4.22.1 Druridge Bay stretches from the rocky shores of Amble and Hauxley in the north to Cresswell in the south. The Bay is backed by extensive low-lying dunes increasing in height towards the northern end. Inland there is a low-lying agricultural plain, the landscape of which has been changed due to opencast mining. Pools formed by mining subsidence, or as a result of restoration and landscaping following opencasting, have become important wildlife habitats, including Hauxley Nature Reserve, Druridge Pool, Cresswell Ponds and the Druridge Bay Country Park Lake. Within the immediate hinterland of Druridge Bay, there are important historic features at Cresswell Tower and Chibburn Preceptory and these can appropriately be included within the proposed area for designation. East of the A1068 is the East Chevington Opencast Coal Site, which has now ceased production and is currently under restoration and aftercare. Restoration works are to include the provision of a large area of wetland habitat and substantial tree planting as well as restoration to agricultural land.

4.22.2 Given the extensive "public" ownership of the dunes and hinterland of Druridge Bay (owners include Castle Morpeth Borough Council, Northumberland County Council, the National Trust and Northumberland Wildlife Trust) there is great scope for co-operation with a view to achieving a co-ordinated management plan for the Bay. The County Council has prepared a Northumberland Coast Management Plan (1993) within which management proposals are envisaged for the Bay area. The Council's role in such a team will be very important as almost the whole of the Bay is contained within the Borough. In October 1995, the former Countryside Commission officially included the coastline at Druridge Bay within the North Northumberland Heritage Coast, in response to a recommendation contained within the Northumberland Coast Management Plan. The Council welcomes this inclusion, however, the remainder of the North Northumberland Heritage Coast includes a significant area of hinterland, extending in some areas as far inland as the A1068, but this is not the case for Druridge Bay Given the improvements that have occurred in the area and those that are due to commence, the Council aspires to the incorporation of the hinterland at Druridge Bay into the North Northumberland Heritage Coast which now extends at present from Berwick upon Tweed to The Scars, Cresswell. Accordingly, this will be considered as part of the review of the local plan and in consultation with the Countryside Agency, Northumberlanf County Council and other interested parties. Policy C3 of the Local Plan already proposes the designation of Druridge Bay as an Area of High Landscape Value.