The Threat to Cumbria

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Friends of the Lake District, along with many other environmental organisations has become increasingly alarmed by the Government’s lack of concern for the climate, environment and landscape. Indeed, there appears to be a worrying ignorance about these issues and their importance for supporting the economy of Cumbria and the Lake District, people’s health and wellbeing, and for the protection of our habitats, wildlife and world renowned landscapes.

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Take Action and tell the Government to stand up for the landscape and environment and to stop its #AttackOnNature

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The Government was elected in 2019 on a Manifesto commitment to bring forward “the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth”, but is right now proposing to weaken planning rules, drop protections for our most valuable wildlife sites by scrapping and not replacing EU legislation brought into English law, water down incentives for farmers and land managers to commit to sustainable agriculture and restart fracking. The government’s recent moves toward environmental deregulation will hasten the decline of our natural world.

We are particularly concerned that Cumbria’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) will be damaged in the rush for deregulated Investment Zones where planning and other environmental legislation will be suspended at the expense of both residents and the environment.

Cumbria has the highest percentage of land covered by environmental protections in England (64%) and is therefore more at risk from scrapping protections for our wildlife, landscape and heritage than any other county. 

There are at least two of these Investment Zones being considered in Cumbria (at Barrow and the west Cumbria coast - which includes the Lake District National Park) and we urge our local political leaders in both Cumbria County Council and the two Shadow Authorities (due to come into effect in 2023) to think carefully about what that would mean for the ability to protect of Cumbria’s landscape.