[F1(A1)In exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in an area of outstanding natural beauty in England, a relevant authority other than a devolved Welsh authority must seek to further the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area of outstanding natural beauty.

(A2)In exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in an area of outstanding natural beauty in England, a devolved Welsh authority must have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area of outstanding natural beauty.]

(1)In exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in an area of outstanding natural beauty [F2in Wales], a relevant authority shall have regard to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area of outstanding natural beauty.

[F3(1A)The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about how a relevant authority is to comply with the duty under subsection (A1) (including provision about things that the authority may, must or must not do to comply with the duty).]

(2)The following are relevant authorities for the purposes of this section—

(a)any Minister of the Crown,

(b)any public body,

(c)any statutory undertaker,

(d)any person holding public office.

(3)In subsection (2)—

• [F4“devolved Welsh authority” has the same meaning as in the Government of Wales Act 2006 (see, in particular, section 157A of that Act);]

• “public body” includes

  (a)

  a county council, county borough council, district council, parish council or community council;

  (b)

  a joint planning board within the meaning of section 2 of the M1Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

  (c)

  a joint committee appointed under section 102(1)(b) of the M2Local Government Act 1972;

  (d)

  F5...

  (e)

  [F6a corporate joint committee established by regulations made under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021;]

• “public office” means—

  (a)

  an office under Her Majesty;

  (b)

  an office created or continued in existence by a public general Act; or

  (c)

  an office the remuneration in respect of which is paid out of money provided by Parliament

• [F7“statutory undertaker” means a person who is or is deemed to be a statutory undertaker for the purposes of any provision of Part 11 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990].