Kent Downs National Landscape Draft Management Plan

The Kent Downs National Landscape partnership is seeking your views on the draft Kent Downs Management Plan 2027–2032 and the Landscape-led Design Handbook.

The Kent Downs is a truly special and varied place: a landscape of drama and intimacy. From ancient woodlands and delicate chalk grasslands to peaceful valleys, oast houses, orchards, and the iconic white cliffs. This is a living landscape rich in nature, history, and beauty. Some species found here exist nowhere else in Britain.

Around 74,000 people live within the Kent Downs, and more than two million live within ten kilometres of its boundary. It’s a treasured escape on the doorstep of some of the South East’s busiest towns and cities.

The draft Management Plan sets out how we care for, manage, and enhance the Kent Downs National Landscape - a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - for the years ahead.

The Plan's development was informed by a survey in which more than 1,200 people and organisations shared what they value about the landscape, what makes it special, and what matters most for its future care and enjoyment.

Responses highlighted the Kent Downs’ ancient woodlands, chalk grasslands, orchards, peaceful valleys, wildlife, heritage and iconic white cliffs as some of its most valued features, alongside its strong sense of peace, escape and everyday connection to nature.

To find out more about the key changes to the draft Management Plan since the last Plan, use the tab below (next to the questionnaire) or visit the Documents section.

More information on the draft Management Plan and the process is available from the FAQs and the Kent Downs website.

The Landscape-led Design Handbook provides practical design guidance to promote landscape sensitive design that contributes to the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty and special qualities of the National Landscape as a whole, and the distinctiveness of its individual character areas. It also provides guidance for proposals which have the potential to affect the setting of the Kent Downs including views into and from it.

Kent Downs Management PlanLandscape-led Design Handbook


A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Report has been completed on the draft Management Plan to make sure there are no unintended negative effects from the Plan on the environment or on the important habitats in the area. A Non-technical Summary of the SEA is available from this webpage.

The Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) for the draft Management Plan is also available to view and comment on.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ReportSEA Non-technical SummaryEquality Impact Assessment (EqIA)


Have your say

By taking part in this consultation, you will help make sure that the Management Plan, Landscape-led Design Handbook, and supporting documents are as good as they can be, and support the future conservation and enhancement of this special place for everyone. Thank you for taking the time to help us.

You can tell us your views by completing the online questionnaire.

Complete the questionnaire


If you cannot complete the online version, a Word version is available to download from this webpage, which you can complete and return either by email or post.

If you have questions or need any support to take part in the consultation, you can contact us via the contact details under the 'Who's listening' section on this webpage.

Please make sure your response reaches us before the consultation closes on 19 July 2026.

The Kent Downs National Landscape partnership is seeking your views on the draft Kent Downs Management Plan 2027–2032 and the Landscape-led Design Handbook.

The Kent Downs is a truly special and varied place: a landscape of drama and intimacy. From ancient woodlands and delicate chalk grasslands to peaceful valleys, oast houses, orchards, and the iconic white cliffs. This is a living landscape rich in nature, history, and beauty. Some species found here exist nowhere else in Britain.

Around 74,000 people live within the Kent Downs, and more than two million live within ten kilometres of its boundary. It’s a treasured escape on the doorstep of some of the South East’s busiest towns and cities.

The draft Management Plan sets out how we care for, manage, and enhance the Kent Downs National Landscape - a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - for the years ahead.

The Plan's development was informed by a survey in which more than 1,200 people and organisations shared what they value about the landscape, what makes it special, and what matters most for its future care and enjoyment.

Responses highlighted the Kent Downs’ ancient woodlands, chalk grasslands, orchards, peaceful valleys, wildlife, heritage and iconic white cliffs as some of its most valued features, alongside its strong sense of peace, escape and everyday connection to nature.

To find out more about the key changes to the draft Management Plan since the last Plan, use the tab below (next to the questionnaire) or visit the Documents section.

More information on the draft Management Plan and the process is available from the FAQs and the Kent Downs website.

The Landscape-led Design Handbook provides practical design guidance to promote landscape sensitive design that contributes to the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty and special qualities of the National Landscape as a whole, and the distinctiveness of its individual character areas. It also provides guidance for proposals which have the potential to affect the setting of the Kent Downs including views into and from it.

Kent Downs Management PlanLandscape-led Design Handbook


A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Report has been completed on the draft Management Plan to make sure there are no unintended negative effects from the Plan on the environment or on the important habitats in the area. A Non-technical Summary of the SEA is available from this webpage.

The Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) for the draft Management Plan is also available to view and comment on.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ReportSEA Non-technical SummaryEquality Impact Assessment (EqIA)


Have your say

By taking part in this consultation, you will help make sure that the Management Plan, Landscape-led Design Handbook, and supporting documents are as good as they can be, and support the future conservation and enhancement of this special place for everyone. Thank you for taking the time to help us.

You can tell us your views by completing the online questionnaire.

Complete the questionnaire


If you cannot complete the online version, a Word version is available to download from this webpage, which you can complete and return either by email or post.

If you have questions or need any support to take part in the consultation, you can contact us via the contact details under the 'Who's listening' section on this webpage.

Please make sure your response reaches us before the consultation closes on 19 July 2026.

  • Have your say!

    The Kent Downs National Landscape partnership is seeking your views on the draft Kent Downs Management Plan, Landscape-led Design Handbook and supporting assessments, and have provided this questionnaire for you to give your feedback. 

    We recommend you read the Draft Management Plan and Landscape-led Design Handbook (or the sections most relevant to you) before responding to this questionnaire.

    The questionnaire is split into five sections:

    • Section 1 - About You
    • Section 2 - The Kent Downs Management Plan
    • Section 3 - Landscape-led Design Handbook
    • Section 4 - Supporting Assessments
    • Section 5 - Equality Monitoring


    We recognise the Kent Downs Management Plan and accompanying Landscape-led Design Handbook cover a wide range of topics and a large geographic area. Please don’t feel you need to answer all the questions. You can respond to as many of the sections or questions as you wish. If you would prefer not comment on a section or question, please move on to the next one. Please remember to click through to the end of the questionnaire and submit your response.  

    All responses are welcome and will be carefully considered. Comments supported by evidence or specific examples will be especially helpful in shaping the final Management Plan, Landscape-led Design Handbook and supporting assessments. 

    Please do not include any personal information that could identify you or anyone else in any of your answers.

    In line with other local authorities and government departments, we ask people to register to take part in some activities on Let’s Talk Kent. We do this to give people the opportunity to choose to be kept informed and to protect the integrity of our consultations from individuals and groups who may attempt to unduly influence the outcomes of the consultation. It also means that when you submit your response you will receive a copy by email for your own records. As with all our consultations a Word version of the questionnaire is available from the consultation webpage for people who would prefer not to complete the online version. 

    Privacy: Kent County Council (KCC) is hosting this questionnaire on behalf of the Kent Downs National Landscape team. KCC is the employing authority for the team. When we refer to KCC in the Privacy Policy it includes them. KCC collects and processes personal information in order to provide a range of public services. KCC respects the privacy of individuals and endeavours to ensure personal information is collected fairly, lawfully, and in compliance with the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Read the full Privacy Policy.

    Complete questionnaire