Lake District Local Plan Review Final public consultation on the revised Lake District Local Plan has begun. 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. Expand 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
Threlkeld Railway Path Friends of the Lake District is disappointed that the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) has decided to resurface the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path with standard tarmac and would like the Authority to reconsider. Expand 2nd April 2019 Friends of the Lake District is disappointed that the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) has decided to resurface the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path with standard tarmac and would like the Authority to reconsider. We welcome the works to repair and improve the multi-user trail along the stretch of the former railway line that lies between Threlkeld and Keswick. This popular route was a casualty of Storm Desmond and the havoc it wrought in the winter of 2015. A funding package of £7.9 million is being invested to repair the trail, stabilise river banks and repair and replace infrastructure along the length of the route to repair damage. The scheduled re-opening in 2020 will be a moment to celebrate but we must ask why the national park appears to be compromising on its choice of path surface. Using standard tarmac will have an urbanising and formalising effect on the environment, compromising the historic, vernacular and rural character of the area along the route. Other highlighted concerns are that tarmac will be more susceptible to being slippery in icy weather compared to a more natural surface as it was previously, and that that the smoother surface will encourage cyclists to speed and risk other users such as walkers and horse riders. In addition to the choice of surfacing we have concerns about tree felling along the route impacting on a county wildlife site and red squirrel habitat. Red squirrels are a protected but threatened species, and some of the felling has already taken place before the arboricultural statement has been approved. In a County Wildlife Site, Priority Habitat and red squirrel habitat, avoidance of harm should be a top priority. The reinstatement of the route has been welcomed universally, and we are delighted that it is well on its way to being restored. But our concerns echo those of individuals and groups including Underskiddaw Parish Council, the Open Spaces Society, the Ramblers Association, Cumbria Bridleway Society and the Horse Access Campaign (HAC) UK. Friends of the Lake District is supporting those in opposition by making our concerns known to organisations such as the LDNPA, Environment Agency and Natural England, and by helping concerned parties to connect with each other and advising on possible courses of action. We are all unified in asking for a more natural or natural-looking surfacing, similar in nature to the type of surfacing already used along much of the route and visually more in-keeping with the surroundings. It would also be more sustainable in terms of drainage whilst enabling a variety of users to access and travel along it. Alternative surfaces have been researched and shared by groups opposed to the use of standard tarmac. We find it hard to understand the decision to use such a material when there are numerous and more sympathetic alternatives available. Flexipave www.kbiuk.co.uk eg Trans Pennine Trail, Barnsley Nuflex / Nuphalt www.nuphaltcontracting.com/nuflex/ eg Britannia Greenway, Bacup. Fibre-dec www.colas.co.uk/looking-after-today/contracting/specialist-processes-and-surface-treatments/fibredec-surface-dressing/ eg Pembrokeshire Sustrans Cycle Path Ultitrec www.tarmac.com/solutions/aggregates-asphalt/ultitrec We are also aware of a case study detailing the Ultitrec surface which makes specific reference to the surface “Being primarily used for recreation purposes and situated in beautiful countryside locations it was essential that the completed towpath fit with its surroundings”. We would question why this level of care is not being applied to the Keswick-Threlkeld route. See http://www.tarmac.com/media/956837/ultitrec-case-study-2pp_proof.pdf for more details. Even though planning permission has already been granted, we believe that it is still possible for the LDNPA to change its mind about the surface materials used, and we understand that the planning condition dealing with the detail of what the track will be surfaced with has yet to be discharged. We and our partners would urge the LDNPA to reconsider their decision and actually enhance the work already undertaken to re-open this popular route.
Threlkeld housing applications Expand Update 4th April 2019 We were very pleased to learn that the application for 8 houses on Blease Road, Threlkeld has now been refused on landscape and residential amenity grounds. We objected to this application on the basis of harm to landscape character and visual amenity, including cumulative impacts with other developments and conflict with local and national policy and guidance. The refusal follows a second attempt to get the scheme through. You can read our second response in full here: Second Response A resubmitted proposal for the 3 dwellings at Station Road was allowed following some revisions to the scheme. Update 17th October 2018 We recently responded to consultation on two applications for housing developments in Threlkeld. There have been several applications for housing development in Threlkeld recently and here too we feel that this represents an overdevelopment of the village. We are pleased to see that one of the proposals (the 3 dwellings at Station Road) has been withdrawn and we await news on the second proposal.September 2018 Threlkeld village has seen something of a bombardment of planning applications lately and we have key concerns about the cumulative impacts of these as well as the landscape and settlement character impacts of the individual proposals. This one concerns 8 houses at Blease Road, and 3 local needs houses at Station Road. See our response here.
Conservation Covenants Defra recently consulted upon proposals to establish conservation covenants. These would enable landowners and managers to enter into long term covenants to deliver a range of conservation and environmental benefits. Read our response to the consultation. Expand 21st March 2019 Defra recently consulted upon proposals to establish conservation covenants. These would enable landowners and managers to enter into long term covenants to deliver a range of conservation and environmental benefits. Overview 1. Leaving our environment in a better state than we found it for future generations to enjoy requires long-term investment and stability. Where land owners seek to secure positive environmental outcomes they have no adequate mechanism to secure those benefits over the long term. We need a new legal tool – conservation covenants. 2. A conservation covenant is a private, voluntary agreement between a landowner and a “responsible” body, such as a conservation charity, government body or a local authority. It delivers lasting conservation benefit for the public good. A covenant sets out obligations in respect of the land which will be legally binding not only on the landowner but on subsequent owners of the land. Consultation description We want to know what you think about our plans to introduce legislation for conservation covenants in England. Conservation covenants would allow landowners to set legally binding obligations on their land for themselves and subsequent owners. This will allow landowners to secure environmental benefits for the long term. In particular, we want to hear what you think about the: 1. demand and potential for conservation covenants to secure lasting conservation for the public good 2. safeguards 3. Law Commission proposals, with our proposed amendments View a copy of Friends of the Lake District's submission to this consultation, submitted 21st March 2019 More information about the consultation is available on the DEFRA website at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-management/conservation-covenants/
Windermere Ferry Price increase We are dismayed that Cumbria County Council has increased fares for foot passengers and cyclists by 100% on the Windermere Ferry, while fares for cars and trailers or caravans have only increased by 12%. Expand We are dismayed that Cumbria County Council has increased the fares for foot passengers and cyclists by 100% on the Windermere Ferry, while the fares for cars and car plus trailer or caravan have only increased by 12%. In a time of increasing awareness of the perils of climate change and the pollution caused by vehicles, we think they should encouraging sustainable forms of transport such as walking and cycling not financially favouring cars.The new fares will make it more expensive for a group of three cyclists to use the ferry than it would to take their car across the lake with the bikes attached to the back. A family of five may as well take their car on the ferry rather than travel as pedestrians as the cost will be the same.This decision to significantly increase prices for cyclists and pedestrians is likely to mean more cars on the narrow, winding roads on the west shores of Windermere; an area really not capable of accommodating an increase in vehicular traffic. At a time when two of the local authorities in Cumbria have declared Climate Emergency, if Cumbria County Council was seriously committed to reducing climate change impacts, it would ensure that travelling by foot or bike on the Windermere Ferry was less expensive than by car. We urge the County Council to reconsider the price rises for pedestrians and cyclists in order to make these sustainable travel modes more attractive to visitors to the Lake District. Read our letter to Cumbria Council here Old prices: New prices:
Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Expand Update 26th March 2019 The Government has recently consulted on the process for evaluating suitability of sites for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for high level radioactive waste. We responded to the consultation raising our concerns that intergenerational equity (the more suitable the geology is for very long term containment, the better the outcome for the safety of future generations) needs to be taken into account when choosing a GDF site because of the many thousands of years it will be necessary to keep the radionuclides contained. In our view this means that the geological safety of the disposal site is the highest priority. We also raised concerns that National Park Authorities are excluded from the decision-making process which means they cannot stop part or all of a national park being put forward for selection by a different local planning authority. We consider that this is a huge mistake in the site selection process and needs to be addressed urgently by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Read our response: Friends of the Lake District response to Radioactive Waste Management consultation on GDF Site Evaluation March 19 (pdf) 31st July 2018 Today the government published its Draft National Policy statement for Geological Disposal Infrastructure which will be taken to Parliament later this year. Despite serious concerns raised by Friends of the Lake District, Lake District National Park Authority, Campaign for National Parks and many others the government has decided to not exclude protected landscapes from being considered for hosting a radioactive waste site. This has major implications for the Lake District and the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as west Cumbria is seen as a potential host community, given previous attempts to site one here and the close proximity of the nuclear power station, Sellafield, and proposed nuclear power station, Moorside. We make two key points in our responses to the consultation earlier this year, (see below) and these concerns both still stand as the government has not taken them into account. April 2018 We have responded to a government draft National Policy Statement on how to select a site for a deep Geological Disposal Facility for high level nuclear waste in the UK. We have also responded to a separate consultation 'Working With Communities' to encourage communities to volunteer to host the facility. This has major implications for the Lake District and the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as west Cumbria is seen as a potential host community, given previous attempts to site one here and the close proximity of the nuclear power station, Sellafield, and proposed nuclear power station, Moorside. We make two key points in our responses: We believe that Protected Landscapes, such as national parks, AONBs and World Heritage Sites, should be excluded from being considered as a potential site for storing this type of nuclear waste. We believe that the national importance of landscapes that receive the highest level of legal and policy protection possible should be respected and that they should be excluded from the process. We also feel that it is insufficient to simply leave the decision to proceed with local communities. The Lake District is a national park because it is recognised to be a ‘national asset’. If a community in or near the Lake District was to put itself forward as a host for a Geological Disposal Facility, the Government should undertake a test of public support on national basis so that everyone with an interest in the Lake District has the opportunity to input into the process. Previous studies have shown that the Lake District’s geology makes it wholly unsuitable for a Geological Disposal Facility. We are concerned that the emphasis from government is on finding willing host communities rather than first looking for sites with suitable geology for this type of activity. This facility must be sited 1km underground within 20 square kilometres of impermeable rock type such as clay or salt. This is the sort of geology needed to contain radioactive gases and particles for up to 100,000 years. The geology of the western Lake District is highly fractured and faulted and unfortunately, there is no guarantee that human engineered containment would last 100,000 years. Over such an extended timescale it is likely that water would permeate through the rock and into the Irish sea and other ground water bringing radioactive particles with it. It is unethical to leave future generations with a legacy of poorly contained radioactive waste. We therefore believe that no community should be allowed to volunteer as a host unless it can be first be confirmed that the geology of the area is suitable. Download / view our full responses here: Friends of the Lake District response to BEIS Implementing Geological Disposal NPS (pdf) Friends of the Lake District response to BEIS Working With Communities consultation final (pdf)
Kendal Flood Defence Scheme We are disappointed to hear that The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has decided not to call in the application for Kendal’s flood defence scheme. Expand Update 8th May 2019 Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme - Planning Application No. SL/2018/0925 - Secretary of State decides not to call in the decision to approve the scheme. We are disappointed to hear that The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has decided not to call in the application for Kendal’s flood defence scheme. This means that the local planning authority’s decision stands. The Secretary of State made clear he has not considered the matter of whether this application complies with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, saying that the local planning authority is responsible for considering whether these Regulations apply and, if so, for ensuring that the requirements of the Regulations are complied with. We do not think that the EIA rules were properly complied with. Unfortunately this decision may represent the end of the road for influencing Kendal’s flood defence scheme. We will let you know if any further information comes to light. 21st March 2019 - Kendal Flood Defences scheme approved by SLDC, but we submit a request for the decision to be 'called in'. We spoke at a Planning Committee meeting on 21st March before proposals for 12km of flood defence walls through Kendal were approved by South Lakeland District Council. This is Phase 1 of a three phase project. We remain deeply concerned about the impact of the walls on Kendal’s historic environment, on its character and on people’s enjoyment of the river corridor, as well as impacts on common land and the way in which the project (which includes felling 545 trees) has been approached. View our second response to the plans here. Although approved by the council, we have, alongside local residents and other local and national organizations*, submitted a request to the Secretary of State that the application be ‘called-in’. This would mean that the application would be assessed by the Secretary of State, who would then decide whether or not the council has made the right decision. We have made the request for two reasons; one being impacts on Nationally Designated Heritage Assets, and the other relating to the lack of certainty, or any assessment of, Phases 2 and 3 actually being carried out, which are upstream flood defence and flood risk management measures on which the scheme is wholly dependent. * The people and groups that have asked for the decision to be called in: Friends of the Lake District Lakeland Arts (the Abbott Hall) Kendal Civic Society The Georgian Group (supported by the Victorian Society) - both national organizations Aynam Road Residents’ Group (including several people who have direct experience of having had their homes flooded) two individual residents a local architect specializing in historic environment Read our original response to the plans here. 14th February 2019 - Environment Agency issue amendments including reducing the number of trees to be felled from 779 to 545 In response to concerns raised by members of the public and organisations, the Environment Agency has issued new documentation relating to their planning application to build flood defences along the River Kent in Kendal. How to viewAll the documents are available via this webpage Type SL/2018/0925 into the ‘Planning Application Number’ box on the right hand side of the page and click ‘Search’. On the next page click ‘View plans and documents’. On the next page click in the box that says you agree to this statement (copyright rules) and then click on ‘Proceed’. From there, it will be easiest if you click on ‘Received date’ to sort the documents by date and then click on page 2. From there you can click through pages 2-10, which include the most recent amended documents – all those with ‘Amended’ as the first word in the title. The most helpful are those with ‘Tree removal and retention plan’ in the Description column as despite the name, these also give information on the flood walls proposed. They cover the whole route of the Kent through Kendal section by section. The new documents include amendments such as reducing the number of trees to be felled from 779 to 545 and a commitment to replacing lost trees 6:1 instead of 4:1. However, this is still a large number of trees to lose and those to be saved do not include prominent trees on areas such as Aynam Road and Gooseholme. While a 6:1 replanting ratio is commendable, new trees will take many years to provide the benefits that mature trees do. Many of the concerns we raised in our original response remain, including the small number of homes to be protected, increased flood risks for some homes and reliance on two later phases of the scheme, yet to be devised. We are concerned that as parts of the scheme are mutually dependent on one another and that each would be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment legislation, the three phases should not be treated separately, but assessed as one project. We will be submitting a further response to this application to take into account the revised documents by the deadline of 3rd March. 21st December 2018 - Our response to SL/2018/0925 Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme We have now submitted our response to SL/2018/0925 Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme - Phase 1 Kendal Linear Defences. You can read it at this link: FLD response to SL20180925.pdf 21st December 2018 - Additional information provided by the Environment Agency Information relating to the Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme provided by the Environment Agency Fact Check figures: Kendal_Factcheck_V2.pdf Kendal Future Flood Risk Management Update: Kendal_newsletter_Final_Dec_18.pdf 18th December 2018 - Press Release issued today - Kendal Flood Defence Scheme The Environment Agency has proposed a Kendal Flood Defence Scheme to try to reduce the flood risk to homes and businesses in the town that was one of the Cumbrian communities badly affected by Storm Desmond in 2015. The Plan includes flood defence barriers and embankments along much of the riverside within the town, and areas at Mintsfeet, Beezon Fields and Gooseholme being allowed to flood in order to store and slow down water flow. Local landscape charity, Friends of the Lake District, while welcoming measures that will reduce flooding risks, has raised some questions on this particular plan. Lorayne Wall, Planning Officer at Friends of the Lake District, “We feel that given the scale, complexity and importance of this scheme, insufficient time has been allowed for members of the public and relevant organisations to properly consider all the documentation and its implications. “There is concern over the large number of trees to be felled given that trees contribute so much to the character of Kendal as well as helping to provide cleaner air, habitat, bank stabilisation and intercepting and storing water. “There is little mention of natural flood management measures within the town, further upstream or across the wider river catchment. There may be further opportunities to reduce run-off rates, reduce the peak flow of water and in turn, reduce the need for such significant and highly engineered measures within Kendal. There needs to be more consideration of alternatives such as increased flood resilience measures and pop-up flood barriers, such as those in Cockermouth, which would have more limited impacts. “This plan offers a valuable opportunity for an innovative solution that delivers on flood mitigation and defence for Kendal whilst protecting and enhancing what is special about the town. We feel that more time and effort should be invested to make sure that this happens.” The application is currently being considered by South Lakeland District Council (SLDC). It will be considered by SLDC Councillors at a meeting in March and it is expected that works will start shortly after that if approved.
Motorised Use of Fell Roads 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. Expand 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 (see link below). 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)
Kirkby Moor Windfarm In January we spoke at the Inquiry into the appeal against refusal of an application to extend the life of the wind farm by 8 years. Our objection is primarily on the grounds of landscape impacts. We expect a decision on Kirkby Moor wind farm by 21 May. Expand Update 7th February 2019 We are expecting a decision on Kirkby Moor wind farm on or before 21st May 2019. Update 1st February 2019 On Tuesday 29th January, we spoke at the Inquiry into the into the appeal against refusal of an application to extend the life of the wind farm by 8 years. Our objection is primarily on the grounds of landscape impacts. We stood with members of the community and Parish and District Councillors as a ‘Rule 6’ group, meaning we had the benefit of an experienced advocate, a collective voice and formal standing at the Inquiry. All those that spoke put their cases across fairly and clearly and it was heartening to see the way in which the community had come together. We felt the Inquiry went well and was conducted very fairly. The Inspector will now undertake some further site visits before preparing his report and issuing his decision. This is expected to take several weeks, but we will provide updates as soon as we receive news on the outcome. Update 25th January 2019 The second week of the Kirkby Moor Wind Farm Planning Inquiry will begin at 10am on Tuesday 29th January in the Supper Room (upstairs) at Coronation Hall, Ulverston with subsequent days commencing at 10am. It reconvenes to continue the Inquiry into the appeal against refusal of an application to extend the life of the wind farm by 8 years. Friends of the Lake District will be attending the Inquiry and will be speaking on Tuesday 29th (likely to be pm). Members of the public are welcome to attend and will have an opportunity to speak on Wednesday 30th January. The last day has been scheduled for Friday 1st February but it is possible, if good progress is made, that the Inquiry will finish earlier. Update 14th December 2018 We are preparing to take part in the public inquiry that will determine the appeal referred to in the extract below (2nd August 2018). The appeal will take place over 2 weeks from 21st January at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston, with the exact timetable yet to be set out. Update 2nd August 2018 Zephyr Investments has appealed against South Lakeland District Council’s decision to refuse its application to extend the life of its windfarm at Kirkby Moor. The windfarm, on the edge of the Lake District National Park on the Furness Peninsula, was granted temporary planning permission for 25 years in 1992. It will now go to a public inquiry in January 2019. The formal deadline for the public to object is 7 August but people can still make their views heard beyond that through local parish councils and campaign groups. We objected previously (to the original scheme, a re-powering of the scheme and to the application to extend its life) and will be adding further evidence for our objection as part of the appeal process - and we will be doing so as part of a 'Rule 6 coalition' along with other parties that have concerns about the proposal, mainly the group ‘Kirkby Moor Protectors’. 6th December 2017 Friends of the Lake District welcomes the decision by South Lakeland District Council Planning Committee to refuse the application by Zephyr Investments to retain the turbines on Kirby Moor, on the Furness peninsula, Cumbria, until 31st March 2027. Read our press release Time runs out for Kirkby Moor Windfarm 25th September 2017 We responded to the application to vary condition 6 - to extend the life of the wind farm. Read our response 26th November 2015 South Lakeland District Council’s planning committee has refused the application for repowering the Kirkby Moor windfarm. The proposal by energy company RWE comprised the decommissioning of the 12 existing turbines on the Kirkby Moor site and replacing them with 6 turbines with a blade tip height of 115m, over two and a half times the height of the current turbines. Read more...
Threat to New Road Common, Kendal We are concerned about an application for works at New Road Common, Kendal to reinstate former unlawful car parking on this site Expand We are concerned about an application for works at New Road Common, Kendal to reinstate former unlawful car parking on this site. A successful application would undo South Lakeland District Council's hard work over the last two years to: prevent further car parking, remove the pollution the car parking has caused to the soil and surface, restore the common to green and a place the public can sit and enjoy the riverscape and views across to Kendal Castle. For more information visit our news page at this link: Threat to New Road Common We have provided a link to our own response and details of how you can submit an objection to this application.
Biodiversity Net Gain Consultation Read our response to the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, which promises that any development taking place would provide an environmental net gain in order to try and address the loss of wildlife in England. Expand The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan published last year promised that any development taking place would provide an environmental net gain in order to try and address the loss of wildlife in England. To proceed towards this aim, the government recently consulted on applying biodiversity net gain to the planning process. The Government states in the consultation that: An effective net gain policy could enable us to build the houses, commercial premises and local infrastructure we need and at the same time improve our environment by more than compensating for biodiversity loss where it cannot be avoided or mitigated. In theory, this looks like it could be a really great policy, but in practise there are a number of issues that we have concerns about. Firstly, some habitats are just irreplaceable because of their complexity, the length of time taken to establish or due to changed climatic conditions. This group of habitats includes ancient woodland, limestone pavement, sand dunes and heathland. We are concerned that developers will be able to develop these sites using net gain as a convenient excuse to do so. Secondly, habitats sit within a specific place in the landscape because of the underlying conditions geology, soil, rainfall and aspect provide. Habitats need to be understood within their landscape context, where they are part of the landscape fabric which helps local ecosystems to function and species to move through it. Net gain appears to forget this fact, and the consultation talks about biodiversity “units” or “credits” as if it were possible to just move an area of habitat from one place to another with no ill effects. Thirdly, there is a grave concern that there won’t be adequate resources provided to local authorities and Natural England to oversee any scheme. With no oversight of the scheme, developers won’t be held to account, and species will be lost and habitats will be replaced with inferior, less biodiverse wildlife. Fourthly, we are very surprised that the Government is only supporting biodiversity net grain rather than environmental net gain such as enhancing tranquillity, reducing flood risk, carbon sequestration, and access improvements. We consider that this is a missed opportunity on the basis that enhancing biodiversity in many cases also works towards other net gains, such as tree planting increasing carbon sequestration, and reinstating water meadows helping with flood risk reduction. We, along with a number of other organisations (including CPRE) have provided detailed responses to this consultation. You can read ours here.
MOD Warcop Common Inquiry We are shocked and saddened for the precedent that this recommendation sets for the future of all of our common land. Expand 6th December 2018 At Cumbria County Council's Development Committee Meeting held on December 6th in Kendal, 11 members voted in favour, 1 against and 1 abstention to accept the Inspectors report and recommendation. The outcome of the Inquiry and this decision are hugely important. Not just because these commons represent 1% of our stock of common land in England - 3,200ha will now be deregistered - but because of the precedent that this sets for all of our common land. 3rd December 2018 Cumbria County Council is likely to agree to the Ministry of Defence’s application to deregister Hilton, Murton and Warcop Commons at its Development Committee Meeting on December 6th in Kendal, despite the MoD’s previous undertaking that they would never seek to do so. This undertaking was given at an inquiry in 2001 into the MoD’s request to compulsory purchase all the common rights on Warcop, Hilton and Murton Commons. This move was to allow them more flexibility in their training and to intensify their use of the land. The Inspector appointed to conduct a recent inquiry held by Cumbria County Council into the MOD’s applications to deregister these Commons has recommended in favour of the MOD. Jan Darrall, Policy Officer, “We are shocked and saddened for the precedent that this recommendation sets and for the future of all of our common land. We are deeply concerned about the outlook for Warcop, Hilton and Murton commons as there will now be very few restraints on the MOD there. “The inquiry was complex but the consequences of deregistration are simple enough and illustrate why we have fought so hard to oppose this application. Access: The three commons of Warcop, Hilton and Murton amount to 3% of Cumbria’s common land. A decision to deregister these commons puts their cultural heritage at risk and gives the MOD discretion to deny local use. We believe that our rich common land should remain for all to enjoy. Protection: The land will lose protection against encroachment and development since works on common land require the consent of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in addition to any planning permission. Heritage: It will bring to an end hundreds of years of tradition of upland communing. The farming community, which used to have vital grazing rights over this land, will now be denied any opportunity in future to graze their stock there.” The application will be presented to the Development Control and Regulation Committee on Thursday 6th December for consideration, but opponents expect the Committee to adopt the Inspector’s recommendation to remove common land status from the historic commons of Warcop, Hilton and Murton (a small area of Murton Common called ‘Area Victor’ will be excluded from the Committee’s decision on 6th December and will retain its common land status). Cumbria County Council as Commons Registration appointed Alan Evans from Kings Chambers, Leeds to conduct the Inquiry. The MoD, led by QC David Elvin had a six strong team. The lead opponents were the Open Spaces Society who appointed QC George Laurence. Other objectors included ourselves, Foundation for Common Land, Federation of Cumbrian Commoners, Hilton Commoners Association and Murton Parish Council. 18th October 2018: Inquiry to reconvene on 30th October 2018 The Warcop Inquiry reconvenes on 30th October for four days. This is to discuss the second issue, namely are the Warcop commons still waste of the lord of the manor? The MOD are arguing that they are not. We, together with partners the Open Spaces Society, the Foundation for Common Land, and the Hilton Commoners are arguing they are no different in character to most of our upland commons and remain waste of the lord of the manor. Proof follows: Further evidence of the Friends of the Lake District in relation to the issue of Waste of Lord of the Manor (pdf) 8th October 2018: Online Petition 'Prevent the MOD removing Cumbria fells from the Commons Register'. Despite an undertaking by the Secretary of State, made after a public enquiry in 2001, that the fells would remain on the Commons Register in perpetuity. The MOD are attempting the biggest LAND GRAB of common land since the 1800's. The Fells in question, Murton Fell CL76, Hilton Fell CL27 and Burton and Warcop Fell CL122 form part of the Warcop MOD training area. In 2003 the MOD purchased the grazing rights from the commoners. Part of the agreement reached was that the fells would remain on the Commons Register. Now they have cancelled that part of the agreement. Our argument is that it is not legally possible to cancel part of a multiparty agreement, without the other parties consenting, which they do not. Sign this petition> Warcop Common update 25 Sept 2018In 2001 an inquiry was held into the desire of the Ministry of Defence (M0D) to compulsory purchase all the common rights on Warcop, Hilton and Murton Commons to enable them to have more flexibility in their training and intensify use. The MoD also gave an undertaking that they would never seek to deregister the land as common land. That is exactly what they are now trying to do and something we, and other partners strongly oppose.Cumbria County Council as Commons Registration Authority held a Public Inquiry to consider the applications in early September. They appointed Alan Evans from Kings Chambers, Leeds to conduct the Inquiry. The MoD, led by QC David Elvin had a six strong team. The lead opponents were the Open Spaces Society who appointed QC George Laurence. Other objectors included ourselves, Foundation for Common Land, Federation of Cumbrian Commoners, Hilton Commoners Association and Murton Parish Council. You can read our skeleton argument below: We are strongly opposed to this huge area being lost as common land.This is a very complex and legal issue. The Inspector can only hear arguments that are relevant to the legislation under which CCC have to determine the applications. So although many of us feel the MoD are going back on their previous undertakings and this is causing a lack of trust, etc, he cannot take account of these arguments. He was however very generous in that he was willing to listen to all evidence, even if he could only take account of some of it!The Inquiry focused on two key issues. Firstly the legal ‘power’ issue. Does the legislation give the MoD the power to make this application given the nature of the vesting deed which was to extinguish rights (not purchase the soil). The MoD are saying that because all the commons rights were extinguished by a Vesting deed on 31st March 2003 the land then ceased to be common land and they want it to be removed from the Register. The Open Spaces Society, ourselves and others argue that the Vesting Deed only related to the extinguishment of the rights and nothing else, certainly nothing pertaining to the land and therefore the applications should fail.However, if the MoD win their argument, another issue comes into play and that is whether the land remains waste of the Lord of the Manor. For land to be deregistered it must both have no rights of common and no longer be waste of the manor (unoccupied, open and uncultivated).The Inquiry will reconvene on the 30th October to consider the Waste of the Manor Issue. We are now working hard with partners to gather our evidence together on this issue.The Inspector will make his recommendations to Cumbria County Council, who need to make a decision before 14th December 2018 when the four year "transitional period" for updating the registers ends.The Inquiry has had significant press coverage in both national papers and on the television. Update 23 August 2018Cumbria County Council has announced a two day public inquiry into the applications by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to deregister Hilton, Murton and Warcop Commons, near Appleby in Westmorland. These commons represent 3% of the stock of common land in England. 15 years ago the MoD applied to extinguish the common rights over the land to give them more control and flexibility. At that time, they stated categorically that they would not apply to deregister the land as common land. This is now precisely what they have done, with little or no evidence as to why. The applications are strongly opposed by ourselves, the Open Spaces Society (OSS), the Foundation for Common Land, the Federation of Cumbrian Commoners, and the local residents. The inquiry will take place on 12 – 13 September and will be Barrister led. It will only focus on the legal issues surrounding the applications. This is very complex and the OSS has engaged their own Barrister to present their case which we support. There are issues of principle at stake here, namely the fact that the applications are completely at odds with Government policy on common land, that the MoD expressly undertook not to deregister the commons, and also that we believe the applications do not meet the legislative requirements. Read more MOD proposal to deregister Warcop, Hilton, Murton and Burton commons Cumbria Commons face biggest threat since Enclosure movement
Agriculture Bill Parliamentary Briefing We welcome the Agriculture Bill which will make payments for the delivery of public goods, and cease area support payments simply for owning land. Expand 28th November 2018 Full text of our briefing and comments is available at this link:Friends of the Lake District briefing and comments Headlines Friends of the Lake District welcomes the Agriculture Bill which will make payments for the delivery of public goods, and cease area support payments simply for owning land. However, we wish to see landscape specifically listed as a public benefit and also the Bill make it a duty rather than a power to make payments for public goods (thereby ensuring it happens and not just may happen if desired). We have concerns that the Bill as drafted is not sufficiently robust to secure the desired benefits for our landscape, natural and cultural heritage (including common land), our rural and upland communities and those who live and work within them. We also welcome payments for cultural and natural heritage, providing public access and enabling young farmers, and the clarity on the length of the transition period (until 2027) giving farmers and land managers more confidence to make plans to adjust and adapt. However, it is still unclear what the overall budget will be and if there will be enough money to deliver healthy landscapes and communities. S11 of the Bill covers rural development and there are references in the policy statement to the value of traditional farming in upland areas, but it is not clear how these areas will be supported.
Glover Landscape Review We welcome the Government’s independent review of England’s National Parks and AONBs launched on 20 October. The review is led by Julian Glover supported by an experienced advisory group. Expand 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.
Aerial Flight at Honister Slate Mine We are concerned about the basis for the decision to approve an application for a zipwire at Honister Slate Mine, and have requested that the Government “calls in” the application. Expand Update 4th December 2018 We have been assured by the National Planning Casework Unit that the Lake District National Park Authority has agreed not to issue their decision notice on the Honister Zip Wire until the Secretary of State has confirmed whether or not he will call-in the application. 15th November 2018 Friends of the Lake District is concerned about the basis for the decision to approve an application for a Dual Purpose Aerial Wire at Honister Slate Mine, and has requested that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government “calls in” this application. This means we have asked that the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) is prevented from granting permission and for the application to be determined instead by the Secretary of State. We have done this because we believe the decision was contrary to legislation relating to National Parks and to national and local planning policy. The Sandford Principle requires that in National Parks, where there is a conflict between economic and landscape interests, the requirement to conserve and enhance the landscape must be given greater weight. In coming to their decision, the LDNPA gave significant weight to the economic benefits of the proposal, but limited value was placed on the non-visual aspects of landscape character. The decision was contrary to both the Authority’s own officer recommendations and Natural England’s objection on landscape impact grounds. The application has also been determined before a legally required assessment of the proposal’s impact on sites of international biodiversity importance has been concluded. We await the Secretary of State’s decision on whether or not the application will be called-in. If he agrees to call-in the case, he will also confirm that an inquiry will be held and the decision will be reviewed by a Planning Inspector. If he decides not to call it in, we will work with other interested organisations to consider whether any other action can be taken. Cumbria Wildlife Trust, ZipOff, the Open Spaces Society and CPRE all support our view and have also asked for the decision to be called in. Image credit: Ben Barden, Cumbria Photos 7th November 2018 Planning Application: Aerial Flight at Honister Slate Mine - APPROVED Friends of the Lake District considers there to be little justification for the Lake District National Park Authority Members ignoring the advice of its Planning Officer and agreeing to this development. We consider this to be a highly sensitive location and that this development will have a detrimental impact on the landscape character, tranquillity and biodiversity of the area. Both lines are intended to be used for the movement of stone and the shorter line is to be accessible for all including those who may not be able to access the full via ferrata. The applicant contends that the new uses outweigh the detrimental impacts of the proposal. Whilst the two proposed new uses of the wire are commendable in terms of supporting the existing business use of the site and providing a new experience in the Lake District which is accessible for all, in our opinion, they do not outweigh the detrimental impacts of the scheme. We consider the zip wire to be an inappropriate addition to the offering which will result in unacceptable detrimental landscape impacts. Our main concerns are: The conflicts with the National Park purposes The landscape and visual impacts of the development in this high fell landscape Impacts upon tranquillity by means of incongruous noise and movement at the site Transport impacts on the local road network Potential impacts upon open access land. Additionally, we feel that the application failed to provide sufficient information regarding the potential number of users, particularly on the additional shorter line. Whilst the capacity of the ‘main’ line is limited by the numbers of people completing the via ferrata there will be no such restriction on the shorter line and it is likely to become a popular attraction in its own right. The application did not address this issue and we are now concerned that this development will intensify the tourism and recreation activity on the site and create additional noise and traffic impacts. We also have major concerns relating to the potential for adverse impacts on international biodiversity designations; concerns shared by Natural England in its response to this application. 17th October 2018 Honister – decision to be made on 7th November. We have submitted a response to the recent extra consultation on the application, making clear that our concerns about the impacts on the landscape, tranquillity and biodiversity of the area remain. This is despite additional information being provided by the applicant that did clarify some of the queries we had raised in our earlier objection. We are pleased to see that Natural England has also responded to this extra consultation and that they share our concerns relating to the potential impact on international biodiversity designations. 13th September 2018 A further consultation is underway on proposals for a zip-wire at Honister Slate Mine. The proposals were submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority in January, but following comments received during consultation, the applicants were asked to provide further details of their plans. Now that this extra information has been received, people are being given a further chance to comment. Friends of the Lake District objected to the proposals due to impacts on landscape character, visual amenity and the tranquillity of the area and will be commenting again at this stage. The application can be viewed on www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planningsearch The reference number is 7/2018/2011. The consultation closes on 8 October 2018 and comments can be made by emailing [email protected] or by writing to Lake District National Park Authority, Murley Moss, Kendal, LA9 7RL. It is expected that a decision on the proposals will be made at the Lake District National Park Authority’s Development Control Committee meeting on 7 November 2018. you'll find more detailed instructions on how to submit your own comments here> 13th March 2018 Written response submitted to the planning authority by Friends of the Lake District We have now written and submitted a full response to the planning authority which is now available to view / download at the link below: 7 2018 2011 Honister Zip Wire application FLD response.pdf 23rd February 2018 Planning Update: Honister Aerial Flight As you may be aware, another application has been submitted by Honister Slate Mine for an aerial flight (zip wire). Whilst the line of the wire remains the same as the 2012 application (7/2012/2243) the applicant considers the proposal to be different from previous applications because: The wire would be dual purpose and used to transport slate from the mine opening The secondary shorter line at the intermediate point will be accessible for all enabling disabled users and younger children to participate in the zip wire attraction. We recognise that both of these added uses are commendable in terms of supporting the existing business use of the site and providing a new experience in the Lake District which is accessible for all. However, we do not consider that these additional uses outweigh the detrimental impacts of the proposal which have previously resulted in the application being refused.We have carefully assessed the proposals, visited the site and, as an organisation which advocates for the landscape, we have taken the decision to object to the submitted proposals.Our main concerns are: The conflicts with the National Park purposes The landscape and visual impacts of the development in this high fell landscape Impacts upon tranquillity by means of incongruous noise and movement at the site Transport impacts on the local road network Potential impacts upon open access land. We consider that the application does not provide sufficient information regarding the potential number of users, particularly on the additional shorter line. Whilst the capacity of the ‘main’ line is limited by the numbers of people completing the via ferrata there would be no such restriction on the shorter line and it is likely to become a popular attraction in its own right.The application does not address this issue and we are concerned that this would intensify the tourism and recreation activity on the site and create additional noise and traffic impacts.Whilst we commend Honister Slate Mine for their diversification at the site, including the mine tours and via ferrata, we consider that the zip wire is an inappropriate addition to the offering which will result in unacceptable detrimental landscape impacts.From previous applications, we expect and respect that not everyone may agree with our position. Although we object as an organisation, we are encouraging our membership, and members of the public, to engage in the planning process whatever their view.The best way to make your voice heard is to write to the Lake District National Park Authority (the planning authority) with your views on the application. Anyone can make comments on a planning application regardless of where you live, and whether you are objecting to or supporting the proposal.You should email any comments to [email protected]k and include Planning Reference Number 7/2018/2011 in your correspondence. The closing date for comments is 26th March 2018. You can also write to the planning authority. We've included some additional notes in the link below which also includes instructions for viewing or downloading this planning application. Additional Guidance on submitting comments to the Planning Authority>And finally, we will be making our full written response available online once it has been submitted to the planning authority.26th January 2018 We have been made aware that the planning proposal detailed below is now live and available to view online at the LDNPA planning portal. Planning Reference: 7/2018/2011 (Full Planning application) Proposal: Dual purpose aerial wire for extraction of stone and tourism use Location: Honister Slate Mine, Honister Pass, Borrowdale, Keswick, CA12 5XN View the application We have been invited to consult on the application and now that we are in receipt, we will be assessing as soon as possible. We will not be commenting on the application until we have thoroughly read and assessed the proposal. We have engaged with the applicants when they have requested and we will be interested to see if our advice has been incorporated into the development of the proposals. 12th January 2018 We are aware that Honister Slate Mine has submitted an application for a new zip wire. We will assess the proposal fully once sumbission has been processed and application is made available for download by the planning authority. 26th April 2017 We are aware that Honister Slate Mine is progressing an application for a new zip wire due to be submitted imminently . We have had pre application discussions with the applicants and their agent. We will assess the proposal fully once submitted. Given the likely interest in this proposal we intend to make our response available on this website page at the earliest opportunity.
National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure 10th December 2018: We have today submitted our response to the Consultation on the draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure. Expand 10th December 2018 We have today submitted our response to the Consultation on the draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure. Details of the consultation are below, followed by the main points of our response. To view or download our full response, use the link at the bottom of this item. Details of Consultation Update 6 – Consultation on the draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure begins We have today published our consultation on the draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure (NPS). All consultation documents are available from our Citizen Space website here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/draft-national-policy-statement/. The consultation will close on Thursday 31 January 2019 at midnight. We would like your views on whether the draft NPS provides an appropriate and effective framework for the Examining Authority (the Planning Inspectorate) and the Secretary of State to examine and make decisions on development consent order applications for nationally significant water resources infrastructure projects in England. We would also like your views on the Assessment of Sustainability and Habitats Regulations Assessments that accompany the NPS. The types of infrastructure that the NPS will specifically apply to are reservoirs, water transfer and desalination projects. The Planning Act 2008 will be amended shortly to this effect and the Citizen Space website will include an update when this occurs. You can respond to this consultation by submitting your responses via the online survey at Citizen Space, by emailing the team or by post. Friends of the Lake District Response to Consultation Section 1: The draft NPS 1 Do you think the draft NPS sets out a clear need for nationally significant water resources infrastructure? Please provide reasons to support your answer. Our Response: We remain disappointed that the NPS does not provide a clear linking mechanism which requires water companies to prove they have significantly reduced water usage and leakage before they seek major additional infrastructure. We would urge that the ability to do this is looked at again. We reiterate our comments made in a previous consultation: Need is not static, it changes all the time. The WRMP are the documents which assess any potential deficit in demand and propose solutions. They operate on a 25 year timescale but are revised every 5 years. It appears rather strange therefore that there seems to be no parallel review of the NPS proposed. We may therefore end up with a situation where the need in WRMP is up to date, but is being assessed against out of date need identification in the NPS. How is this going to be resolved? 2 Do you think the draft NPS makes clear for water undertakers, the Examining Authority and the Secretary of State, the relationship between water resources management planning and applying for nationally significant infrastructure project development consent? Please provide reasons to support your answer. Our Response: We welcome the statement in para 4.9.10 that “The Secretary of State should refuse development consent in these areas except in exceptional circumstances and where it can be demonstrated that the development is in the public interest”. However, we feel that this presumption should be reflected by the designated landscapes being exempt from the NSIP process and that for these areas, such plans should be determined by local planning mechanisms as per current arrangements. 3 Are the assessment criteria included in the draft NPS appropriate? Please tell us your views, including any further relevant criteria you can identify. Our Response: We welcome the inclusion of many of our comments in previous consultations, particularly those relating to landscape, access, tranquillity, etc. 5 Do you have any other comments on the draft NPS which are not covered by the previous questions? Our Response: We remain horrified that Table 2.1 in the Appraisal of Sustainability Report refers to the potential Borrowbeck Reservoir. It is bizarre that the WRMP are required to show all options considered even if they are financially, environmentally and socially unacceptable. This is the case with the current United Utilities WRMP in that it identifies a potential reservoir at Borrowbeck. This is in a nationally designated landscape and would be totally unacceptable in landscape and environmental terms, yet has to be put in the plan. This is frankly ridiculous given stakeholder and company feedback. It is even more disconcerting that it is referred to as a feasible option when para 4.9.10 states such schemes will not normally be approved in designated landscapes. They may be feasible in building terms but never in landscape or environmental terms. The WRMP guidance needs to be reconsidered to remove schemes that will never be environmentally and socially acceptable, and the terminology in the NPS refined to use appropriate and not feasible. Section 2: Appraisal of Sustainability (AoS) and Habitats Regulations Assessment 7 Do you agree with the conclusions of the Appraisal of Sustainability Report and the recommendations for enhancing positive effects associated with the implementation of the draft NPS? If not, what do you think should be the key recommendations and why? Our Response: We do not agree with the conclusions re landscape, namely that the implementation of the draft NPS is likely “to result in a positive effect in respect of conserving and enhancing our landscapes and townscapes”. We do not see how this conclusion can be reached where there are no details of any schemes available. It put a significant emphasis on potential enhancement of schemes but does not specify what this may be. Reservoirs it is acknowledged are likely to be on greenfield, not brownfield sites and as such will have a significant change in landscape character. Water transfer schemes may be underground but there will be a requirement for the area of ground above any pipes not to be planted with trees or have walls across them. So, quite apart from physical infrastructure impacts such as buildings, we consider that it is impossible to say that there will automatically be a positive landscape impact. At best the assessment must be unknown until detailed plans are available for schemes. 8 Do you agree with the proposed arrangements for monitoring the significant effects of the implementation of the draft NPS? If not, what measures do you propose? Our Response: There appear to be no proposals for monitoring landscape or cultural heritage. Tables 4 and 6.1 in the Appraisal of Sustainability include no indicators for either of these subject areas. On that basis, no we do not agree with the proposed arrangements for monitoring. A baseline needs to be established based on the most detailed landscape character assessments done, and if there are none, then a baseline LCA and associated monitoring framework should be established as part of the process. Read / download our full response at this link (pdf)
Energy proposals at Old Hutton Expand 6th November 2018 A proposal for a new gas-fired power station in open countryside near Old Hutton, three miles from Kendal was turned down by planning committee for a second time this year on Friday 2nd November, by a whisker. Thirty eight members of the public, joined landscape conservation charity Friends of the Lake District’s planning officer Lorayne Wall to speak against the proposal at the planning committee meeting. South Lakeland District Council had recommended it for approval, despite significant objections from local residents. Members of the planning committee voted 5 votes to 5, with one abstention and the chair having the casting vote, voted against accepting the application. A proposal for a larger power station and battery storage facility on the site of an existing electrical substation was turned down in January this year. The application covered an area of just over three hectares of land, in open countryside close to Old Hutton village, and would have roughly doubled the size of the existing electricity substation there. Many in local communities have campaigned against the proposals since their original submission in May 2017. The original application, for a 49.99MW battery storage facility and a 49.99MW gas fired electricity generation station on land to the north of the Old Hutton Substation, was turned down by planners in January this year. This new application for a gas fired power station at the site is without the battery storage facility this time.Friends of the Lake District objected to the two original schemes and also objected to the recent proposal, on the same grounds as our earlier objection, on the basis of landscape and visual impacts in a rural agricultural landscape, transport impacts on the local rural roads, including through nearby villages and hamlets, and the removal of diverse hedgerow and trees to enable access. Read more about this and our response here. Lorayne Wall, Friends of the Lake District’s planning officer, said: “We were pleased that proposals for a gas-fired power station in open countryside near Old Hutton were rejected for the second time this year on Friday. This was due in no small part to almost 40 local community members, along with MP Tim Farron and the Leader of South Lakeland District Council, Giles Archibald, who all spoke strongly against the proposal at planning committee.” Update 31st October 2018 South Lakeland District Council has recommended the proposal for a gas fired power station at Old Hutton for APPROVAL. We will be appearing at the planning committee meeting on Friday 2nd November to present our objections to the proposal. Update 13th July 2018 Gas fired power station at Old Hutton resubmitted The applicant has lodged a new application for a gas fired power station at the site. It is a resubmission and replaces the two earlier applications, for a gas fired electricity generating station and a battery storage facility that were rejected in January. This time the new application is for a 49.99W gas fired power station on the site (no battery storage facility). Friends of the Lake District objected to the two original schemes and also object to the current proposal, on the same grounds as our earlier objection, on the basis of landscape and visual impacts in a rural agricultural landscape, transport impacts on the local rural roads, including through nearby villages and hamlets, and the removal of diverse hedgerow and trees to enable access. View our response here. You can view the proposal on the South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) website here by searching on reference SL/2018/0388. You can also arrange to view the applications at the SLDC offices in Kendal. You can respond to this application by submitting comments via the SLDC website, or by email, send your comments to [email protected] OR write to: Development Management Group Manager South Lakeland House Lowther Street Kendal LA9 4DL You must quote the reference SL/2018/0388 in your correspondence. The official deadline for making comments has now passed, (20th July) but you can still send comments in until the planning committee meeting at which the decision will be made. There is currently no date for this yet. Our response to the previous applications can be read here. Update 5th January 2018 South Lakeland District Council Planning Committee has rejected two applications for a 49.99MW Battery storage facility and a 49.99MW gas fired electricity generation station on land to the north of the Old Hutton Substation. Read our full press release Update 11th October 2017 We expected this application would go to Committee in late September. However, there has been an ongoing dialogue between South Lakeland District Council and the Planning Inspectorate as to whether or not the two applications should be determined by the council or under the NSIP (Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project) process by the Planning Inspectorate, given both are marginally under the 50MW threshold but cumulatively are far above that threshold. An extension of time, until 5th January 2018, to determine the applicant has been agreed. Update 27th June 2017 Application SL/2017/0425 comprising of the Installation of a 49.99 MW battery storage facility with associated equipment, and application SL/2017/0426 comprising of the installation of gas fired electricity generating station. You can still respond to these applications by submitting comments via the South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) website. The application reference numbers are: SL/2017/0425 and SL/2017/0426 and can be accessed via these links or by searching on the SLDC website. You can also arrange to view the applications at the SLDC offices in Kendal. Update 14th June 2017 Application SL/2017/0425 comprising of the Installation of a 49.99 MW battery storage facility with associated equipment, and application SL/2017/0426 comprising of the installation of gas fired electricity generating station. Friends of the Lake District have assessed the above proposals and objected to both on the basis of landscape and visual impacts, both individually and cumulatively, transport impacts and the removal of diverse hedgerow to enable access. We do not consider that the applications have fully assessed the impacts of these proposals and they do not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the arguments for the proposals. Our full response can be read here. 16th May 2017 We are aware that two planning applications have been submitted to South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) for significant energy related infrastructure on land at Greenmoor Bank, Old Hutton Kendal. Our planning officer is currently assessing these proposals and will issue our written responses to the application in due course. Initial assessment has raised concerns over the cumulative impacts of the development alongside current infrastructure as well as the two applications combined. We are particularly concerned regarding detrimental impacts on landscape character and visual amenity from key viewpoints including the Helm. The application reference numbers are: SL/2017/0425 and SL/2017/0426 and can be accessed via the SLDC website or by arranging to view the application at the SLDC offices in Kendal.
NWCC Cumbria Pylons project dropped by National Grid Expand 22 November 2018: NWCC Pylons project dropped by National GridFriends of the Lake District is pleased to see that the threat of 400kV powerlines and associated pylons through and around the Lake District National Park has at least for the moment been halted as National Grid pulls back from the North West Coast Connections project. The proposal to connect a proposed nuclear power station at Moorside on the west Cumbrian Coast was always going to prove very technically difficult and expensive for National Grid because the power cables would need to pass through or around the Lake District National Park as well as potentially causing damaging the Arnside and Silverdale and Solway Coast AONBs. We worked closely with National Grid to persuade them to protect the Lake District from damage by pylons. Whilst we were successful in encouraging National Grid to underground cables within the Lake District, they still proposed to erect 50-60m tall pylons just metres outside the National Park boundary. It is therefore a relief that the project has at least for the time being been dropped. We understand that Moorside is still on the Government’s list of proposed nuclear power plant sites, so we will obviously keep a close eye on plans for the site and 400kV grid connections. We do hope that if it comes forward again that common sense prevails and that powerlines will be kept outside of the nationally and internationally protected landscape of the Lake District. Friends of the Lake District would like to thank everyone who supported our campaigns in 2014 and 2016 including those who donated and those who took the time to write letters to National Grid. We will be keeping you informed of any further developments. 17th May 2017 National Grid NWCC Plans On Hold Yesterday we were contacted by National Grid who let us know that they are putting their work on NWCC on hold due to uncertainty over the future of the Moorside nuclear power station project. NuGEN are undertaking a "strategic review" of their project, and looking for a new funder as Toshiba are pulling their backing due to financial problems. This means that there is no current need case at the moment for a grid link. National Grid have stated: "In line with NuGen’s review, we are pausing work on our connection. This will ensure we can align our plans both for the application for consent and the development of the infrastructure itself.” You can read more about this pause here in the News and Star, and see Grid's official statement here. As yet, we don't know what this will mean for the project and its impact on the Lake District National Park, but we will obviously be keeping a close watch on what happens next. 23rd February 2017 Ofgem Consultation on the Need for North West Coast Connections Friends of the Lake District commented on a consultation from Ofgem the energy regulator which asked: "In this consultation we have set out our initial views on National Grid’s North West Coast Connections project which would connect a proposed new nuclear power station in Cumbria to the main transmission network in Great Britain. This document covers three broad assessment areas: Whether we think there is a technical need for the project. How NGET has narrowed down the option it has taken forward to its planning consultation. Whether the project, or sections of it, are suitable for competitive tender. This consultation is aimed at parties interested in our views on the first project we have assessed under both of these frameworks, including potential bidders, incumbent network operators, interested consumer groups, as well as other relevant stakeholders." Click here to see a copy of our response 6th January 2017 Friends of the Lake District made its response to the NWCC consultation. You can read it here. Click to see document Thank you to everyone who has contacted National Grid with your concerns. As of 2pm there have been more than 2270 letters written to National Grid via the website and we know of plenty more people who have written separately. Hopefully we can stop National Grid spoiling the Duddon Estuary and the Furness peninsula pictured above.
Crosthwaite Expand 17th October 2018 We recently responded to consultation on a proposal for 5 dwellings at Crosthwaite. Crosthwaite has seen significant housing development for a village its size recently and is also under consideration for approximately 50 more in the Lake District National Park Authority’s Local Plan Review. We expressed our concern that this is resulting in overdevelopment as well as about the type and size of housing proposed on this scheme, the need for it and the design. Read our response.
Kendal Flood Defence Scheme Expand Kendal Flood Defence Scheme - We attended a consultation drop-in event on 17th October and have requested a meeting with the Environment Agency to get a better understanding of the proposals, which will affect the Kent catchment including Burneside, Staveley and Kentmere as well as Kendal itself.
Penrith Masterplan Expand 14th November 2018 Press Release issued today: Penrith Masterplan Concerns The Penrith Strategic Masterplan covering Penrith and land to the east of the town proposes three new villages, 5,560 houses, new jobs, town centre improvements and upgrades to local road infrastructure. Following the conclusion of an eight week public engagement process, Eden District Council’s ‘Beacon Villages’ website, which provides information about the masterplan, states that its intention will now be to prepare a report to go before Council Members in December 2018 which will include an overview of the engagement process and outline the next steps and timescales for taking forward a formal review of the Eden Local Plan next year. Local residents in the Penrith area have expressed concerns to landscape charity, Friends of the Lake District about the proposals including whether this scale of development is needed and negative impacts on the local landscape and infrastructure. In its own response to the consultation, Friends of the Lake District has focussed on similar concerns to those raised by residents and drawn attention to the cumulative impact of the proposals when viewed in conjunction with ‘garden village’ plans for 10,000 houses south of Carlisle and the emerging Eden Local Plan document, which itself proposes significant development. Lorayne Wall, Planning Officer at Friends of the Lake District, “We have concerns about the limited extent to which the impact of the proposals on the landscape has been assessed, but we also have significant concerns about the process that has been used to promote and develop the Masterplan document. “It is not clear for example how the ‘preferred option’ for the future of the area has been reached, what other options were considered and why they were excluded. Other concerns include that the current and proposed future status of the Masterplan is also unclear and no assessment has been made of the cumulative impacts of this scale of development taking place alongside other plans for significant development such as Carlisle’s ‘garden village’, A66 upgrades and development proposed in the Eden and other authorities’ Local Plans. “We have been working closely with members of the local community and it’s great to see so many of them getting involved and ensuring that they get their say in the future of their town and the wider Eden valley. We’ll continue our work with them to ensure that our shared concerns are taken on board.” To find out more about the Masterplan, including details of several upcoming consultation events and how to comment, visit http://beaconvillages.co.uk/ Update 17 October 2018 Penrith Masterplan – We attended a consultation drop-in event on 17th October and are preparing a response to the proposals for over 5000 houses to the east of Penrith. The deadline is 2nd November. Eden District Council is consulting on a Masterplan covering Penrith and land to the east of the town, including the Beacon Hill. The Masterplan proposes three new villages, 5,560 houses, new jobs, town centre improvements and upgrades to local road infrastructure. Local residents in the Penrith area have expressed concerns to Friends of the Lake District about the proposals including whether this scale of development is needed and negative impacts on the local landscape and infrastructure. A local campaign group called ‘Keep Penrith Special’ has formed. We will be reviewing the Masterplan and preparing a response to the consultation, which ends on 2nd November. Our response is likely to focus on similar issues to those raised by local people, as well as on the cumulative effects of the proposals with ‘garden village’ plans for 10,000 houses south of Carlisle and the emerging Eden Local Plan document, which itself proposes significant development. People can view the Masterplan and find out more, including details of several upcoming consultation events and how to comment, at http://beaconvillages.co.uk/
St Cuthbert's "garden village" Carlisle Expand 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. 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.
2019 - Westmorland Dales project begins Expand We receive Heritage Lottery funding and the go-ahead for 'Westmorland Dales Hidden Landscapes' project. The project covers an area of over 200 sq km, forming part of the newly extended Yorkshire Dales National Park. The total value of the scheme is estimated at £3.45m, with £2.27m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and £1.18m match funding in cash and volunteer time. 21 projects will now be delivered over four years by a partnership of organisations to unlock and reveal the hidden heritage of the Westmorland Dales.
2018 - Dark Skies Cumbria project launched Expand Our three year Dark Skies project aiming to secure 'Dark Sky Status' for the Lake District National Park begins.
2017 - Thirlmere saved from zip wire development Expand Our members and the public wrote over 3,000 letters to the planning authority in opposition to a proposal to put an attraction of eight zip wires across Thirlmere reservoir. We were delighted that this threat was seen off the application withdrawn.
2016 – 5,200 native trees planted at High Borrowdale Expand Now within the extended Lake District National Park. High Borrowdale suffered numerous landslides during the storms of December 2015. Planted with hardy native tree varieties like alder, ask, oak, rowan, holly, hawthorn and willow to enhance habitats and landscape as well as help stabilise erosion.
2016 – Flood appeal raises over £62,000 Expand Our Lake District Landscape Restoration Fund appeal following the devastation caused by Storm Desmond in December 2015 raises over £62,000. The money is spent on repairing flood damage to the landscape. We provided funding and support for seven footpath and footbridge repair projects, including a replacement bridge over the River Rothay at the Badger Bar at Rydal, a replacement bridge at Hoggs Earth, near Watendlath, a replacement bridge at Birks Mill, Sedbergh, and repairs to damaged footpath at White Moss Common, between Rydal and Grasmere.
2016 – No pylons in the Lake District Expand We instigated a major campaign to stop 24km of 50 metre tall pylons being built within the national park. Our members and the public wrote more than a thousand letters in protest, we generated extensive national press coverage and were delighted that National Grid amended its plan and confirmed that it would put new electricity lines underground through the western section of the Lake District National Park.
2016 - National Parks Extended Expand We celebrated the extension to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national park boundaries on August 1 2016. Our campaigning work was instrumental in seeing the park extensions agreed and in promoting the importance of national park status for our most treasured landscapes. Read more
Whinlatter Forest Plan Friends of the Lake District welcome the opportunity to comment on the third Whinlatter Forest Plan. Expand 12th November 2018 Friends of the Lake District welcome the opportunity to comment on this third Whinlatter Forest Plan. We are particularly appreciative of the meeting held with FC on 8th Nov which helped clarify certain matters. This is a huge area of upland forest with many landscape challenges. Reviewing the comments we have made to the previous plans shows that there has been considerable progress in resolving some of the issues of earlier plans. These include :- Changes to coupe shape to reduce landscape impacts, eg the reduction in skylining around Widow Hause, changing patterns on the slopes of Grisedale Pike and changes at Darling How and Hobcarton. Commitment to restore the PAWS sites with native broadleaves. Inclusion of more native woodland. There are a number of generic issues on which we would like to comment, plus specific more detailed comments on the sections of the plan. See Whinlatter FDP response nov 18 (pdf) for a detailed response.
Internal Drainage Boards for the Lyth Valley and Waver and Wampool Expand 17th May 2016 The Environment Agency have given an extension to the notice period for the pumps for each of these areas, ie the date when they will look to turning the pumps off if no other solution is found. The Lyth pumps will now remain operational for another three years, and the Waver for another year. For the Lyth Valley, work will continue to establish whether it is possible to have a Water Level Management Board (IDB) and if there is support for this. For the Waver and Wampool, more work needs to be done to establish if there is support for taking the idea further. 26th October 2015 Proposals have now been delayed and further consultation is being undertaken. Waver Wampool Newsletter (pdf)Lyth Valley Newsletter (pdf) 15th August 2015 Consultation Responses:Waver_Wampool_Consultation_response_fld_aug_15.docxLyth__Witherslack_Consultation_response_fld_aug_15.docx 15th July 2015The Lyth Valley and the Waver and Wampool areas (Solway coast) have existing pump drainage systems for agricultural land. The Environment Agency are withdrawing funding for the pumps at the end of 2015, and there are proposals to form statutory Internal Drainage Boards funded by farmers and the local council in order to manage the drainage systems and fulfil other duties such as enhancing the environment. We will be considering whether the proposals can meet the needs of both farmers and the environment.More information - Lyth: lythvalleywlmg.wordpress.comMore information - Waver: https://waverwampoolwlmg.wordpress.com/ Contact : [email protected]
Thornthwaite/Braithwaite Expand Thornthwaite/Braithwaite – We recently spoke at a meeting of No Go Gondola, a community group concerned about proposals for a cable car close to the villages of Thornthwaite and Braithwaite, to explain our views on the proposal and to give an overview of relevant planning policy. We also recently responded to consultations on a hydro-electric scheme at Thornthwaite. We had no objection to the proposal in principle but raised concerns about the materials to be used, suggesting instead that local stone and slate be used. Read our response.
Flooding in Cumbria Expand Lake District Landscape Flood Appeal Monday 13th June 2016 Barbon Beck Bridge The former bridge over this beck was seriously damaged by Storm Desmond in December 2015. The bridge was damaged beyond economic repair and thus a full replacement was required at this popular crossing. The new bridge (below) was installed by Cumbria County Council, in June 2016 and funded by our 'Landscape Flood Appeal'. Thanks to the generosity of our members and supporters, the appeal has now raised over £60,000. To find out more about the appeal and how you can contribute, visit the Landscape Flood Appeal page on our website. Over the next few months we will be working with the National Parks, local and county councils, farmers’ groups and local communities to begin to restore this beautiful county piece by piece. We have set up a Lake District Landscape Flood Appeal for those who want to contribute to fixing Cumbria’s landscapes and to help adapt this fragile terrain to better withstand future weather events. Our fund will enable vital restoration and resilience work to take place. Click to find out more about our Landscape Flood Appeal Thursday 18th February 2016Cumbria’s floods and their impact on soils: A presentation delivered by our Policy Officer Kate Willshaw at CPRE's NW Earthy Event earlier this year. Click to view Tuesday 12th January 2016Some questions that have been put to us about flooding answered by our Policy Officer Kate Willshaw: * Is the government doing enough? Is throwing money at the problem, at the repairs, enough? What should the government be doing? We don't think that the government is taking the right kind of actions. Increased flooding is one of the predicted impacts of climate change, and over the past fifteen years we have seen episodes of extreme flooding occur more and more often both here and overseas. The government should be both putting resources into climate change mitigation including CO2 emission reduction measures and also into increasing the resilience of our landscapes, properties and infrastructure to withstand more extreme rainfall events. * Why is flooding on this scale still an issue? Flooding of this scale is an issue because the magnitude of rainfall events is increasing. Most flood defences are planned for a 1 in 100 or 1 in 200 year event. However flooding events are increasing in severity and we are now seeing 1 in 500 or even 1 in 1000 year events on a semi-regular basis. Flood defences built to manage smaller flooding events will not cope with flood heights which they are not designed to deal with. If the climate change predictions are correct, and looking at the increase in flooding events over the past decade, this would seem to be the case, the goal posts are moving. What has been considered a 1 in 100 year event is now a 1 in 50 year event or even more common. Our infrastructure including roads, energy infrastructure and water infrastructure as well as flood defences has not been designed to cope with a changing climate and the risks that come with it: this must be addressed urgently. * What can be done to prevent flooding? How do you think flooding should be prevented? It is not possible for all flooding to be prevented. In a situation with increased extreme rainfall events (the record rainfall total for 24 hours was broken in 2009, and then again in 2015) it will not be possible to completely prevent flooding. However, properties and infrastructure at risk of flooding can be made more resilient to cope with flood events. Land upstream of towns and villages can be managed to allow it to flood and then let the water drain away more slowly which reduces the peak height of floods. Research into slowing the flow of water upstream from settlements is being carried out at the moment in a number of places in the UK. The results of this research is showing increases in the capacity of the soil to hold water depending on how it is managed (e.g. through tree planting, changing the grazing regime, reducing heather burning and leaky dams on streams). As a country, we seriously need to look at how we manage water upstream before it reaches settlements and learn best how to attenuate high peak flows. * Is working with nature the best defence - like in Pickering? Would these kind of defence work elsewhere, if not, what would? Working with nature may be a solution in some catchments. However, there is no one size fits all answer as all river catchments are different and what is suitable in one place may not work in another. We would suggest that rivers prone to flooding property and endangering life will all need to be looked at individually to find solutions. However, we do think that there are some easy wins: for example in the upper reaches of Cumbrian, Lancashire and Yorkshire river, there is scope to block “grips” that were dug in peatland during the 1950s to move water out of the fells more quickly. This would slow the flow and allow the water to be released gradually into the catchments reducing the peak height of flood water. We are very aware though that once the landscape “sponge” is full, then the water will have nowhere to go, and in weather situations like we had during November and December 2015 where very high levels of rainfall saturated the ground prior to the extreme rainfall events on 5th December and 26th December, there will be nowhere for the water to go but downstream. It is at this point that a decision needs to be made as to whether farmland or urban areas will end up flooding. We may need to look at landowners and land managers being paid to allow their land to flood to prevent downstream flooding in settlements. Other options include flood alleviation channels, flood storage reservoirs and improving hard engineering of flood defences in settlements. However, this latter option often just channels the water faster downstream into other settlements moving the flooding problem downstream (e.g. from Keswick to Cockermouth on the Derwent or from Appleby to Carlisle on the Eden). There is no one size fits all solution to flooding and flood management. The UK government will need to look at a portfolio of ways of managing extreme rainfall, some of which will be upstream land management, some of which will be flood relief and some of which will be hard engineering. Unfortunately, this is not an issue that will go away, and these “unprecedented” events which are no longer unprecedented will come along more and more often in the UK because of a warmer atmosphere's ability to hold more water. We need the government to acknowledge this, and put in place a package of measures to make people, property, businesses, infrastructure and farmland more resilient to extreme weather. Below you can find links to a number of articles and papers on the issues of flooding and upstream catchment management The Science Behind Flooding "On Wednesday 6th January four scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) gave an hour-long background briefing on the science behind flooding. This wasn’t a news briefing, there was no new data or report published on the day, it was simply an opportunity for journalists to question flood science experts. At the start of the briefing Professor Alan Jenkins who is Director, Water and Pollution Science and Deputy Director of CEH introduced a number of key hydrological principles to get the discussion going. This blog post outlines the key points made at the start of the briefing. A subsequent post will cover the long discussion during the briefing covering the effectiveness of Natural Flood Management techniques such as tree planting, creation of woody debris dams and changes to upland management practices." Why Dredging Makes Flooding Worse "[After dredging], what do you think would happen for the 99% of the time that the river’s flow is back to normal and now far too low for the enormous channel you’ve dug? The river is carrying material, remember: mud, sand, gravel. All this material would drop out of the now almost static flows of a river in a channel that is miles too big and begin to fill it in again. Unless you dredged it every year, top to bottom, eventually you’d have the naturally-sized channel nestled inside the enormous dredged channel and you’d be back where you started. Dredging doesn’t work. Dredging is logically and financially unsustainable. Dredging makes flooding worse." Storm Desmond, Climate Change and Floods - blog post by Adrian Colston ex-National Trust There is increasing concern in many circles now that the way that we are managing our catchments and rivers is actually aggravating the problems we face from rain storms. Many catchments are now either denuded of vegetation (are in arable cultivation), have compacted soils (either from stock or agricultural machinery) or have short uniform vegetation (e.g. the uplands of much of Britain). These three factors ensure that any storm water which hits them travels very quickly into water courses (i.e. they are not absorbed by the soil) and then into rivers which have been straightened, deepened and dredged. The water then travels very quickly until it reaches an obstacle such as a bridge or a town – at which point the banks breach and flood defences are overtopped and flooding such as we have just witnessed in Carlisle occurs. The role of Ecology in Mitigating Flooding Paper submitted by the British Ecological Society to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Committee The Role of Woodland in Flood Control - a Landscape Perspective Sustainable flood management is increasingly looking to the role of catchment land use in alleviating downstream flooding. Woodland presents a number of opportunities that are dependent on its location within the landscape. One way that woodland can attenuate flooding is through the greater water use by trees. The overall impact on the generation of flood flows, however, depends on the interaction of many factors and is most marked at the headwater level. Another way relies on the ‘sponge effect’. Improved infiltration resulting from the targeted planting of sensitive soils or the use of down-slope woodland buffers could attenuate rapid run-off at the local scale. Finally, the greater hydraulic roughness associated with riparian and floodplain woodland can aid the retention and delay the passage of flood waters, potentially assisting downstream flood defence in larger catchments. This paper examines each of these opportunities and considers whether woodland can make a significant contribution to tackling future flooding as part of a whole-catchment approach to sustainable flood management. Sunday Times Article 16th January 2016 Saturday 5th December saw record levels of rain fall over Cumbria in a 24 hour period. The resulting impacts on the communities and landscapes of the Lake District was catestrophic. We are still working with the National Parks and county council to try and assess the level of damage done. How you can report damage If you come across any flood damage to public rights of way and bridges, or path erosion, you can report it in the following ways:(NB in ALL instances, please provide details of the location, a 12 figures grid reference, a description of the damage / erosion, and photos if you can) In the Lake District National Park, let the relevant Area Ranger know – click on the ranger areas to identify the correct ranger LDNPA_ranger_areas.pdf In the rest of Cumbria, including the Cumbrian part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, send your reports to [email protected] How you can give We are promoting Cumbria Community Foundations Flood Appeal as a good way to give to those individuals who have been affected by the flooding. If you would like to give to fixing the landscapes of the Lake District we have set up our own Lake District Landscape Flood Appeal
Blencathra Sale Expand 26th November 2015As many are aware, the Friends of Blencathra team after what is now 18 months, are still endeavouring to secure Blencathra on behalf of the charity. Today, The lawyer acting for the Friends of Blencathra, Janet Turner QC stated: “ After a period of some uncertainty the vendors of the Saddleback mountain have recently confirmed to the charity that they remain keen to sell the mountain and, in particular, would like to sell to the charity if suitable terms can be agreed. Discussions are now in play to that end. Transactions involving the sale and purchase of extraordinary landholdings, such as this one, are always complex and time consuming. Here the matter is more complicated still as a result of the number of stakeholders involved in the decision making process.” We thank our dedicated team of professionals working hard alongside the FoB team and our members and followers for their ongoing support and understanding.
DEFRA Consultation on 'Health and Harmony' A consultation not just about how we will farm in future, but also how we relate to the countryside. It is reassuring that the importance of the uplands has been recognised, and the principle that public money should be spent on public goods. Expand The Government has finished its consultation on the future reform of the Common Agriculture Policy entitled: Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit The protection and enhancement of the environment forms a key element of the document with the proposal that farmers and land managers will be paid for producing public benefits. There is recognition within the consultation of the public benefits that our land provides; stunning landscapes, food, drinking water, open access, wildlife and valuable habitats, open spaces for our health and wellbeing, carbon storage, a rich cultural heritage and common land. It reiterates Mr Gove’s viewpoint that the Common Agricultural Policy is flawed and has resulted in a deterioration of the natural environment; the Environment Secretary suggesting the solution is to move to a system of public payments for public goods. The new policy will be underpinned by payment of ‘public money for the provision of public goods’, with these principal public goods being environmental protection and enhancement. A new environmental land management system (NELMS) will be the cornerstone of the new policy, from 2022 and likely to include wildlife diversity and landscape protection. In our written response to the consultation, we recognise and welcome the proposal that farmers and land managers will be paid for producing public benefits such as landscape, access and water. Read / download a shortened version of our response to the consultation here (pdf) Jan Darrall, policy officer, Landscape quality and character should be viewed as an essential public good in itself as it incorporates all other public benefits. Landscape is the setting we all live in, and we depend on landscape for food, water and clean air and many other necessities - it is our life support system. Landscapes everywhere are of value, and should be the heart of any new policy as the number one priority, overarching all public benefits. We have also sets out our priorities for consideration and incorporation into future agricultural support systems. Landscape as the number one priority - Landscape should therefore be at the heart of any new policy as the number one priority, underneath which others sit. Focus on the uplands and common land - The new policy is an opportunity to establish a new language about our upland areas, leaving behind the language of ‘Less Favoured’ and ‘Severely Disadvantaged’ areas and instead re-classing them as areas providing high levels of public goods and services essential for the welfare of everyone. Don’t forget about tranquillity, and health and wellbeing - The NHS is ever increasingly stretched and under resourced so the opportunities to complement it with ‘natural in terms of preventative medicine treatment impacts have a significant monetary value. Support an outcomes approach - We need a return to a more positive and helpful relationship between farmer and adviser, with mutual respect and negotiation. Farmers and land owners should be given more flexibility to determine how their land can contribute to a national framework of objectives and outcomes. Create a national framework with local flexibility and delivery – We would support an outcome based approach, based on local evidence and monitoring, but sitting within a wider spatial unit, such as landscape character types or national character area. This would facilitate local flexibility and the ability for farmers and landowners to respond to local needs. The consultation is borne out of the Government’s intention to simplify the regulatory culture and streamline application processes for environmental schemes. The ability to access payments for activities which protect natural capital assets could provide vital new income streams for farmers and land managers and recognition of the true value of our landscapes.
Our response to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Expand Friends of the Lake District has responded to the Government's consultation on an update for the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF is the set of policies which all local authorities have to work to when writing their plans and dealing with planning applications, so it is really important that we makes sure our landscape and environment are protected by national policy. Unfortunately, it seems that there has been a weakening of protection for National Parks and AONBs along with a loss of recognition for Local Wildlife Sites. We are also concerned that the NPPF does not adequately address climate change, sustainable transport and is not based on the UN's most up-to-date definition of sustainable development to which the UK has signed up. You can find our response here. Friends_of_the_Lake_District_NPPF_response.pdf RESPOND TO THE NPPF - HOW YOU CAN HELP One of the proposed changes is the removal of the phrase "which have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty" in the paragraph about designated landscapes. This might not seem like much but this simple phrase is an important element of the additional protections for places we all love so much. Please help us maintain strong protections by emailing [email protected] by Thursday 10 May with the below details: Subject: NPPF consultation response Response to Q35: I do not support the removal of the phrase ‘which have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty’ in the first sentence of paragraph 170. It is essential that this phrase is reinstated in order to ensure that there is no doubt that additional planning protections continue to apply in National Parks. You can comment on the consultation until 11.45pm 10th May 2018.
Lakes to Dales National Park Extensions Expand 18th January 2016 The deadline for submission of appeals against the extension proposal has now passed. This means that the Secretary of State's order to extend the National Parks is confirmed and on schedule to come into force on August 1st 2016. 23rd October 2015 Government confirms both the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national parks will be extended. In breaking news today the Government has confirmed both the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national parks will be extended. Friends of the Lake District is delighted that the Secretary of State has finally confirmed the designation orders for the extensions to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and that the wait for the decision is over. Friends of the Lake District played a major role in the run up to the Inquiry, and coordinated the Key Supporters Group’s evidence to the Public Inquiry in 2013. This Group represented a wide range of the interests of those who lived and worked in the proposed areas, including Parish and Town Councils, local businesses, farmers and landowners, conservation and recreational organisations and individuals. A recent widespread media debate at national level was initiated by Friends of the Lake District’s letter to the Times, written together with the Campaign for National Parks, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and the Yorkshire Dales Society. Martin Holdgate, President at Friends of the Lake District, ‘Of course we are delighted that the Secretary of State has finally confirmed the designation orders for the extensions to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. These are, and always have been, areas of superb scenery that deserved National Park status years ago. Friends of the Lake District has worked for years to achieve this outcome, and we are pleased that our efforts have borne fruit but now everyone must work together to ensure we reap the benefits.’ Douglas Chalmers, Director of Friends of the Lake District, “This really is a momentous decision, and one that reflects the wishes of many people. And now the real work starts. Everyone has been saying that designating this land will bring additional economic, environmental and community benefits to the area, and we now have to make sure that this happens. “In the Secretary of State’s announcement, Mrs Truss said, ““National parks are fabulous national assets that welcome over 90 million tourists and contribute to our vibrant rural economy – we are committed to helping them thrive." It is reassuring to have such a positive statement on Government’s support for National Parks going into the future. “Let’s savour this moment, but then start working to ensure that those in the areas start to see the benefits”.Implementation of the order is scheduled to take effect from 1 August 2016.Mapping detailing the new boundaries and extent of the extensions in both parks is available at the following links:Lake District National Park: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lake-district-national-park-maps-of-confirmed-boundary-changesYorkshire Dales National Park: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yorkshire-dales-national-park-maps-of-confirmed-boundary-changes
Response to the Draft Strategic Transport Plan by Transport for the North Expand Friends of the Lake District has responded to Transport for the North’s consultation on their Draft Strategic Transport Plan. We have concerns that they have not taken National Parks and AONBs into account when drawing up their Plan and we hope that our response will highlight this omission so that it can be rectified. You can read our reponse here. Find more information about the consultation here: https://transportforthenorth.com/stp/
Thirlmere Activity Hub Expand 21st February 2018 National Park publishes Thirlmere Activity Hub report Following a Freedom of Information request by Friends of the Lake District, the Lake District National Park has just published their Planning Officer’s draft report on the Thirlmere Activity Hub application, which would have gone to the planning committee if the applicant had not withdrawn the application yesterday. You can read it here. (and see the entire application here)The report shows that the Planning Officers would have recommended the application for REFUSAL on grounds of harm to the landscape. The Lake District National Park Planning Team has heeded us, and everyone else who objected, and importantly has recognised the significance of our National Parks and the planning process in place that protects these special and valuable landscapes.Their response to this application is not only a victory for Thirlmere, but for the Lake District National Park and all our National Parks. 20th February 2018 Thirlmere Zipwire plans WITHDRAWN We've just received confirmation that the 'Thirlmere Activity Hub' planning application has been withdrawn. The Lake District National Park Authority had been due to discuss the application early next month but today, Mike Turner, managing director of Treetop Trek, has said that the plans had been withdrawn. We understand from press reports that Mike Turner, managing director of Treetop Trek Ltd has withdrawn the application because of the objection lodged by the Ministry of Defence and the fact that any resolution of this would be unlikely between now and the date of the planning committee hearing on March 7th. We'll update you when we have more information.... 12th January 2018 LDNPA Development Management Update: Thirlmere zip wire application to be decided on March 7th. The Lake District National Park has had 3,476 letters and emails of objection, a petition of 13,535 objecting, and only 163 letters and emails in favour. Thank you to everyone that took the time to write and engage with the planning authority. 21st December 2017 We have responded to the application for the Thirlmere Activity Hub, you can see a copy of our response here The deadline for comments has been extended to 12th January because the Lake District National Park Authority has received additional information about the application. 24th November 2017 A planning application has now been submitted and is available for viewing on the planning authority website at this link: http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=7/2017/2298 We have published our initial assessment of this application together with instructions for writing your own response to the planning authority to voice any concerns you may have. The deadline for submissions is 2nd January 2018. Please visit the Thirlmere Activity Hub section of our website for more information. 23rd November 2017 Statement Tree Top Trek’s claim in their Consultation Report in their planning application - 7/2017/2298 In the consultation report the applicant, claims that Friends of the Lake District previously supported Thirlmere as a suitable location for zip wire development. The applicant has also chosen to oversimplify the summary of our discussions on 27th July. We would like to clarify this issue. Friends of the Lake District were approached by Mike Turner of Tree Top Trek nearly 3 years ago and asked for an opinion on where in the Lake District a zip wire proposal would be acceptable. Our representative at that time answered that any zip wire proposal should be outwith the Lake District National Park. During this discussion we stated, as we always have, that zip wire development and similar assault course type activities are best accommodated in forest settings such as Go Ape located in Grizedale where there is the capacity to contain the impacts. During this discussion Thirlmere was brought up as an area to look at due to the plantations but at no point did Friends of The Lake District endorse this as a suitable location and we certainly would never have endorsed zip wires across the lake. Furthermore, the applicant did not seek any further discussions on developing their proposalwith Friends of the Lake District until the current scheme was unveiled on 27th July 2017. For Tree Top Trek to claim that Friends of the Lake District in any way suggested or endorsed Thirlmere as a location for this proposal is wholly inaccurate. Friends of the Lake District has not been party to any discussions in the development of this particular proposal nor have we ever suggested that zip wire development would be appropriate in this location. Mr Turner has chosen to be selective in disseminating information regarding his discussions with us 3 years ago and did not follow up these discussions in the development of his proposal. If he had done, we would categorically have stated that the proposal is unsuitable for this site. 14th November 2017 We understand that a Planning Application has now been submitted by TreeTop Trek for the ‘Thirlmere Activity Hub’ to include multiple zip wires across Thirlmere with the lines stretching from one side of the lake to the other. As soon as the plans are processed and accessible we will be providing our initial assessment, details about what actions you can take, how to compose a letter to the Lake District National Park (the planning authority), your local MP’s contact information and press contact information so that you are able to share any concerns that you may have. 24th October 2017 We were recently informed about an inaccurate statement referring to Friends of the Lake District on the Thirlmere Activity Hub Facebook page posted by a third party on 11th October. The statement reads: “Its great to hear that Friends of the Lake District have worked constructively to suggest to the promoters that Thirlmere should be considered as a suitable location. For once I agree with then and cannot think of a better place within the LDNP for a 1km+ zip wire facility.” We contacted TreeTop Trek on 18th October to inform them of the inaccuracy of this statement, asking them to remove it from the post. Our request was refused by TreeTop Trek so we made the following direct comment underneath the Facebook post on the Thirlmere Activity Hub Facebook page asking the third party responsible for the post to remove the statement. Dear ***, We can only assume that you have been misinformed and we would appreciate knowing where this information was sourced as we are obviously keen that all comment – in support of or against - potential planning applications is fair and accurate. We are disappointed that TreeTop Trek has expressed little concern at the inaccuracies in your statement about our organisation despite our drawing its attention to them. We hope that you take our concerns more seriously as publishing false or inaccurate comment does little to enhance the credibility of what is obviously a well constructed argument on your part. The following section of your statement is untrue and we formally request that you edit this post and remove this comment as a matter of urgency. “Its great to hear that Friends of the Lake District have worked constructively to suggest to the promoters that Thirlmere should be considered as a suitable location. For once I agree with then and cannot think of a better place within the LDNP for a 1km+ zip wire facility.” We welcome accurate and fair comment and recognise that informed debate is a necessary component of any potential planning project, but misinformation is damaging for all concerned. Full details of all of our public comments to date on this proposal can be accessed via the planning section of our website. We’ve also included information about how to engage with the planning process to ensure that your opinion is heard if and when a formal application is submitted to the planning authority. https://www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/current-planning-applications As an organisation, and with respect to planning applicants, we deem it reasonable to wait for a formal application to be submitted so that we are able to read and make a considered response in a fair and professional manner. If and when the applicant submits a formal planning application we will be providing our Members and the wider general public with information on the key issues and how to engage in the planning system to ensure that their views are heard and considered by the Lake District National Park Authority. This comment was subsequently deleted by TreeTop Trek from its Thirlmere Activity Hub Facebook feed. This has necessitated us publishing this clarification on our own Facebook page and on own website to draw attention to the inaccuracy of this statement. We have a policy of commenting on planning applications only when they are formally submitted but we will of course correct inaccurate information posted about our organisation where it appears in the public domain. 20th October We are aware that Tree Top Trek has recently released a visual impression of the proposed zip wires at Thirlmere. As we have previously indicated it is likely that the zipwires themselves will have a limited visual impact. However, when in use the visual impacts will increase in severity. It is our understanding that the planning application will be accompanied by a landscape and visual impact assessment which we will assess fully when available. Furthermore, it should be noted that the visual impact only forms part of our concerns regarding this proposal. We consider that the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the landscape character and tranquillity of the Thirlmere Valley and, as such, would conflict with the purposes of the National Park. Although we do not know exactly when the application will be submitted we believe it is imminent and will provide further details as soon as we are able to. 11th October Thank you to all who have contacted us expressing concern and supporting our position regarding this proposal. We expect an application to be submitted by the end of October. We will be contacting members with details as soon as the application is valid and open for representations. 6th September Following on from our meeting on site with Treetop Trek and attending the public session on 31st August we have had a number of interested parties and organisations contact us. Our Planning Officer, Laura Fiske, attended The Lakes Area meeting of the British Mountaineering Council on 6th September to convey our concerns regarding the detrimental impacts of the zip wire proposal. The Applicant, Mike Turner, of Treetop Trek also attended and this resulted in an open and healthy debate. Our position on the proposed zip wire remains unchanged. We do not consider that proposal would positively contribute to the purposes of the National Park as set out in The Environment Act 1995. These purposes are to: Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage Promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of national parks by the public Some may argue that the proposal could be an opportunity for the promotion and enjoyment of the National Park. However, given the level of detrimental impact this proposal could have on the landscape character visual amenity and tranquillity of the Thirlmere Valley we consider that at the very least it would create conflict between these two purposes. The Sandford Principle, as revised in The Environment Act 1995, is clear in stating: "If it appears that there is a conflict between those purposes, [the National Park Authority] shall attach greater weight to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area". Furthermore, we remain concerned regarding the precedent that this proposal would set for further inappropriate development in the Thirlmere Valley and the wider Lake District. Whilst the proposal currently being discussed does not include ancillary commercial development related to the zip wire or cycle route we are concerned that this will follow. We believe that National Parks are for everyone not just those who can afford to pay for ‘an experience’. The world class landscapes that warrant the designation as a National Park and World Heritage Site provide many free and wonderful experiences to be enjoyed in different ways. As the proposal has not yet been submitted we will continue to liaise with interested parties and organisations as well as updating our Members if any new information arises. The applicant has given an indication that the target for submitting the application is ‘Autumn’. Once submitted we will be providing Members with information on the key issues and how to engage in the planning system to ensure that their views are heard and considered by the Lake District National Park Authority. 31st August 2017 Treetop Trek, who have unveiled proposals for what has been termed a ‘Thirlmere Activity Hub’ comprising of an 18km family friendly cycleway and two zip wires across Thirlmere met with locals this afternoon at a consultation event held at Swirls Car Park. The event was attended by our Planning Officer Laura Fiske and Chief Executive Douglas Chalmers. 14th August 2017 Email sent with an update on this proposal and our position to - membership, partners and contacts. You can read the full text of our update by clicking this link 27th July 2017 We recently met with Cumbrian company Treetop Trek to discuss their proposals for what has been termed a ‘Thirlmere Activity Hub’ comprising of an 18km family friendly cycleway and two zip wires across Thirlmere.The company has launched its plans for consultation prior to submitting a planning application to the Lake District National Park Authority.Whilst we have not yet seen a detailed planning application for the proposal (nor has it been submitted to the LDNPA) we are concerned regarding the impacts of this proposal.In terms of the cycle way element of the development we consider that this could be a positive development provided it is designed sensitively. This could provide a safe and enjoyable means of accessing the Lake District sustainably. Furthermore the creation of this cycleway could encourage more people to cycle as a way of accessing and enjoying the outdoors and the associated positive impacts on physical and mental health and wellbeing.However, the siting of the two zip wires East-West across Thirlmere we consider to be wholly inappropriate in this location and, from what we have seen so far, we would object to this element of the proposal.Although the structure itself may have a minimal impact we consider that whilst in use the proposal would cause significant detrimental impacts to the landscape character and diminish the tranquillity the Thirlmere valley possesses away from the A591. We are also concerned regarding the management of visitor numbers, increasing traffic and the provision of adequate parking for commercial development in this area of the National Park.National Parks are for everyone to enjoy not just those who can afford to participate in adventure experiences. A commercial development of this type in this prominent location could potentially have a significant impact on the features people visit the Lake District to enjoy – the landscapes, the tranquillity, the heritage.Furthermore, we must now also consider the Lake District’s newly bestowed status as a World Heritage site. The Thirlmere Valley makes an important contribution to the Lake District’s Outstanding Universal Value – the reasons for being awarded the status. This is especially true of the Valley’s association with the early conservation movement. Thirlmere, and the resistance to the desire to create a reservoir to service Manchester in the 1870’s was a seminal moment in the history of the conservation movement and landscape protection in the UK and beyond. This battle brought in to focus the fact that landscapes matter to everyone, not just those who own land; it highlighted the incredible natural resources of the Lake District but also its vulnerability and sensitivity.This proposal once again brings these issues in to focus albeit in a thoroughly modern context. Further information can be found on the company’s website www.treetoptrek.co.uk/Thirlmere where you can also submit feedback to the developer during this consultation phase prior to submission of a planning application.The developer will also be holding a drop in session for the public on August 1st 2017 from 3pm -7pm at Thirlmere Recreational Hall. We would urge any members who are interested and who can attend to do so as this will be a good opportunity to see the plans in a greater level of detail and give your feedback to the developers.We would stress that this application has not yet been submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority. We will ensure that you are kept updated on the progression of this application.
Lorton - Outline proposal for 5 dwellings Expand Lorton Housing update 18th December 2017 Correction of statement: In a members mailout detailing planning work entitled 'Planning Matters: December update' sent on December 14th to our members and contacts we included detail stating that planning application 7/2016/2245 was for 5 detached houses. This was inaccurate. The development detailed in this application consists of 2 detached houses and 3 terraced houses. Lorton Housing update 7th December 2017 We were recently informed by the LDNPA that an appeal has been lodged to overturn the original decision of refusal for planning application 7/2016/2245. The application was refused by the LDNPA Development Control Committee in April this year. Subsequently the applicant resubmitted the application with an element of affordable housing attached (2 dwellings of 5 proposed) (7/2017/2129). This was approved by the Development Control Committee contrary to officer recommendation. The appeal which has been lodged relates to application 7/2016/2245, the original refused application. Information on the application, including the applicants statement on their grounds for appeal here: http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=7/2016/2245&backURL=%3Ca%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=678101%3ESearch%20Criteria%3C/a%3E%20%3E%20%3Ca%20href=%27wphappsearchres.displayResultsURL?ResultID=1488818%26StartIndex=1%26SortOrder=rgndat:desc%26DispResultsAs=WPHAPPSEARCHRES%26BackURL=%3Ca%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=678101%3ESearch%20Criteria%3C/a%3E%27%3ESearch%20Results%3C/a%3E The appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations. The procedure to be followed is set out in Part 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) (England) Regulations 2009 as amended. If you wish to make additional comments, or modify/withdraw your previous representation, you can do so on the Planning Portal at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by emailing [email protected]. If you do not have access to the internet, you can send three copies to: Ms Vicky Williams The Planning Inspectorate Room 3/N Kite Wing Temple Quay House 2 The Square Bristol BS1 6PN All representations must be received by 20 December 2017. Any representations submitted after the deadline will not usually be considered and will be returned. The Planning Inspectorate does not acknowledge representations. All representations must quote the appeal reference APP/Q9495/W/17/3186105. Please note that any representations you submit to the Planning Inspectorate will be copied to the appellant and the local planning authority and will be considered by the Inspector when determining the appeal. Lorton Housing update 11th October 2017 We were disappointed by the decision of the Lake District National Park Authority’s Development Control Committee to go against officer recommendation and approve this application. The Members approved the application on the basis of the revised proposal containing 2 affordable homes. However, given that ‘affordable’ housing can be sold at up to 80% of market value we contend that in the Lorton area it is unlikely that these houses will be truly affordable for the majority of people and particularly the ‘young family’ demographic the Authority seek to attract. We consider that this proposal will have detrimental impacts on the landscape character and visual amenity and should not have been approved. This application has raised a number of issues around landscape protection and affordable housing in the Park and we will be engaging with the authority in order to express our concerns. Lorton Housing update 14th June 2017 A new application has been submitted for Outline permission for residential development (7/2017/2129) at Croft Barn Low Lorton. The Planning Officer is currently assessing this proposal and will submit a representation in due course. The application remains on the same site as 7/2016/2245 which we objected to on the basis of adverse landscape impacts. The current application can be accessed here by typing 7/2017/2129 in planning reference box http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display 26th April 2017 We have recently worked with local residents in Lorton on an outline proposal for 5 dwellings which we believed would have a detrimental impact on the landscape character and visual amenity of the area including damage to the distinctive views South West across the valley to the High Fells. Whilst we recognise the need to deliver housing within the National Park we considered that the perceived need in this case did not outweigh the impact upon landscape character. This application went before the April Development Control Committee and has now been refused. OUr full written response is available to view / download here: 7_2016_2245_LOW_LORTON_FLD_.pdf