Whereas, as mentioned in section 18(1) of the Agriculture Act 19861, it appears to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (“the Minister”) that it is particularly desirable—

(1)

to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the areas referred to in Part 1 of Schedules 1 to 6 to the following Order;

(2)

to conserve the flora and fauna and geological and physiographical features of those areas; and

(3)

to protect buildings and other objects of historic interest in those areas;

And whereas, as mentioned in the said section 18(1), it appears to the Minister that the maintenance or adoption of the agricultural methods specified in Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 (as the case may be) to the following Order are likely to facilitate the aforementioned conservation, enhancement and protection;

Now, therefore, the Minister, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 18(1) and (4)(d)2 of the said Act, and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, with the consent of the Treasury and after consultation with the Secretary of State, the Countryside Agency and the Nature Conservancy Council for England3 as to the inclusion of the areas referred to in article 3 of the following Order and the features of those areas for which conservation, enhancement and protection are desirable, hereby makes the following Order: