One of Friends of the Lake District’s key roles is to respond to planning application consultations from the nine Local Planning Authorities across the whole of the county. We generally respond to applications that we consider would harm the landscape and natural environment of Cumbria and the Lake District.
The contents of each planning application we are consulted on are studied. We have no broad policy of objecting to particular types of development, we will only object to an application if we consider that it causes landscape damage. So for example a wind turbine in one place in Cumbria may have a significant impact on the natural environment and landscape, but a similar height turbine somewhere else in the county would not, as the landscape in this area is not as sensitive to wind energy development.
Together with the expertise of our staff, we use planning policy guidance at local and national level to help us evaluate landscape damage. We also use Landscape Character Guidance from Cumbria County Council and the Lake District National Park along with a specific Wind Energy Guidance for the county.
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