Lake District Local Plan Review The Inspectors’ report on the Lake District National Park Authority’s Local Plan has now been published. The Inspectors consider the Plan to be sound, subject to their recommended modifications being incorporated into the document. Expand Update 25th March 2021 The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) will consider the Local Plan for adoption on 19th May 2021, taking into account the Inspectors’ report. If the LDNPA adopt the Plan it will supersede all current local plan documents for the Park, including the 2016 extension areas (which are currently still covered by SLDC/Eden planning policy). The Inspectors’ report on the new LDNPA Local Plan has now been published. The Inspectors consider the Plan to be ‘sound’, and have recommended it for adoption subject to certain modifications being incorporated into the document. While not all changes we would have liked to see are proposed to be included, we are pleased that the Inspectors’ report upholds many of the positive changes that we helped to secure, including adding a policy on major development; strengthening the requirement for landscape impact assessments; reducing the size of the Sheepdog Field housing site at Keswick and another site at Bootle; adding a definition of tranquillity and referring to avoiding light pollution first rather than just minimising it. We are also pleased to see that the Inspectors have included some of the additional changes we sought during the most recent consultation, including detailed wording regarding the implementation of the major development policy and the definition of biodiversity net gain. These points appear minor but could be very important in specific planning cases. We are disappointed however to see that the Inspectors have not put forward some of our suggested changes such as: strengthening the reference to protecting tranquillity by removing the words ‘where appropriate’; a requirement for a proportionate landscape impact assessment to be included in all planning applications as set out in recently adopted plans for other protected landscapes; reinstating references to Green Infrastructure – these have all been replaced with ‘Local Green Space’, despite our objections and those of Natural England; deleting some sites or reducing them in size. Overall, we are very happy with the changes that we have helped to secure in the Plan, several of which the Inspectors stated the Plan would have been ‘unsound’ without. Thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this. You can find the Inspectors’ report and associated documents here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review/examination/examination-news Update 9th December 2020 Our response to the Lake District National Park’s consultation on the main changes proposed to the emerging Local Plan can be found here: FLD Main Mods Response (pdf) Update 29th October 2020 The Lake District National Park Authority has now issued a consultation on the main changes that are proposed to the emerging Local Plan following the Examination hearings late last year. Comments can be made on the changes between 29th October 2020 and 11th December 2020. We will be responding to this consultation. If you wish to respond, please ensure you read the guidance on responding to the consultation carefully as this is a formal stage in the plan-preparation process and specific regulations apply. More information about the consultation and guidance on how to respond can be found on the Lake District National Park Authority website at this link Update 24th March 2020 The Lake District National Park Authority has issued a statement on their Local Plan Examination News page to let people know that due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, the expected consultation on changes to the Local Plan will not be held until later in the year. Keep an eye on the Local Plan Examination News page for further updates. The process of preparing the Lake District National Park’s new Local Plan is now in its final formal stages. The Plan will set out planning policies against which all planning applications will be judged, as well as identifying sites for new development. Update 5th February 2020 We are really pleased to see that a number of the changes we suggested to the Lake District National Park’s new Local Plan have been accepted by Inspectors following the Examination hearings late last year. The Inspectors that are conducting and examination into the Plan have issued a post-hearing letter detailing several changes they wish to see to the Plan, some of which require further work to be undertaken by the National Park Authority. These requests are in light of discussions in the hearing sessions and their own consideration of all the various documentation. In particular, we welcome the Inspectors’ agreement with our concerns that a policy setting out locally relevant criteria to determine what constitutes Major Development in the context of the National Park should be included in the Plan. In addition, we welcome the Inspectors’ request that the Authority should, using the new major development policy, reassess which Plan proposals are likely to constitute major development and whether they would pass the exceptional circumstances test. This is particularly relevant in relation to some of the larger housing developments proposed in the Plan and also to proposals for any other significant developments, such as cable cars. Amongst the other welcome changes requested by the inspectors are a reductions in the areas of some of the proposed development sites in the Plan. We drew to the Inspectors’ attention evidence from the previous Local Plan preparation stage that excluded from development a large area of the Sheepdog Field site at Keswick on landscape grounds. The Inspectors have agreed with that assessment. Another site that the Inspectors have asked to be reduced is a large site at Bootle. The Inspectors have also asked for the National Park Authority to provide further evidence into the viability of the proposals in the Plan. Further information about the requests made by the Inspectors can be found here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1838189/INS012-post-hearings-letter-to-LDNPA-January-2020.pdf It is important to note that the Examination is not yet over. It is likely that there will be a consultation on a more detailed list of changes to the Plan once the further work required to respond to the Inspectors’ letter is completed. This consultation is likely to cover additional issues as well as those that are raised in the Inspectors’ letter. Following that, the Plan will be amended and the Inspectors will issue a final report that will confirm whether or not they consider the Plan to be ‘sound’. Keep an eye out for general updates about the progress of the Examination here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review/examination/examination-news Update 26 November 2019 Public Examination of Local Plan review begins The Examination of the Lake District National Park Authority’s new Local Plan is under way. The Plan sets out planning policies against which all planning applications will be judged, and identifies sites for new development. The public hearings in front of independent Planning Inspectors run from 26 November until 5 December at the National Park offices at Murley Moss, Oxenholme. We will be giving our view that the Plan needs to re-focus on conservation and landscape enhancement rather than prioritising tourism growth and man-made attractions. Anyone can attend the hearings to observe. Find out more, including hearing timetable, here>. Update 30 October 2019 The process of preparing the Lake District National Park’s new Local Plan is now in its final formal stages. The Plan will set out planning policies against which all planning applications will be judged, as well as identifying sites for new residential and employment development. Two government-appointed Inspectors are currently conducting an Examination of the ‘soundness’ of the Plan and this will include public hearings to be held during the final week of November and the first week of December. Following the hearings, it is likely that there will be a consultation on any changes to be made to the Plan before the Inspectors issue their decision as to whether the Plan is appropriate to be adopted by the National Park Authority as the replacement for their existing plan. You can find out more at https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review/examination Update 7th October 2019 Friends of the Lake District is now in receipt of a draft timetable of the Local Plan hearings. Preliminary hearings are currently scheduled to take place over two weeks commencing 25 November, probably sitting Tuesday to Thursday each week. We have also received a list of the main issues and questions that Inspectors have raised about the content of the Lake District National Park Authority's 'Local Plan' document. The Local Plan document is a set of policies used to inform decisions on planning applications and appeals, and a local planning authority should review its Local Plan at regular intervals to assess whether some or all of it may need updating. In the case of the Lake District, the planning authority is the Lake District National Park Authority and this update will be the key document informing and influencing its planning decisions for many years to come. The Secretary of State has appointed Sarah Housden BA(Hons) MRTPI and Kelly Ford MSc, MRTPI to undertake the independent examination into whether the Lake District National Park Local Plan is sound and complies with all the legal requirements. The criteria for soundness are whether the Plan’s policies are positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy. Key points are: A draft timetable has been received for the Local Plan hearings – it can change and it is up to individuals to keep checking the website to ensure they have the latest version (they can change a lot, and can change even during the hearings as the Inspectors have to do their best accommodate those who have the right to speak). Members of the public can attend the hearings but only those who commented on the Publication version of the Plan and seek changes to it have the right to speak – see the Examination Information Note for more details. A list of the main issues and questions that the inspectors have about the plan has also been issued – these indicate what areas/aspects of the Local Plan the Inspectors feel it is necessary to focus on in the hearings. Everyone who commented on the Publication version of the Plan should have received this information directly You'll find further documentation relating to this hearing on the LDNPA website at the following locations: https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review/examination/core-document-library https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review/examination Update 24th July 2019 The recent consultation generated 521 responses from 137 individuals and organisations, according to the Lake District National Park Authority's updated Local Plan review webpage. We expect the Local Plan to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in August. Based on usual procedure for the next stage of this process, we would expect public hearings to take place in November, and we await the next steps with interest. Update 30th May 2019 We have highlighted the Local Plan review previously and the process has now reached the final, formal stages. The final chance to comment on the Lake District National Park’s Local Plan ends at 5pm on Monday 3rd June. It is important that anyone who wants to see changes to the Plan before it is finalised makes their response by this deadline as at this formal stage, it is unlikely late responses will be considered. You can find out more and submit your comments here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review We will be submitting our response before the deadline – you can read what we have to say below: Read our final response to this consultation here, with cover letter here. The new Local Plan will inform new development in the National Park over the next 15 years. Update 20th May 2019 Tourism growth and the landscape - Our concerns about the ability of the Lake District to cope with ever-growing numbers of visitors and a focus on tourism-related developments and the growth of ‘attractions’ remain. The Plan notes current numbers of tourists and the steady increase of around 5% per year but it does not acknowledge that this means there’ll be 45.9million tourists per year by the end of the Plan period compared to 20m now. Many ways in which related issues can be addressed lie outside of the planning system, but we’d like to see the planning policies clearly recognising this and the impacts it will have. This includes ensuring that developments protect landscape character, the Special Qualities and the visitor experience but it also requires a strong focus on supporting those activities that clearly represent quiet enjoyment and modes of travel that reflect he designation rather than promoting built ‘attractions’, activities and transport options that are at odds with the designations, legislation and policy that protect the Lake District. Update 15th May 2019 Light pollution and tranquility – In our response to the previous consultation, we asked for consideration of a policy or policies covering dark skies, light pollution and tranquility. Update 1st May 2019 The Lake District Local Plan - Affordable Housing - We are concerned that the Local Plan sets the site size threshold for requiring affordable housing on new developments at 5 or more. It was previously set at 3 in the previous local plan and the earlier draft of this local plan. We accept this reflects a change to National Policy, but a recently adopted local plan document for the Arnside & Silverdale AONB shows that where there is local evidence and justification, a different approach is acceptable. In order to reflect local evidence of affordable housing need and the stated aim of maximising affordable housing delivery, we would like the original threshold of 3 to be reinstated, or for the Plan to be supported by evidence as to why the threshold of 3 could not be retained. Final public consultation on the revised Lake District Local Plan runs until 5pm on June 3rd. This consultation represents your last real chance to get involved and influence the content of the park’s ‘Local Plan’ so we would urge you to submit a response online and make yourself heard. Visit the link for more information on submitting your response. https://www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/news/local-plan-consultation-now-open Update 23rd April 2019 Major development and the Gondola We are concerned that some of the proposals in the Local Plan have the potential to be major development. This includes some allocations, some developments proposed in the distinctive area polices and some proposals in the showcase areas and infrastructure policy. National planning policy includes a presumption against major development in national parks. We think that proposals in the plan should therefore be supported by evidence to demonstrate either that they are not major development and why OR how they meet requirements to be an exception to this policy. Although specific reference to a gondola cable car at Whinlatter has been removed, the LDNPA has made clear that it is still an option. The Plan cannot list specific projects that would not be suitable, but we would like the Plan to make clear that gondolas, and similar development undoubtedly has the potential to be major development and is therefore highly unlikely to be appropriate or acceptable in the National Park. Update 16th April 2019 Read our initial response to the revised Local Plan Available at this link: Response to the revised Local Plan Update 8th April 2019 The Lake District National Park Local Plan Consultation is now OPEN Final public consultation on the revised Lake District Local Plan begins today (8th April) and runs until 5pm on June 3rd. This consultation represents your last real chance to get involved and influence the content of the park’s ‘Local Plan’ so we would urge you to submit a response online and make yourself heard. A 'Local Plan' is a set of policies used to inform decisions on planning applications and appeals, and a local planning authority should review its Local Plan at regular intervals to assess whether some or all of it may need updating. In the case of the Lake District, the planning authority is the Lake District National Park Authority and this update will be the key document informing and influencing its planning decisions for many years to come. We welcome some of the changes to the revised plan, but some of our concerns still remain. For example, specific references to the cable car project at Whinlatter have been dropped, but the park authority has made clear that the idea has not been ruled out. A policy identifying 'Showcase Areas' around Windermere, Derwentwater and Ullswater has also been taken out of the plan following concerns that it would intensify tourism development and relax planning controls, but there are still references to showcase areas in the text. You may find it helpful to read our initial response to the revised plan which is available at this link: www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/FAQs/ldnpa-local-plan-review Because this is a legal, formal stage, the rules are very specific on how you should comment and what you can comment on so it is important that you take the time to read the ‘Statement of Representations Procedure’ and ‘Guidance on completing the survey’ before submitting your response. Visit the LDNPA website at the link below to complete and submit your response. You’ll also find the links to supporting documents and guidance on completing the survey. Submit your response We’ll be writing a more detailed response to this consultation in the coming weeks and will make this available online when it is submitted. If you have questions in the meantime or want to let us know your thoughts about the Local Plan then please do get in touch with us by emailing our Planning Officer at [email protected] Update 21st March 2019 Last summer we took part in a consultation on the first draft of a new Local Plan for the Lake District National Park. A 'Local Plan' is a set of policies used to inform decisions on planning applications and appeals. Some 2,700 people responded to last summer's consultation - thank you if you were one of them. In response to the consultation we raised several concerns about the plans, including a focus on economic development rather than landscape conservation; some proposed allocations of land for development and the inclusion of proposal for a gondola cable car at Whinlatter. A revised draft has now been approved by the Lake District National Park Authority for consultation. There have been some welcome changes to the plan, but some of our concerns remain. For example, specific references to the cable car project have been dropped, but the park authority has made clear that the idea has not been ruled out. A policy identifying 'Showcase Areas' around Windermere, Derwentwater and Ullswater has also been taken out of the plan following concerns that it would intensify tourism development and relax planning controls, but there are still references to showcase areas in the text. Some proposed sites for development have been removed from the plan and others have been reduced in size. Changes made to the plan show the importance of residents and anyone else who values the Lake District National Park making their voice heard as part of the consultations. Consultation on the new revised draft will be launched on 8 April for 8 weeks. More details will be in our members' magazine Conserving Lakeland. The revised Plan is already available to read here (pdf). This consultation stage is focused on whether the plan is legally compliant and ‘sound’, that is whether it is ‘positively prepared’, justified, effective and consistent with national policy. Comments at this stage should make clear how they relate to these aspects. Following the consultation, the plan and the comments received during the consultation, will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (expected July/August) and a Government-appointed inspector will carry out a public examination into the legal compliance and soundness of the plan (expected autumn). On this basis, we expect that the document would be adopted and come into force around May 2020. Therefore, the forthcoming consultation is the last real chance for people to get involved and influence the Local Plan’s content, although anyone who comments at this stage can request to speak at the public examination. Keep an eye on the Lake District National Park Authority’s Local Plan review page for details of how to take part in the consultation. 12th October 2018 We recently met with the Lake District National Park Authority‘s Local Plan Team and are keen to continue a dialogue with them as the Local Plan preparation process continues. We understand that it is likely that consultation on the next version of the Plan will take place in Spring 2019. The Lake District National Park Authority will soon be formally issuing a revised timetable for the Plan’s preparation. We also recently attended the launch of the Lake District National Park Authority’s ‘Smarter Travel: A Vision for Sustainable Visitor Travel in the Lake District National Park, 2018-2040’. This document will sit alongside the Local Plan. We agree that it is crucial to find ways of moving visitors around the Park more sustainably, but we do have concerns about some of the approaches being considered. Although no formal consultation on the document is planned, we will liaise with the Lake District National Park Authority to help ensure that the ambitions set out are taken forward in a way that supports the conservation and enhancement of the National Park. 28th June 2018 We have responded to the Lake District National Park Authority's Local Plan review You can find our comments here 27th June 2018 The consultation on the Lake District Local Plan Review closes on 29th June (this Friday). Please see below for information about how to comment. 12th June 2018 We have put together a page setting out our concerns about the Lake District National Park Local Plan Review. You can find the information here : https://www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/news/local-plan-review We have uploaded briefing documents for each of the areas of concern. If you would like to respond to the Local Plan Review, you are welcome to use the information we have published. The Local Plan Review closes on Friday 29th June 31st May 2018 We are currently working our way through the Lake District National Park’s Local Plan Review consultation documents. There is a very large volume of information to read and process. We will share more detailed information about our concerns with you by the end of next week (by 8th June). We have already picked out a number of aspects of the plan that we are concerned about including proposed green field site allocations, transport, car parking and above all, a lack of focus on the actual purposes of the National Park to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Lake District. A 'Local Plan' is a set of policies used to inform decisions on planning applications and appeals, and a local planning authority should review its Local Plan at regular intervals to assess whether some or all of it may need updating. Local Plans are generally reviewed every five years and the Lake District National Park Authority is currently in the process of reviewing the Lake District National Park’s Local Plan and asking for public comment. Its public consultation runs from 8 May until 29 June 2018. More information about the consultation is available on the Lake District National Park’s website: http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review
Revisions to National Planning Policy Framework The proposed changes to the NPPF are relatively few in number, but nevertheless include some important revisions that we very much welcome. Expand We recently responded to a consultation on revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and proposals for a new national design code. The proposed changes to the NPPF are relatively few in number, but nevertheless include some important revisions that we very much welcome. We were particularly pleased to see new text requiring development in the setting of protected landscapes to be sensitively located and designed and a new paragraph focusing onthe importance of trees. We also expressed our support for new text to reinforce the need for sustainable patterns of development, environmental enhancements, public access to nature and mitigating climate change as well as new text requiring development to provide a choice of transport options and active travel. We welcome greater recognition of the wildlife and climate change benefits of open space and a proposed requirement for new development to make as much use as possible of natural flood management techniques. We expressed concerns about some of the proposed changes, such as the failure to recognise environmental capacity when deriving local housing targets, the prematurity of some proposals given the outcomes of other related consultations are not yet known. We also suggested some additions to help further strengthen proposed new text and in some cases, to strengthen existing text. We also welcomed the proposed new national design code, which, it is intended, will guide local authorities in creating locally-specific design codes for their area. There is much to be welcomed in the proposed code, but we highlighted the need for it to be relevant to rural as well as urban areas and provided detail on how it could better take into account landscape and light pollution and the protection of dark skies. We also emphasised the level of resources that would be needed to secure genuine and meaningful public engagement in the process of preparing local design codes. You can see our full response here This consultation was part of the Government’s wider review of the planning system and further consultations are expected in due course.
West Cumbria Coal Mine Coal Mine to go to public enquiry Expand Update 16th March 2021: Coal Mine to go to public enquiry The Government has finally stepped in to review the decision to open a new coal mine in Cumbria. On Friday, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick informed Cumbria County Council that he will ‘call in’ the proposed planning application for the mine – the approval of which would have significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions. This is exactly what we’ve been campaigning for, and is a huge step towards the coal mine being scrapped for good. A Public Inquiry will now be held by an independent Planning Inspector to assess the evidence around climate change, something which has been hard for Cumbria County Council to do objectively due to pressure from local politicians and interest groups. Public pressure has paid off once again. In his letter to the Council, Robert Jenrick stated that he was intervening, in part, because of controversy surrounding the mine. Together with other local and national organisations, we spoke up and our collective voice could not be ignored. Read the government's letter about calling in the coal mine decision here Update 10th February 2021 Friends of the Lake District welcomes Cumbria County Council’s decision to rethink the Whitehaven coal mine Commenting on Cumbria County Council’s decision to reconsider their earlier decision to approve the Whitehaven coal mine, Douglas Chalmers said: “The increase in carbon emissions from this mine alone would amount to more emissions than the Climate Change Committee has projected for all open UK coal mines up to 2050. A new mine jeopardises the UK’s goals of phasing out coal by 2035, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as well as undermining the UK’s COP26 Climate Change Conference Presidency and international credibility. We do not need the mine, 85% of the coal to be produced is for export. “The County Council has the chance to show real leadership in the fight against climate change by recognising Cumbria’s potential to be at the heart of a Green Industrial Revolution. Mining jobs have a fixed timespan. Instead, there is the potential to create jobs that will be sustainable into the future by maximising Cumbria’s significant renewable energy resources and innovating sustainable alternatives to traditional manufacturing processes. Then we could all look forward to the future Cumbria deserves rather than regretting a missed opportunity.” FAQs about the proposed Coal Mine Q: The mine is for coking coal to make steel not for power stations generation, so it's OK isn't it?A: We understand that the coal is for coking plants. It still has a huge carbon cost. The total emissions from the mine (420 million tonnes of CO2) will exceed the whole of the UK’s carbon emissions in 2018. You can read more about this here https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/resources/The_case_against_new_coal_mines_in_the_UK.pdf Q: No one has invented a substitute for steel and it has to be made somewhere. The alternative to the Cumbrian mine is imported coking coal or exporting the steel making jobs.A: The steel industry is fast moving away from using coking coal. By the time the coal mine is up and running, Europe’s steel industry (where the 85% of the coal not used in the UK is supposed to go) will be quickly moving away from use of coking coal and towards hydrogen. Steel making using coking coal is old, dirty technology and the steel industry is quickly innovating to ensure they bring their carbon emissions down https://greenallianceblog.org.uk/2021/02/09/why-europe-doesnt-need-cumbrias-coking-coal/ Q: Imported coal will only ADD to carbon emissions as transport will have to be taken into consideration.A: If there were savings from reduced transportation of coal, these would not cancel out or neutralise the emissions from the mine operations. In the context of the UK’s target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and global efforts to keep carbon emissions in line with a scenario compatible with no more than a 1.5*C increase, absolute reductions of emissions are required, rather than balancing off one set of emissions against another. Q: Without this source of coal the future of British steel is threatened. However burning coking coal won't go away to salve our conscience, it will just move to China where environmental protection is less enforced than in Britain, won't it?A: British Steel will only be using 15% maximum of the extracted coal. Using the import/export emissions argument, the 85% of coal exported from the UK will also cause emissions. British Steel is also moving towards lower carbon models of manufacturing, so it’s unlikely that not opening Woodhouse Mine will cause British Steel to collapse. Q: West Cumbria is a deprived area, with high unemployment and low wage jobs. This mine would help reverse that.A: The Local Government Association estimates that there will be nearly 900 jobs created in West Cumbria thanks to the development of green and low carbon technologies such as offshore wind and low carbon energy generation. We need to take a step for the future now rather than putting it off again and leaving the mess for future generations to deal with. Coal used to be one of our backbone industries, when we had fewer alternatives. The world is different now, we know more about how these industries damage the environment, so we need to look for better, cleaner ways of making things. Local Government Association statistics on green jobs in their report “Local green jobs - accelerating a sustainable economic recovery”: https://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/view/lga-research/estimated-total-number-of-direct-jobs-in-low-carbon-and-renewable-energy-sector Q: The mine would be in Whitehaven, not the Lake District. So why are you objecting?A: Friends of the Lake District covers the whole of Cumbria, and exists to protect the landscape of Cumbria and the Lake District, for the future, for everyone. Q: You're a landscape charity, why are you objecting to this?A: As a charity that campaigns to look after Cumbria and the Lake District, we are very aware of the impact that climate change is having on our landscape and environment. The emissions that this mine will cause will originate from our backyard so to speak. We need to be calling out the danger of climate change to future generations, we need to give them the chance to appreciate the environment of Cumbria and the Lake District. Any process that will increase world carbon emissions this much needs to be opposed. It’s time to force progress on new industrial processes rather than looking back at the old damaging ways of doing things. Update 4th February 2021 Friends of the Lake District signs letter to the Prime Minister protesting the new Cumbria coal mine decision We have joined with 79 other concerned groups and written to the Prime Minister questioning why Robert Jenrick decided not to put the proposed Whitehaven Mine in west Cumbria through a Planning Inquiry process. Read more: Friends of the Lake District signs letter to the Prime Minister protesting the new Cumbria coal mine decision Read the full letter to the Prime Minister about the Cumbria Coal Mine here. 11th January 2021 We were very disappointed to hear on Friday that the Government has decided not to call in Cumbria County Council's decision to allow a new coal mine to be built near Whitehaven. We agree with Friends of the Earth and the World Wide Fund for Nature and others that this is the wrong decision in the face of climate emergency. Read more: Jenrick criticised over decision not to block new Cumbria coal mine 16th October 2020 We, along with several other organisations including the World Wide Fund for Nature, have written to the Secretary of State requesting that he ‘call in’, or reconsider, Cumbria County Council's decision to approve a new coal mine near Whitehaven. An Article 31 holding direction has now been placed on this application, to allow the Secretary of State time to consider whether call in is warranted. This means that Cumbria County Council cannot issue a decision notice until the Secretary of State has decided whether he will call in the application. Our concerns about this proposal relate primarily to climate change, which will affect many aspects of our lives and the environment both within and outside protected landscapes. We recognise that many support the scheme on the basis that it will provide jobs for the area. While this is of course important, we share the view of many others that in the context of climate emergency (as has been declared by the County Council), the economy should be supported in ways that will also help us to avoid or mitigate the issues of climate change, and not in ways that will further exacerbate them or that will make it more difficult to address them. Read more on the BBC website: Whitehaven coal mine approved for third time
Cat Bells - Ullock Moss Car Park Proposals While a new car park might seem the obvious response to parking problems, the proposed 150-space car park for Cat Bells in open countryside at Ullock Moss, Portinscale, is not the solution. Expand 4th February 2021 Like many people, we fully recognise the ongoing and growing issues relating to parking and vehicle numbers in the Portinscale and Catbells area, and the need to address these. While a new car park might seem the obvious response to parking problems, the proposed 150-space car park for Cat Bells at Ullock Moss, south of Portinscale, near Keswick, is not an appropriate solution for a number of reasons. Key reasons we have taken this approach are: The Lake District National Park Authority’s (LDNPA) own clearly stated vision for sustainable transport in the national park hinges on reducing car-based visits and use of more sustainable modes of travel to, from and around the national park. A new car park in open countryside will undermine this plan. The LDNPA’s own planning policies (current and proposed) require that new car parks are only permitted when they are a proven and integral part of a strategic plan for sustainable travel in the area and meet certain other criteria. This proposal is not part of a strategic plan and does not meet the other criteria. The proposal will necessitate and encourage cars to travel through Portinscale village, exacerbating rather than helping to resolve issues there. The proposal is reliant on some measures being agreed and implemented by other parties and there is no assurance of this. A new car park and shuttle bus terminus would not conserve and enhance the character and special qualities and attributes of the National Park and World Heritage Site, including tranquillity, as is required by planning policy and legislation. We have set these out in our letter of objection to the plans and urge our members and supporters to do the same. You can read it here: Ullock Moss response (pdf) Give your viewThe earliest date a decision will be made is 5th May. Although the official deadline for comments on the application was 5th March, responses will be accepted until a decision is made, so there is still time if you wish to respond. Please quote application reference number 7/2020/2291. More instructions for commenting on planning proposals are available here. 20th January 2021 Before Christmas a planning application was submitted to the Lake District National Park for a new car park at Ullock Moss, south of Portinscale, close to Catbells. The area had been used for temporary parking last summer. The applicants had carried out some pre-application consultation at the time and we made our concerns clear at the time which can be seen in our initial response.Members and supporters may wish to look at and comment on the application. Comments can be accepted up until the 5th March. The application can be viewed on the Park Authority website.Follow this link and enter planning reference number 7/2020/2291 in the search box to view the latest information for this proposal on the Park Authority website. 29th July 2020 We have today submitted a written response to the consultation Ullock Moss, Portinscale Car Park. We very much welcome the principle of managing the situation around access to Catbells and in principle may support the idea of park and ride type proposals. However, we think there are a number of issues around this particular location. Read our full response here> 29th June 2020 A pre application consultation is being carried out by Crosby Granger Architects for a proposed car park at Ullock Moss, Portinscale. We think the proposal raises concerns around the principle of a car park at this location, how this fits with planning policy and potential landscape impacts upon the site and its surroundings. We will be looking carefully at the proposal and responding accordingly. The link below provides information on the proposal and a link to survey monkey for your views. The consultation runs until 31 July. https://www.crosbygrangerarchitects.co.uk/ullockmoss/ Banner image by: Ian Brown
Ashstead Fell plantation – proposed felling and restocking We are supporting proposals to fell some of the coniferous woodland at Ashstead Fell, but fundamentally object to replanting it with coniferous species. Expand 28th January 2021 The Right Trees in the Right Places You have a chance to have your say on proposals to replant Ashstead Fell with more coniferous trees, when native trees would be so much better for landscape, wildlife and habitats. Friends of the Lake District was launched on 17 June 1934 at Fitz Park in Keswick to campaign for the protection of the Lake District. Little did our founding fathers know on this day but just 6 months later it was revealed that the Forestry Commission had bought significant chunks of the Eskdale and Dunnerdale Valleys in the heart of the Lake District with the intention of afforesting them with Sitka Spruce. Friends of the Lake District opposed this and while some parts of Hardknott and Dunnerdale were afforested and an agreement was brokered that protected the central section of the Lake District from such forestry proposals. These days Hardknott Forest is subject to a project that is removing sitka spruce and replacing it with native trees. This is of relevance to Ashstead in that it shows how commercial plantations can be improved making what is required- an enhancement to the landscape. We are supportive of additional tree planting, but our mantra - as it was in responding to the newly proposed tree strategy for England - is that we should plant the right trees in the right places. You may know that Friends of the Lake District owns land at High Borrowdale, north east of Kendal, between the A6 and the M6 where we have planted thousands of native broadleaved trees on a south facing slope. This faces a commercial forestry plantation that has long been regarded as a detraction to the local landscape. We have raised concerns about new proposals for felling and replanting through a new management plan last year. The changes are being consulted upon by the Forestry Commission and the public register for the plans can be seen here Forestry Commission Public Register for England - Cases Open for Consultation (arcgis.com) where you can also add comments. The Ref No for the case is FL-010-38-2021 consultation closes on 3 February. This plantation is located in an area where the Lake district National Park was extended in 2015 and we do not think the proposals are appropriate in a nationally designated landscape. The forest has been harmful to the landscape for 20 years and now there is an opportunity to make significant positive change. We would ask members and supporters to reply to the consultation making the following points: The site is incongruous in the local landscape and the changes proposed are contrary to the landscape character of the area. The blanket of forestry masks the intricate pattern of crags, heather and grassy slopes. The geometric dark shapes can be seen for some distance from the south in particular. The shapes, colour and massing of the blocks result in straight lines that conflict with the natural landform. Being within a National Park any changes should conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the area. The changes proposed do neither. The site is also within the setting of the World Heritage Site and is detrimental to the values that world heritage status seeks to protect. We believe what is proposed is contrary to the duty that Section 62 of the 1995 Environment Act imposes upon public bodies such as the Forestry Commission to have regard to National Park purposes. We believe the changes proposed do not. There are some gaps in the lower part of the plantation that will be filled in. we do not think it is appropriate. FLD work in the valley on a regular basis and these open areas are important to a range of species and in particular raptors that hunt in these gap areas. The line of the forest is being brought towards the public bridleway that runs through the Borrowdale Valley. We think this will spoil some of the views along the valley and once mature the conifers will present an oppressive atmosphere to walkers, cyclist and horse riders. While recognising that the plan covers an area of existing forestry the Cranfield Institute Soilscapes Map recognises that the soil types on the fell are either of high or medium value for carbon storage ad this must be considered in any decision to approve the plans. Our full response can be viewed / downloaded here (pdf) Ashstead Fell Response 2021 What should happen next In our view a fundamental approach needs to be taken to this plantation. We welcome the fact that some conifers are to be removed from the ridgelines on Ashstead Fell. However, for the sake of the Lake District as a nationally designated landscape any proposals should emphasise native broadleaved woodland to a much greater extent and leave open areas that are valuable for a range of species. This would be better for landscape, biodiversity, slope stability and natural flood management. 13th June 2019 Ashstead Fell lies next to our land at High Borrowdale, north east of Kendal, and can be seen from much of the surrounding land in South Lakeland as the coniferous plantations are so conspicuous on the fells. Friends of the Lake District strongly opposed these in the 1980s. Proposals have now come forward to fell some of the coniferous woodland which we strongly support, but we fundamentally object to the proposals to replant with coniferous species. This area is now within the Lake District National Park and also forms part of the setting of the World Heritage Site. Forest design and the policy context have moved on, but the proposals will further the harm caused by the planting since the 1980s. Read our full response to these proposals, submitted 12th June 2019: fld ashstead comments, june 2019.pdf View the Felling Licence Application (FLA) restock map: FLA restock Map.pdf
Stanley Ghyll Force Viewing Platform We have significant concerns about the proposal for a cantilevered viewing platform at Stanley Ghyll Force, Eskdale. Expand 16th December 2020 This application has now been approved by the Lake District National Park Authority. 27th October 2020 We have significant concerns about the proposal for a cantilevered viewing platform at Stanley Ghyll Force, Eskdale. This is a beautiful, natural and ecologically important gorge and an inappropriate place for such an engineered structure, alien to the environment. Our response can be viewed here: Friends of the Lake District response (pdf) Details of the proposal can be found here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=7/2020/4074 or by searching for application 7/2020/4074 here https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display
Proposed Car Park at The Swan, Grasmere A new 52-space car park is proposed at the Swan Hotel, Grasmere. We share the local community’s concerns over what this will mean for the landscape and settlement character, Expand 16th December 2020 A new 52-space car park is proposed at the Swan Hotel, Grasmere. We share the local community’s concerns over what this will mean for the landscape and settlement character, light pollution and ambitions to shift to more sustainable modes of travel. The application reference number is 7/2020/5743 - find out more here Read our response to the proposals here
Environmental Land Management Scheme - A path to sustainable farming? The Government has released its 'Path to Sustainable Farming', setting out its ideas on the transition period for land management for 2021 – 2024. Expand Update 2nd December 2020 A path to sustainable farming? On 30th November the Government released its 'Path to Sustainable Farming' paper, setting out its ideas on the transition period for land management for 2021 – 2024 (summary at Farming is Changing (publishing.service.gov.uk). This sets out more detail on the phased reductions in the Basic Payment Scheme and the new funds which will be available for land owners and managers going forward. The key scheme, Environmental Land Management, will pay landowners and managers for providing public benefits, a principle we have long welcomed. It will consist of three components: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, which will support approaches to farm husbandry that deliver for the environment, such as actions to improve soil health, hedgerows and integrated pest management, Local Nature Recovery, which will pay for actions such as creating, managing or restoring habitats, natural flood management and species management, Landscape Recovery, which will focus on landscape and ecosystem recovery through projects looking to achieve large-scale forest and woodland creation, peatland restoration, or the creation and restoration of coastal habitats, such as wetlands and salt marsh. Other elements of particular interest to us include : Farmers in Protected Landscapes From 2021, funding will be available through the Protected Landscapes bodies to support farmers, particularly upland farmers (75% of whom live and work in Protected Landscapes). The funding will be for farmers and other land managers to make improvements to the natural environment, cultural heritage and public access on their land. It will fund: a) Farm-level projects to diversify incomes and prepare for Environmental Land Management b) Wider infrastructure and projects on farmland, to support farmers and rural economies Tree Health A new Tree Health scheme will be launched in 2024. This will replace the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Capital Tree Health Restoration and Improvement grants. A pilot will run in 2021 to feed into the scheme design. This will include support for felling and the treatment of diseased trees in certain situations and restocking following felling. Woodland creation and support There are several schemes available for increasing, protecting and managing trees, forests and woodlands which already exist and will continue. There are other welcome parts relating to new entrants, innovation and research, advice, investment in technology, etc. The new schemes will have a fundamental impact on how land is managed in future and we hope provide more incentives for landscape enhancement, nature recovery and climate change mitigation. In terms of our own land, we will have to wait for further details to come out and see how it all fits together going forward. The documents released give specific detail for the first time on the level of reductions in the Basic Payment Scheme over the next seven years (50% by the end of 2024). For the majority of upland farmers, this forms around 65% of their incomes. The crucial detail that is lacking in the documents is what the payment levels will be for the new schemes, many of which will not be fully available until after 2024. The period between now and 2024 will see a suite of pilot schemes run which wil inform the design of the final schemes. Along with many other organisations we have expressed concern about a potential four year funding gap until many of the new schemes are mainstreamed. Farmers and land owners are now in an impossible situation – they know how much their income will be reduced over the next four to seven years, but they are powerless to plan for the future as there is a crucial lack of detail on the new schemes. Unless they know how much they will be paid for providing public goods, they cannot plan what options are best for their businesses. This is very worrying for our upland farmers as many are already very marginal. Four years of reduced funding could be the death knell for many of them. 21st July 2020 Defra asked for views on a discussion document outlining a little more detail about the proposed Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELM), in February but paused the consultation. Discussion about the scheme, in which farmers will be paid for work which enhances the environment, replacing the schemes currently available under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), has now been re-started and we have given our response. Read our response here. Read more about the consultation on the Government website here.
Planning for the Future Consultation on proposals for reform of the planning system in England. We have now submitted our response to the second of the Government’s consultations regarding the national planning reforms. Expand 19 November 2020 We have responded to the Government’s consultations regarding shorter- and longer-term changes to the planning system. Read our full response here. We also contributed directly to the responses made by CPRE, and we share many of their concerns about the significant changes proposed. We will continue to make the case for the landscape, wider natural environment, cultural heritage and rural communities to be properly taken into account as the reforms process unfolds. The Government proposes amendments to both the National Planning Policy Framework as well as legislation to implement the changes and we expect further consultations will take place in relation to these. 27th October 2020 We have now submitted our response to the second of the Government’s consultations regarding the national planning reforms. This consultation sought views on longer term reforms to the planning system, which are set out in their White Paper – Planning for the Future. Our response reiterated some of the concerns in our response to the earlier consultation (see below), as there is some degree of overlap. We also set out that: priorities for the planning system reforms must hinge around acknowledging and addressing the existential threats of climate emergency and ecological collapse the planning recommendations in the Glover Review should be implemented the level of protection for protected landscapes, heritage assets (including World Heritage Sites), and their settings, should be strengthened or at least maintained environmental assessments that inform local plan preparation and decisions on planning applications must be strengthened not watered down we have concerns about the proposed zoning approach and how this, in combination with other proposals, will impact on Cumbria and its protected landscapes we have concerns about over-reliance on generic, nationally-set policies and design-codes, rather than local approaches we have concerns about the Government’s definition of ‘sustainable development’ and how this underpins the whole planning system speed in the planning system must not be at the expense of quality, properly informed decision-making or genuine public engagement Neighbourhood Planning should continue to be supported we welcome proposals such as improved enforcement powers, enhanced data provision and increased use of technology but we also highlighted that these measures would require carefully thinking through, significant resource input and support for local authorities in order to secure the benefits. We continue to share many of the views expressed on the proposed reforms by other organisations such as CPRE – The Countryside Charity. There will be further opportunities to comment on the detail of the reforms. Read our full response here. 2nd October 2020 We have now submitted our response to the first of the Government’s consultations regarding the national planning reforms. This consultation seeks views on the prposed new approach for calculating the number of houses needed and several proposals for short-terms changes to the planning system aimed at supporting the development sector’s recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Our response sets out our concerns about: the new method proposed for calculating the amount of housing that should be built in each area. The new approach will see an increase in housing numbers of 178% across Cumbria compared with the previous model; the principles on which the planning reforms and the proposed method for calculating the amount of housing are based, which assume that just building lots more houses is, in itself, the primary or sole solution to the ‘housing crisis’, without consideration of measures such as controlling second homes, bringing empty homes back into use or ensuring that new housing meets genuine local needs; the raising of the threshold beyond which affordable housing can be required on a new development; the use of rural exception sites for the Government’s ‘First Homes’ scheme, rather than for affordable housing more generally; allowing Permission in Principle to apply to major development sites. We also made clear that we share many of the views expressed on these issues by other organisations such as CPRE – The Countryside Charity. You can read our full response here. 6th August 2020 We are carefully considering the Government’s announcements regarding changes to the planning system. The changes proposed are significant and will affect many aspects including the way designated landscapes are treated, the role of local planning authorities, how the public can engage with the system and the means by which developers contribute to delivering affordable housing and infrastructure. There are certainly some areas of concern but others that have scope to be positive, depending on detail yet to be published and which will be the subject of further consultations. We will be issuing a fuller statement in due course, as well as preparing a response to the consultation. You can find out more about the proposals and respond to the consultation here https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future
Dowthwaite Head Farm Sale of Dowthwaite Head Farm in the Matterdale valley. Expand 9th November 2020 We have spent some considerable time working with another charity, the Countryside Restoration Trust, and with representatives of the local community, in trying to secure the purchase of Dowthwaite Head, one of a handful of dale head Lake District farms still remaining. Sadly today, we have learned that our bid has been unsuccessful and that the farm has been sold to another bidder. The farm has ecological, farming and cultural significance within the World Heritage Site, with ghylls running down from open common above, traditional hay meadows to restore and opportunities to create grazed wood pasture and woodland. We had hoped to be involved in projects that would have recognized and built on traditional skills and management. We would have helped to restore the farm, recreating or creating new high value habitats, find a tenant farmer to manage its tradition and future, and diversify the business model using the buildings and the land in traditional and innovative ways. The farm could have been given a vibrant new future demonstrating that the best of traditional upland farming can go hand in hand with nature conservation. We saw this as a chance to show our vision of a working, healthy, sustainable uplands, not just producing food and managing the environment but also demonstrating public goods provision together with educational and engagement opportunities, and we are deeply disappointed that we will not have the opportunity to realise this ambition at Dowthwaite Head. 23rd October 2020 An opportunity to deliver our vision for a working Lake District uplands, in partnership with the community and another charity, appears to have been taken from us by an unknown bidder. Dowthwaite Head is a 292 acre traditional Lakeland dale head farm. Set in its own valley in the Lake District National Park, it would once have been a small community of several families. The farm has farming and cultural importance within the World Heritage Site, with several ghylls running down from the open common above, traditional hay meadows to restore and opportunities to create grazed wood pasture and woodland. We have been supporting a local community group, including James Rebanks, and another charity, the Countryside Restoration Trust, in exciting plans to create a community- and public-benefiting asset, and to improve the valley for Nature. Once purchased, the farm would have been managed by the community group, and we would have worked closely with them. We are sad that the community group has now decided that the price of the property has been bid up to what they feel is an unsustainable figure, and they accept that someone else will now purchase it. I have spoken to them about further options. From our point of view, this would not have been a “preservation project”, but an opportunity to show our vision of a working, healthy, sustainable uplands, not just producing food and managing the environment but also demonstrating public goods provision together with educational opportunities. Safeguarding traditional farming and land management skills, and adopting the best of new techniques in ecology, hydrology, grazing and soil management, while working in partnership.
Please help to secure The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill It’s not often that an opportunity comes along to change national legislation to improve the quality of our water, but we have one right now. Expand Following a request from Elizabeth Radford, Chief Executive at Eden Rivers Trust, we're sharing this information regarding the upcoming 'Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill' second reading on 13th November. "It’s not often that an opportunity comes along to change national legislation to improve the quality of our water, but we have one right now. So I hope we can count on you to help make the most of this – for Eden and beyond. Please consider writing to your MP to support the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill before the 13th November – using the easy mechanism described below – or if you prefer you can write a personal email or letter. Background: The Rivers Trust movement (60+ Rivers Trusts) has joined with Surfers Against Sewage and many other environmental organisations to campaign for the adoption of The Sewage (Inland) Bill after its second reading on 13th November. This is a private members bill (Philip Dunne MP , Ludlow) that aims to place a duty on water companies to ensure untreated sewage is not discharged into rivers and inland waters. Should you be in any doubt of the need for this legislation, The Rivers Trust’s analysis has shown there are 177 Storm Overflows in the Penrith and Borders constituency, which discharged raw sewage into our rivers for at least 9967 hours in 2019! This is a serious health risk for Eden’s communities and livestock businesses, not to mention the awful toll on the River Eden’s wildlife, including the iconic species we all cherish: white clawed crayfish, salmon, kingfisher and otter. The discharge data across England and Wales can be found here (See https://arcg.is/1He0XL). It relates to ‘CSOs’ or consented discharges. So do forward this email to others beyond the Eden who might also be interested to help. How can I help? Click on the link below which will enable you to write quickly and easily to your MP and urge him/her to vote for the Bill. It will provide all the correct statistics relating to rivers in your constituency – and you can also get more information about this Bill on that site. https://www.sas.org.uk/EndSewagePollution-SewageBill If you would like more detailed information, feel free to contact me directly at Eden Rivers Trust. Finally ERT have written directly to Dr Neil Hudson MP, who I have met on site and who is aware of our Eden Catchment Plan. Thank you very much, Elizabeth Radford Chief Executive, Eden Rivers Trust"
Local Occupancy Properties We welcome plans to create a definitive list of properties subject to local occupancy clauses in the Lake District following calls from a Keswick Councillor and local residents. Expand 3rd November 2020 Local Occupancy properties We welcome plans to create a definitive list of properties subject to local occupancy clauses in the Lake District following calls from a Keswick Councillor and local residents. Enforcing the proper use of properties with local occupancy restrictions is important, but this is difficult without comprehensive and up-to-date information about which properties are affected. It's vital that a good variety of accommodation options are available for welcome visitors, but a high proportion of properties in Keswick and many other areas of the National Park are second homes or holiday lets. This not only affects the sustainability and viability of a community but also means that there is greater demand to build new homes to make up for the loss of access to the existing housing stock for local people. This makes it especially important that those homes that are restricted to local use are kept that way, and that breaches can be easily recognised and acted upon. https://keswickreminder.co.uk/2020/10/27/new-list-will-pave-way-to-name-and-shame-local-occupancy-holiday-lets/ https://keswickreminder.co.uk/2020/10/26/uproar-over-local-homes-being-used-as-holiday-lets/
5G Phone Masts There is clearly a need for an improvement in connectivity both for personal use and in helping to sustain and develop our vital rural economies but there is a balance to be struck. Expand 10 September 2020 5G phone masts Last year, we submitted a response to the national consultation on proposals to simplify planning rules relating to telecommunications infrastructure. The Government asked for views on whether relaxed rules might help to improve rural mobile coverage and speed up the roll-out of 5G and also what the rule changes might be. Having considered the responses to the consultation, the Government is satisfied that the proposed reforms would have a positive impact on their ambitions for the deployment of 5G and extending mobile coverage. However, the Government appears to have taken on board comments made by us and others that the increase in permitted development rights for telecommunications infrastructure should not apply in the same way in protected areas such as National Parks and AONBs as it does outside these areas. We recognise how important digital connectivity is for rural communities, but we are pleased that the need for special attention to be paid to protected landscapes and their settings in any reform of the rules has been recognised. A further consultation is proposed on the technical detail of the proposed changes, including detail of how the rules might vary to give greater protection for these areas. Read the outcome to the consultation here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-reforms-to-permitted-development-rights-to-support-the-deployment-of-5g-and-extend-mobile-coverage Update 25th October 2019 We have submitted a response to the national consultation on proposals to simplify planning rules relating to telecommunications infrastructure. The Government asked for views on whether relaxed rules might help to improve rural mobile coverage and speed up the roll-out of 5G and also what the rule changes might be. Recognising how important digital connectivity is for rural communities, we have responded to the consultation highlighting the need for special attention to be paid to protected landscapes and their settings in any reform of the rules. We have made suggestions as to how the rules could be amended to enable telecommunications infrastructure to be installed or upgraded in ways that minimise the impact on the landscape and ensure that opportunities are taken to enhance it. The consultation document can be accessed here Our written response to this consultation can be viewed / downloaded here (pdf) 27th August 2019 Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has announced a consultation on proposals to simplify planning rules with a view to improving rural mobile coverage. The consultation document can be accessed here Friends of the Lake District fully understands that rural communities are keen to obtain levels of digital connectivity such as fast broadband and good mobile ‘phone signals in order to support both work and leisure. Such technology is essential not only for our rural communities to remain vital and viable into the future but also to ensure that the emergency services, including Mountain Rescue, can continue to operate effectively across the country. However, these needs must be balanced with the essential provisions of the environment, including the health and well-being benefits we derive from the peace, tranquillity and beauty of the landscape and its many components. As such, we welcome the recognition given by Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that the proposals for new taller communications masts will have to strike a balance between the landscape and better connectivity and respect certain areas of outstanding natural beauty. We also acknowledge her suggestion that larger masts may accommodate more equipment, potentially reducing the number of masts required overall. We have not yet considered the current consultation in detail but in order to ensure that this balance can be struck, where new communications infrastructure is required we would be keen to see: • The choice of location of masts being informed by landscape evidence such as Landscape Character Assessments, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments and evidence on the Cumulative Impact of Vertical Infrastructure; • Special considerations for protected landscapes and their settings, such as additional need and landscape evidence requirements, additional design and mitigation requirements and a lower maximum height (as is currently the case); • Consideration of alternatives to new masts, such as mounting equipment on existing buildings or existing masts wherever viable and appropriate; • Maximise mast sharing between different providers; • A commitment to rationalise mast provision (i.e. to always use the minimum number of masts needed) and to remove any masts that are no longer required; • New mast provision to be coupled with undergrounding of existing wires as mitigation and a commitment to underground new wires.
St Cuthbert's "garden village" Carlisle Expand Update 29th October 2020 - Carlisle Southern Link Road Consultation The Carlisle Southern Link Road has now been approved by Cumbria County Council Update 14th September 2020 We attended a technical stakeholder workshop in Autumn 2019 to contribute to working up the detailed proposals for the garden village, including reiterating our messages about how the setting of protected landscapes, green infrastructure and sustainable travel should feature in the plans. We were also pleased to learn that the Garden Village will be subject to its own local plan document, meaning that specific policies for the Garden Village will be drawn up against which each of the planning applications will be assessed. Further information and latest updates can be found here. This project is closely linked with the Carlisle Southern Link Road application, which is progressing and which we recently commented on Update 14th September 2020 - Carlisle Southern Link Road Consultation We have recently submitted a response to the planning application for the link road. Whilst we recognise that the link road has Government support and is likely to go ahead, we have reiterated concerns raised earlier in the process about the principle of building the new road, explaining why more sustainable travel solutions should be prioritised. Our full response can be read here Update 15th July 2019 - Carlisle Southern Link Road Consultation We have now submitted our full written response to the Carlisle Southern Link Road public consultation. You can view or download our submission at this link. Carlisle Southern Link Road Public Consultation Response (pdf) Update 29th April 2019 - Carlisle Southern Link Road Consultation Cumbria County Council is currently carrying out a public consultation about proposals for the new Carlisle Southern Link Road. The consultation closes on 12th July. The proposal is closely associated with St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, which will involve around 10,000 homes being built south of Carlisle. Both projects have financial backing from the Government and so are highly likely to go ahead. The consultation enables residents to view and comment on the proposed route of the road and details such as location of junctions and bridges and opportunities for cycle provision and green infrastructure alongside the scheme. Friends of the Lake District will be responding to the consultation in detail once we have had a closer look at the proposals. The consultation can be found online at https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/cslr/ and there are a series of public drop in events in Carlisle (see webpage for details). Update 14 August 2018 We are pleased to see that preferences expressed in our earlier comments for smaller expansions to several settlements rather than one huge extension to Carlisle have been taken on board. We also welcome the many positive intentions set out in the consultation document, particularly for green infrastructure. However, we still have some concerns, including over the scale of and justification for the development; the reliance of the project on increasing road capacity through a southern link road; the likelihood of these positive ambitions materialising in the final plans and the lack of evidence of proper consideration of landscape and visual impacts. Read our latest response here Update 2 August 2018The deadline for the public to respond to this consultation is 10th August. There will be further opportunities to respond further along in the process though. Update 28th March 2018We have responded to the first consultation about the proposed 'garden village' south of Carlisle. The UK government has indicated that it is minded to support the development of an entirely new and very large settlement of up to 10,000 homes to the south of Carlisle and has awarded some initial funding for the development of this concept. Read our full response here.
Offshore Wind Announcement We welcome addressing the country’s demand for energy with home-produced renewable energy. Expand 10th October 2020 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out commitments (6/10/20) to ensure that offshore wind will produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030, based on current electricity usage, boosting the government’s previous 30 GW target to 40 GW. Our view is, We welcome addressing the country’s demand for energy with home-produced renewable energy. The move suggests the pressure on Cumbria’s landscapes for windfarm development should be reduced. This is obviously good for the landscape itself, and many communities feel threatened or blighted by windfarms. We need to be aware of seascapes as well as landscapes. Some of the Lake District National Park is coastal, as are two of our AONBs. We have also asked Natural England to consider a southern extension to the Lake District National Park, and this is also a coastal area. There is a visual connection between some of the high fells and the sea. Reducing the threat to the landscape reduces a threat to the visitor economy, so valuable to local businesses and jobs, and this move is also positive in terms of green jobs. Overall, we welcome in principle but will still need some consideration case by case, particularly if closer to shore.
Tree Strategy Consultation Launched The Government is currently consulting on a National Tree Strategy in England. This is positive, but it must be based upon the right trees in the right landscapes. Expand 19th June 2020 The Government is currently consulting on an England National Tree Strategy. We will be making a full response to this consultation but you may also make your own individual response. We think it is positive that the Government is developing this strategy, but it must be based upon the right trees in the right landscapes, recognising the important contributions that features such as peatlands, hay meadows and wood pasture provide, in terms of carbon capture and biodiversity, as well as health and well being, flood management etc, rather than simply based upon blanket targets for increased woodland cover of any type, in any location. Our existing ancient woodlands in the Lake District and Cumbria are of critical importance. They are unique features which cannot be recreated. While similar species of trees can be planted to reflect these ancient sites, the soils and ground vegetation that is crucial to supporting them is very hard to recreate and is a process that can take many decades, if it can be achieved at all. Given that at this time we are witnessing an increasingly deregulated planning system we would not want to see any of our oldest woodland sites being sacrificed for development against the promise of supposed compensatory new woodland of equal, or greater size. Respond to the tree strategy consultation here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/consultation-launched-on-the-england-tree-strategy
4x4s on Fell Lanes We are disappointed to hear that GLEAM (Green Lanes Environmental Action Group) have lost their court challenge against the Lake District National Park's decision not to stop recreational 4x4 traffic on fell roads in Consiston/Little Langdale. Expand Update 27 August 2020 We are disappointed to hear this week that GLEAM (Green Lanes Environmental Action Group) have lost their court challenge against the Lake District National Park Authority decision not impose Traffic Regulation Orders preventing the use of fell roads in the Coniston/Little Langdale area by recreational motorised traffic. Ultimately, the challenge was dismissed on all three grounds, the first and most important one around the Sandford principle and how the Park Authority dealt with it. Ultimately, this decision was about whether in law the Park Authority had carried out proper process in making the decision. The debate about what is appropriate in terms of the use of the routes will carry on. Part of the resolution made by the Park Authority was to set up a consultative group looking at how problems could be addressed and how the routes could be managed. We had offered to be part of this process. The full decision can be read here https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2020/2293.html&query=(Stubbs) Image above: Tilberthwaite fell lane - one of the routes regularly used for recreational 4 wheel driving. Update 8 October 2019 The Lake District National Park Authority has today decided that they will not start the process that would lead to a Traffic Regulation Order on fell lanes at Tilberthwaite and High Oxen Fell. With the notable exception of the chair of the committee, members supported the officer recommendation that a voluntary management group be set up for the Tilberthwaite route. We are very disappointed at this decision. The voluntary management approach has been used for a number of years and has, in our view, failed. Both routes are classified as red under the current system which indicates that they are busy and sites where potential conflicts will is likely to occur. The Park Authority has failed to put the conservation of the natural beauty of the area first. Update 4 October 2019 An important meeting takes place on Tuesday at the Lake District National Park Authority where consideration will be given to the future management of the motorised use of two fell lanes at Tilberthwaite and High Oxen Fell. A report has been published recommending against starting the formal process that could lead to a Traffic Regulation Order that would restrict motorised access for motorised recreational vehicles on both routes. The report can be found here: https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/green_roads/future-management-of-tilberthwaite-and-oxen-fell-roads The report essentially recommends an approach on the Tilberthwaite route that would involve a partnership management group made of interested parties. The High Oxen Fell route would be monitored. We are very concerned that the voluntary approach is being relied upon in this instance. This has been tried in the past through a scheme called the Hierarchy of Trail Routes (HOTR). The routes are assessed into amber, red and green categories. Both routes in question are classified red, meaning they are under the greatest pressure, that there may be environmental issues plus the potential for misunderstanding or conflict with other users. It is recognised that repairs have been carried out to the Tilberthwaite route but this does not deal with the conflicts between users. The Environment Act 1995 sets out the purposes of National Parks considers that where conflict exists between the first aim of conservation and the second aim of promoting understanding and enjoyment- then conservation should take priority. The HOTR scheme identifies the problems associated with routes classified as red- we believe a conflict exists here so conservation should take priority. Friends of the Lake District are disappointed with the recommendation and while recognising that any TRO has to be well founded legally consider that the Park Authority have missed an opportunity to place conservation of natural beauty at the heart of their activities. This is something that the recent Glover Review of National Parks emphasises. We would urge the Committee to consider recommending a formal consultation on the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order. Update 25 September 2019 The long awaited report to the Lake District National Park Authority Rights of Way Committee has been published. Sadly, but not unexpectedly it has failed to recommend the introduction of a process that could lead to a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on either of the routes under question. Instead it continues to rely on the voluntary approach, recommending the setting up of a partnership management group in relation to the Tilberthwaite route.We are very concerned that the voluntary approach is being relied upon again in this instance. This has been tried before. It’s current guise has been operating for many years in the form of the Hierarchy of Trail Routes. The scheme assesses routes into amber, red and green categories. Both routes are classified as red, meaning they are routes under the greatest pressure, that there may be environmental issues plus the potential for misunderstanding or conflict with other users. We have continually said that we believe there to be a strong case for TROs to be introduced. Under the Sandford Principle where there is conflict greater weight should be attached to the first purpose of National Parks to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. As set out above voluntary approaches trying to resolve this conflict have, in our view, failed. Consequently, the next logical step would be for the Park Authority to carry out a formal consultation as a step in the process of introducing a TRO to ensure that the natural beauty and tranquillity of the area is conserved. It is also telling that ICOMOS has written to the National Park Authority setting out their concerns that motorised use of such lanes is having an adverse effect upon the qualities of the World Heritage Site. We will be writing to the Authority to express our concerns. Read the Report re: Tilberthwaite and High Oxen fell roads here 18th April 2019 We have been receiving a high volume of e-mails about motorised use of fell lanes. We have held the position since May 2018 that we believe there is a strong case for a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on the Tilberthwaite and High Oxen Fell routes. This position is on a policy basis that this use of the routes is not in line with the Sandford principle because it causes disturbance to the quiet enjoyment and tranquillity of the area. We have also previously said that the use of the routes other than for land management purposes is not compatible with National Park purposes, which lends support to the case for a Traffic Regulation Order. From the comments received we understand that this is an important issue for many people and we will continue to highlight this. As we explained previously the Lake District National Park Authority are carrying out a consultation on the future management of the routes and we would encourage anyone with concerns to contact the National Park Authority and to complete the survey which forms part of the consultation on the routes. The information gathered from the consultation exercise will be used to compile a report to the Rights of Way Committee in October and we will be writing to the Park Authority prior to this meeting supporting the introduction of a TRO. A number of e-mails raise the issue of the general use of motorised vehicles on fell lanes within the National Park. We have long raised concern about the nature of the activity and its’ conflicts with the purposes of the National Park and recognise there is a pressing need to establish a long term solution on the wider issue. We are aware that the National Trust would welcome the introduction of a TRO at High Tilberthwaite. We support this position and will continue to work with them and other partners on the wider issue of motorised vehicles on fell lanes. 12th February 2019 We understand that the Tilberthwaite and High Oxen Fell roads are now open to motorised vehicles. The Lake District National Park Authority will be hosting two drop-in sessions for feedback about the routes on: Tuesday 26 February from 3.30pm – 7pm at Coniston Sports and Social Centre, Shepherds Bridge Lane, Coniston LA21 8AL. Tuesday 5 March from 3.30pm – 7pm at Skelwith Parish Rooms, Community Hall, Skelwith Bridge LA22 9NW. The Lake District National Park Authority will continue to monitor the use of the routes both in terms of their condition and vehicle movements through spring and summer this year. There will also be on- site surveys and an online survey. The information gathered from these exercises will be used to compile a report to the Rights of Way Committee in October. A briefing note about the future management of the routes can be found here: https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/thingstodo/green_roads/future-management-of-tilberthwaite-and-oxen-fell-roads We would urge all who care about protecting the routes to get involved in the surveys and/or attend a drop in session. 9th November 2018 Autumn is a great time to get out and about in the National Park but with the temporary closure to motorised vehicles of the route between Little Langdale and Tilberthwaite offers a unique and tranquil experience that contrasts strikingly with the normal experience in recent years due the increased use of motorised vehicles. It’s a good idea to take a walk on this route- while its quiet. Signs at the start of the route indicate current restrictions, though users must be mindful of the works that are being carried out on the track. Friends of the Lake District believes that the motorised use of the route by vehicles other than for land management purposes is incompatible with National Park Purposes and there is a there is a strong case for a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in this location based upon conserving and enhancing the natural beauty and tranquillity of the Park. 'Save Langdale Green Lanes' is a campaign challenging the use of 4x4 vehicles and motorbikes in this location. You can view more information about this issue and the campaigns objectives on its website at: www.savethelakedistrict.com (links to external website content) 22nd May 20184x4 Use in High TilberthwaiteDue to the incompatibility of this use with National Park Purposes, Friends of the Lake District believes there is a strong case for a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in this location. 'Save Langdale Green Lanes' is a campaign challenging the use of 4x4 vehicles and motorbikes in this location. You can view more information about this issue and the campaigns objectives on its website at: www.savethelakedistrict.com (links to external website content)
Gooseholme Bridge, Kendal Cumbria County Council is replacing Gooseholme Bridge which was destroyed by the Storm Desmond floods. Expand 14th September 2020 A Government Inspector has approved Common Land consent for the new Gooseholme footbridge. Although the ramp up to the bridge will remain in the position proposed, which we had concerns about, the Inspector’s reasoning was fair and we are pleased that the Inspector has taken on board our comments and those of Open Spaces Society to restore the land next to Melrose Place to grass. This will enable it to be made use of in ways that are appropriate to its status as part of the Common. 18th November 2019 Friends of the Lake District was invited to take part in the Gooseholme Bridge consultation in early October. We suggested that a proposed access ramp be placed to the north of the bridge. This change would protect the bulk of New Road common and retain valuable green space within Kendal town centre for the public to enjoy. Our motivation is to find the best solution that we can for New Road common whilst getting the essential bridge back in place. We are still waiting to hear back from Cumbria County Council (CCC) with an explanation as to why the ramp cannot be re-designed to accommodate this change. If CCC is unable to provide evidence as to why this is not feasible then we would urge it to adopt the change in order to get this essential crossing reinstating and preserve valuable green space with Kendal town centre. 7th November 2019 Our submissions to the Planning Inspectorate were made during Cumbria County Council's allotted consultation period on 10th October 2019. We also attending the drop in session and have been in regular contact with Cumbria County Council and the Environment Agency for some time now. The consultation period is designed to gather comment and suggestions to facilitate the best possible outcomes for planning and development projects. With this in mind, we have made the suggestion that the proposed ramp is placed to the north of the bridge, on land which has not been enhanced for public use, thereby protecting the bulk of the common and retaining valuable green space within Kendal town centre for the public to enjoy. 5th November 2019 Cumbria County Council is replacing Gooseholme Bridge which was destroyed by the Storm Desmond floods. This bridge is a historic crossing and an important link between two sections of Kendal, and between two parts of common land, and its replacement is welcomed by Friends of the Lake District. The bridge crossing is even more important now that the New Road Common has been enhanced for the public to sit and enjoy the riverside. As part of the process, the county council needs to obtain permission for works on common land and has applied for this recently. The permission will cover the new ramps needed on New Road and Gooseholme Commons. These are necessary to make the bridge accessible for less able people and multiple users, again a development which Friends of the Lake District welcomes. Friends of the Lake District has made no objections to the application relating to Gooseholme Common. However, the plans for New Road are the first ones we have seen showing the extent of land to be taken by the ramps. New Road Common has been transformed back into an enjoyable green space for the public since the cessation of car parking. The proposed ramps would remove a significant area of this valuable green space and sever the common. Our suggestion is that the proposed ramp should be located to the north of the bridge, on land which has not been enhanced for public use, thereby protecting the bulk of the common for the public to enjoy. If Cumbria County Council are willing to amend their plans to protect more of the common, we would fully support the scheme.
Glover Landscape Review We welcome the Government’s independent review of England’s National Parks and AONBs launched in October. Julian Glover who leads the review has published a letter (July 2019) which details the review panel’s interim findings. Expand Update 14th May 2020 Protected Landscapes (Glover) Review The current crisis is showing just how important landscape and nature are to our health and well-being. We understand that the Government will be considering the report prepared by an independent panel led by Julian Glover. We will be writing to the Government asking them to move forward on elements of the review that we support. Update 8th October 2019 The report was published last month, sooner than we had expected. The report is ambitious and agrees with a number of our recommendations, the key one being that a National Landscapes Service should be established to bring together our 44 designated landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The Review considered the current system of landscape protection to be fragmented, marginalised and misunderstood- not really a system at all. We certainly agree with the principle of this and think National Parks should have a stronger voice in Government but also stronger governance to make sure that there is consistency in how the statutory purposes are applied throughout the Parks. With regard to the statutory purposes of National Parks there is mention of reference being made within the purposes to improving nature and biodiversity, there is also mention of an updated Sandford Principle where greater weight must be given to the first purpose to conserve and enhance natural beauty. We had also recommended that National Parks be included in the National Curriculum and one of the proposals is for every child to spend a night under the stars in a national landscape. We welcome references to helping people from minorities and less well- off areas to access our landscapes. There is also a reference to increasing the amount of land accessible to the public and again, this is something we had recommended. We are pleased that the report recognises the Lake District is heavily congested at times with an over reliance upon cars. There is also a recognition that unlimited car use can spoil the special beauty. A new approach to co-ordinating public transport in the Lake District is a specific proposal within the report. However, there is not enough recognition that too many visitors can undermine the quality of the landscape. We believe that there needs to be more discussion about the measures that can be implemented to alleviate the impact on infrastructure of an ever increasing number of visitors to the Lake District. On funding the current system is considered unnecessarily complex. Other recommendations include reducing the administrative burden by reducing the numbers of people on National Park Boards. This should raise some money, but not enough if the ambitions of the report are to be fulfilled. The report considers that there should be an ambitious and philanthropic programme of funding including both a charitable and commercial approach. However, there is no clear framework for this and we have concerns about the conflicts that may be created from commercial funding and that charitable fundraising for landscape protection purposes may just take from the existing pool of finance available for such work. A link to the summary of the findings can be seen below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-landscapes-national-parks-and-aonbs-2018-review/landscapes-review-summary-of-findings Update 31st July 2019 We are pleased with one of the key suggestions of the Designated Landscapes Review. Julian Glover who leads the review has published a letter which sets out a guide to the review panel’s thoughts on what they have found. The main ask from Friends of the Lake District was that some form of central governing and co-ordinating body is set up to provide strong governance and consistency around the purposes of National Parks. The letter from Julian Glover to Michael Gove makes clear that we should not be happy with what we have at the moment and that the system of landscape protection is fragmented, sometimes marginalised and often misunderstood. In the light of this the panel is going to explore the potential of a National Landscape Service- effectively supporting our key request. The letter also emphasises that our designated landscapes should be at the forefront of nature recovery and take a lead in tackling climate change. In terms of funding at the very least the panel want to see existing budgets secured in real terms and sustained for a further five year period. The initial findings in the letter are generally challenging, that is heartening and we look forward to the full report.Read Julian Glover's July 2019 letter setting out the interim findings of the Landscapes Review. 18th December 2018 A summary of our response is detailed below together with a link to our full response. While we consider that our designated landscapes have been a great post war success story our landscapes must meet the challenges of today. We have made a significant number of recommendations to the review but our key points are that: There should be a strong central co-ordination body to provide strategic direction to national parks and to ensure consistency, accountability and a voice to champion designated landscapes at government level A greater emphasis should be placed upon conserving and enhancing natural and cultural heritage to make sure that enhancement of the special qualities of our landscapes takes place The types of recreation promoted must be in line with the first purpose to conserve and enhance The review should consider opportunities for introducing designated landscapes into the national curriculum and providing opportunities for all children to visit a designated landscape Read our response in full here 25th October 2018 Friends of the Lake District welcomes the Government’s independent review of England’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) launched on 20th October. The review is led by Julian Glover supported by an experienced advisory group. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make your views known on the future of our National Parks and AONBs and how they are run. We will be submitting a response to the review but we would urge individual members to feed in their own comments directly. As part of the response process, there is an option for you to submit an image illustrating what is special to you about a National Park or AONB. We believe that this provides an exciting opportunity for us all to demonstrate what these landscapes mean to us. With a deadline for submissions on 18 December, the review will report next year, 70 years after the landmark National Parks Act 1949 that established National Parks in England and it will consider all aspects of England’s National Parks and AONB's. Background information about the review together with the consultation can be found here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/land-use/landscapes-review-call-for-evidence We will provide an update and some initial thoughts once we have considered the review in more detail.
Commons 30th April 2020: A roundup of our policy work featuring commons. Including Birkbeck, Kendal, Crosby Ravensworth, Armboth Fells and the Common Cause Project. Expand 30th April 2020 Birkbeck Common scrub proposals The applicant has replied to our objection to the 20y proposed fence period claiming it would be costly to have to apply again in ten years and that Lowther as landowners have expressed an interest in managing and removing the fence at the end of the agreement. We have replied to say that as another agri environment agreement will have to be done anyway, and as the principles will have been established, completing another s38 consent will not be costly or onerous and will also allow a review of progress to be made. We need a firmer commitment re fence removal and have asked for that via the Internal Agreement of the CS scheme and also that the Planning Inspectorate condition it. Kendal The Kendal River Corridor Commons Group have met again to discuss more details of possible deregistrations and exchange land re the commons in Kendal. SLDC are going to prepare a s16 application (deregistration and exchange) to resolve their issues at New Road perhaps early summer. Given the lack of local elections in May this has given the political stability and confidence to undertake a public consultation, as SLDC had previously promised, regarding New Road. We anticipate that they will omit any reference to car parking as an option. There is still have work to do in respect of the design and financing of the proposed exchange land at Beezon, Aynam Road and Natland Road. SLDC look as if they will revisit the byelaws in respect of New Road. This relook will probably include considering how they can allow cyclists to use parts of the land. EA are going to prepare a s38 application for all their flood works re New Road and Gooseholme Commons, possibly late May and early June and allow us to have an early sighting of the application. The EA are still expecting UU to gift land in N Kendal which will now be registered as common land following our suggestion. It now appears that the land will be vested in SLDC and not the EA but with Cumbria Wildlife Trust managing the land. Given that this land and Beezon fields are the main areas for wildlife enhancement and tree planting by the EA as compensation for the trees felled and other works they propose to undertake, the question of landscape character comes into play. A visualisation and planting plans, along with details of ponds etc, is expected from them. Their Stock Beck pumping station is still planned to go underground, this is the common land the OSS have asked to be added to the register and for which the Scheme applies but which is currently not common. However they will try and keep all above surface structures off the common. Crosby Ravensworth We have been consulted on a significant woodland planting proposal as part of a Countryside Stewardship scheme for Crosby Ravensworth common. This would see 20% of the common planted with wood pasture or scrub so would result in significant landscape change. Part of the proposed areas to be planted are between the two m6 carriageways. A site visit was held in March and we raised a number of issues. Some of the areas of planting were fine. Others we felt did not respect the landscape character enough, eg parts of Gaythorne Plain and east of the M6 and we have asked for them to be reviewed. We held a subsequent telecom – NE are not happy with the M6 reductions even though more has been added to the west. There are also issues around a number of very intrusive conifer blocks – they are outwith the scheme but FC would require them to be replanted on the same footprint which would replace incongruous conifer blocks with incongruous broadleaved blocks. We are awaiting further feedback from FC on this issue. Armboth fells Fix the Fells have consulted us on issues of path erosion on the top of the Armboth fells and Thirlmere commons. Although not a PROW there is a well used path that follows the old redundant metal fence along the top of the ridge. It goes through very wet and boggy ground which is now very eroded. This is giving issues of loss of carbon and sediment run off. The usual footpath fixes are not possible here due to conditions or inappropriateness so the proposal is to use slate flags. This would need a s38 common land consent. This is a balance between introducing a hard path and man made features into this relatively wild landscape v preventing further environmental harm. We are meeting in march to discuss further. Common cause project The Common Cause project application for stage 2 was submitted in Oct last year and it was confirmed in March that they had received their funding which is fantastic news.