Proposed cuts to England’s most beautiful landscapes pose an “existential threat”, the managers of the National Landscapes Association have warned.

These 46 regions, including the Chilterns, the Cotswolds, the Wye Valley and the north Pennines, used to be known as areas of outstanding natural beauty but were renamed this year as “national landscapes”. They cover 15% of England, including 20% of the coastline.

However, those who run the parks have said the environment secretary, Steve Reed, has given no assurances about the budget for the national landscapes. The day-to-day spending budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will be cut by 2% in the financial year 2025-26. It is understood this will be spread across departments, and the national landscapes teams have been told to expect a 12% cut.