Public consultation opens for ambitious new five-year plan for Shropshire Hills National Landscape

A new five-year plan, ‘Thriving in Balance with Nature,’ designed to steer the future of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, has officially opened for public consultation. The comprehensive strategy, rooted in the area's legal designation to conserve and enhance natural beauty, seeks to address pressing environmental challenges and foster a sustainable future for this cherished region.

The ambitious vision outlined in the plan encompasses a restored natural environment, a stabilised and resilient climate, clean water systems, sustained land, healthy and thriving communities, and a deepened appreciation for the Shropshire Hills as a special place.

Phil Holden, manager of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Team, highlighted the urgency of the initiative. "While there's already a significant amount of positive activity across all these topics by many individuals and organisations, some environmental aspects are still deteriorating," he noted. "Collectively, we need to amplify our positive actions and carefully consider what forms of progress and development can genuinely meet people’s needs while simultaneously sustaining our environment."

Developed through a broad partnership, the draft plan integrates local priorities with wider influences, including global environmental changes and national policies. It aims to serve as a guiding framework for landowners, organisations, and individuals, shaping the future management of the Shropshire Hills landscape.

Alex Carson-Taylor, chair of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Partnership, elaborated on the plan's key tenets. "The plan advocates for enhanced care of existing valuable features and the creation of better-connected habitats for wildlife, including woodlands, trees, meadows, and wetlands," he explained. "We are committed to forging a new sustainable future for farming and land management, working closely with farmer groups to provide support and advice."

Carson-Taylor stressed the plan's focus on significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, alongside concerted efforts to clean up rivers and re-naturalise their channels and upper catchments to mitigate flooding. Furthermore, the plan seeks to broaden public engagement with the outdoors for health and wellbeing, cultivate a thriving regenerative economy that benefits both the environment and local communities, and foster a deeper connection to nature, cultural heritage, and local food.

The plan also includes specific policies to influence decisions impacting the area and recommends actionable steps for partners to implement. It champions a shared responsibility, inviting organisations, land managers, businesses, communities, and individuals to play their part in safeguarding this unique landscape.

Councillor James Owen, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for housing and leisure, underscored the plan's statutory importance. "The vision for the Shropshire Hills National Landscape and for coordinated action to conserve and enhance it is clearly set out in this statutory Plan," he stated. "Based on local partnership and consensus, the Plan aims to guide and inspire action to meet the purposes of designation and apply local solutions to local challenges." The plan was prepared by the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Team on behalf of both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council.

The draft '2025-30 Shropshire Hills Management Plan' is available for download from the Shropshire Hills National Landscape website, where an online form for submitting comments is also provided. The public consultation will conclude at the end of July 2025.

For those seeking to learn more, the Shropshire Hills Summer Forum will be held on Thursday, June 5th, at Rushbury Village Hall, near Church Stretton. The event will offer presentations, information stands, and field visits. Further details and booking information can be found on the Shropshire Hills National Landscape website, or by contacting the team via email at shropshirehills-nl@shropshire.gov.uk or by telephone at 01743 254740.