

North Yorkshire Council makes an important match-funding contribution to the ‘core’ grant provided by Defra, which is a requirement of the grant. In the 2024/25 financial year, North Yorkshire Council provided match funding of £182,000 to both National Landscapes as part of the overall £4,169,135 grant funding provided to the Nidderdale and Howardian Hills National Landscape Teams.

Objectives in both draft Management Plans seek to deliver various enhancements to the National Landscape, its local communities, and the ways people can access and enjoy it. While some other North Yorkshire Council services are involved in helping to deliver these objectives, there is no requirement to increase spending by these services and therefore there are no additional financial implications.

How will this proposal impact on the environment? N.B. There may be short term negative impact and longer term positive impact. Please include all potential impacts over the lifetime of a project and provide an explanation.		Positive impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	No impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	Negative impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale? Where possible/relevant please include: · Changes over and above business as usual · Evidence or measurement of effect · Figures for CO₂e · Links to relevant documents	Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.	Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible.
Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.	Emissions from travel	X			NNL: Objective LW-5: Improve public transport and active travel opportunities for visitors to travel to the area and for local residents to access the employment, education and services they need so they can remain active and independent in their communities. HHNL: Support public transport and active travel opportunities for local residents and visitors. Support initiatives to encourage car-free tourism and promote active travel options.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
	Emissions from construction		X
	Emissions from running of buildings	X			NNL: Objective HE-3: Support owners of historic properties and structures to conserve and enhance them, including appropriate climate retrofitting measures, and enable people to understand their significance. HHNL: Reduce the carbon footprint of partnership and staff team activities. Support the installation of appropriate renewable energy infrastructure where it is compatible with the landscape character and special qualities	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
	Emissions from data storage		X
	Other	X			NNL: Objective CC-1: Develop and implement a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the National Landscape to net zero before 2050. Objective CC-2: Work with farmers and landowners to safeguard and increase carbon stored in the landscape through positive land management including restoring 80% of peatland and creating 375 ha of new native tree cover. Objective CC-6: Support the installation of small-scale renewable energy infrastructure where it is compatible with conserving and enhancing natural beauty and avoids cumulative impact on landscape character. During this Management Plan period to 2030, the creation of a GHG reduction pathway will provide clear milestones by sector for emissions reductions and land-based carbon sequestration. Current (area-based) emissions for Nidderdale National Landscape by sector in kt CO₂e are: · Industry: 7.1 · Commercial and Public Sector: 4.4 · Domestic: 20.9 · Transport: 31.7 · LULUCF (net): -19.3 · Agriculture: 150.6 · Waste: 1.2 Total emissions (most recent dataset from 2023) are 196.6 kt CO₂e, which will therefore equal the expected emissions reductions before 2050. The development of the pathway will enable a clearer timetable to net zero to be set, which should be in line with regional ambitions. HHNL: Develop and implement a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reaching Net Zero by 2050. Reduce the carbon footprint of partnership and staff team activities.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic			X
Reduce water consumption			X
Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)		X			NNL: Objective LW-1: Work with farmers and landowners to encourage farming practices in the National Landscape that support profitable farm businesses and improvements for the environment, with 70% of farm holdings participating in agri-environment schemes. Objective LA-1: Work with farmers, landowners and water companies to improve natural river processes and water quality across the National Landscape, including actions in place to achieve good ecological status or potential on 70% of watercourses. Objective LA-4: Reduce levels of light pollution and increase awareness of Nidderdale’s nationally significant dark night skies. HHNL: Retain the quality of the dark night skies, reduce levels of light pollution and increase awareness of the area’s nationally significant dark night skies. Ensure development does not increase levels of light or noise pollution.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers		X			NNL: Objective CC-3: Develop and begin to deliver a landscape-scale climate adaptation plan for the National Landscape. Objective CC-4: Work with farmers and landowners to improve soil health across the National Landscape to increase landscape resilience, including supporting 25% of farm holding to adopt nature-friendly regenerative farming practices. Objective LA-5: Develop and deliver landscape-scale initiatives in partnership with farmers and landowners to conserve and enhance the National Landscape including catchment-level natural flood management, invasive species control, undergrounding overhead powerlines and a new Landscape Connections programme. HHNL: Raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and the actions required to increase resilience. Work with land managers to safeguard and increase carbon stored in the landscape through positive land management and improvements to soil health.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
Enhance conservation and wildlife		X			NNL: Objective NR-1: Ensure effective species recovery, so that the diversity and abundance of species within the National Landscape increases. Objective NR-2: Work with landowners and moorland gamekeepers to enhance moorlands by restoring peatland for nature and climate, creating strategic new moorland mosaic habitat and working to get 80% of moorland SSSI on track to achieve good condition. Objective NR-3: Work with farmers and landowners to support grassland conservation by restoring or enhancing 500 ha of priority grassland habitats and supporting farm holdings to participate in appropriate grassland agri-environment options. Objective NR-4: Work with farmers and landowners to increase new native tree cover, support 70% of existing woodland into good management and restore 100 ha of plantation on ancient woodland. Objective NR-5: Work with farmers and landowners to create or restore 150 wetland habitats, ensure 50% of existing wetland habitat is in good management and work to enhance the ecological status of the National Landscape’s watercourses. Objective NR-6: Continue work to safeguard birds of prey and prevent their illegal persecution in the National Landscape. HHNL: Develop and deliver appropriate landscape-scale initiatives for nature recovery. Ensure that existing Natural Environment Priority Sites, Special Interest Roads Verges and key sites for characteristic species receive appropriate, effective protection and management. Encourage and assist with the restoration of habitats in poor condition that retain significant ecological potential, particularly Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites and watercourses and wetlands not in Good Ecological Status. Encourage and assist with the creation of new habitats, particularly broadleaved woodlands, native trees, hedgerows, watercourses, wetlands, grasslands and verges, to buffer, extend and link existing sites, increase connectivity and create a resilient network of species corridors. Support effective species recovery, so that the diversity and abundance of species increase. Encourage appropriate programmes for re-introduction of native plant and animal species, such as beaver, red squirrel and pine marten. Support the maintenance and use of locally sourced, native plants. Monitor the incidence and impacts of pests and disease and support delivery of appropriate mitigation strategies. Monitor and support management and control of invasive non-native species. Encourage land managers to take up appropriate Government funding and support mechanisms to balance nature, farming, and forestry, support regenerative practices and maintain the character of the area. Encourage the sustainable management of woodland, wood pasture, parklands and traditional orchards, increasing tree cover and providing favourable habitat for priority woodland species. Promote the incorporation of natural regeneration of appropriate native tree and shrub species in restocking plans. Support work to improve natural river processes and water quality to achieve good ecological status. Assist communities with creating, managing and enhancing nature within and adjacent to their settlements. Retain the quality of the dark night skies, reduce levels of light pollution and increase awareness of the area’s nationally significant dark night skies. Ensure development does not increase levels of light or noise pollution. Encourage and support the conservation of important local geodiversity sites and features to ensure that they are in 'favourable' or 'recovering' condition. Improve monitoring of sites, habitats and species through surveys, data collection, recording and research.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.
Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape		X			NNL: Objective HE-1: Identify heritage assets at risk and work with landowners to support activities that improve their condition, including reducing the number of nationally designated heritage assets at risk. Objective HE-2: Increase understanding and appreciation of the National Landscape’s cultural heritage and historic environment. Objective LA-2: Develop planning policy that ensures all new development is appropriate in terms of scale, location and design quality in the context of Nidderdale National Landscape. Objective LA-3: Oppose proposals for major development and ensure applications for other development are consistent with conserving and enhancing natural beauty, both in the National Landscape and its setting. Objective LA-6: Promote and celebrate the special qualities of the National Landscape. HHNL: Ensure that all relevant Plans, Strategies and Policies recognise the need to conserve and enhance the character and special qualities of the area and its setting. Ensure Planning Policy requires all new development to be appropriate in terms of scale, location and design quality and the area’s ‘sense of place’. Produce guidance specifying character, location and size of acceptable development which protects the character and special qualities of the area. Play an active role in implementation of the planning process to ensure character, location and size of development is acceptable and maintaining effective consultation arrangements between the Local Planning Authorities and the Joint Advisory Committee.	No negative impacts.	Successful delivery will be achieved through a partnership approach.