Five members of the National Landscapes family secure over £5 million in National Lottery Heritage Fund investment - National landscapes Association

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced that three National Landscapes in England, and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Northern Ireland (AONBs), have been awarded over £5 million of development funding between them through its ambitious Landscape Connections programme.

Arnside & Silverdale, Cornwall and Shropshire Hills National Landscapes, along with Mourne and the Ring of Guillion and Strangford and Lecale AONBs, will all receive this initial injection of funding with the potential for a further £42.6m in delivery grants.

Landscape Connections is a £150m, 10-year investment to help designated protected landscapes and other world-class landscapes across the UK to become better for nature and people.

John Watkins, Chief Executive of the National Landscapes Association, said: “This is fantastic news and a real testament to the vision, dedication and partnership working of the teams. All five projects demonstrate exactly what National Landscapes do so well, bringing communities together, restoring nature, celebrating heritage and creating opportunities for people to connect more deeply with the places they love. Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help ensure these special landscapes continue to thrive for generations to come. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact these projects will have for people, nature and place."