Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce legislative proposals to enshrine the concept of a listed landscape. [204222]

George Eustice, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for farming, food and marine environment: National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are well established national landscape designations that define areas with particular landscape qualities that merit protection. They are the jewels in the crown of our country’s landscape and are given the strongest protection from damaging development.

While DEFRA has no plans to introduce legislation to identify listed landscapes, English Heritage maintains a 'Register of Historic Parks and Gardens’ which identifies over 1,600 sites assessed to be of national importance.

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