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Who pays for the Lake District - Friends of the Lake District

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Who pays for the Lake District - Friends of the Lake District

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December 2024 report from Friends of the Lake District discussing benefits, challenges, the costs etc.

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It’s time for a debate about how to meet the real cost of tourism in the National Park. Read our report here.

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Useful background videos about changing places

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GCSE • IGCSE • A-level • IA-level • IB • National 5 • Highers • Leaving Cert • Undergraduate

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Interview with a local resident

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Britain's best (and worst) cities according to science (Carlisle voted worst)

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response to Telegraph article

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That's according to city residents and representatives, who have hit back against a national newspaper article describing the city as the 'worst' in the UK.

The Telegraph newspaper recently listed all UK cities in order from best to worst 'according to science', with Carlisle placing last.

The newspaper judged each UK city on four criteria - 'hospitality and amenities'; 'culture and heritage'; 'transport', and; 'nature and green spaces'.

In their words: "(Carlisle) was found to be lagging behind in Michelin restaurants as well as highly-rated pubs, Airbnb rooms as well as swanky hotels, museums as well as crime."

They added the Hadrian's Wall path is 'the least interesting section and a bit of a non-event'.

But, they said it's 'not a horrible town', adding the castle is 'not as ugly as some have claimed'.

They said Carlisle has a 'very liveable size', and referenced transport links like the M6, West Coast Main Line, and the scenic train to Skipton and Leeds.

"(Carlisle) falls down on amenities and local transport and, perhaps because the nearby Lakes and Dales have so much solidly well-supported tourism, it's hard for a middling sometime textile town to compete," they wrote.

Councillors representing city wards slammed the broadsheet for what is surely a miscalculation.

Carlisle resident John Mallinson, Conservative councillor for Houghton and Irthington, said it surprised him.

"We can't deny Carlisle has its issues, as do other cities, but we have good things going on," he said, naming the remodelled Sands Centre and Devonshire Street works as ways the city is improving.

"We have an unprecedented amount of money coming into the city, primarily from the central government, in various forms, which totals in excess of half a billion pounds.

"I'm not from here but I've lived here for 30 years, and have always found Carlisle to be a delightful place to live," he added.

Geoff Mitchell, Conservative councillor for Wetheral, agreed the city could be improved, "but so could every other city, [and] quite a number I would say are in a far worse position".

He explained a lot of the perceived high-street decline is due to people's actions 'going to order things from well-known online delivery merchants' which charge 'outrageously low' prices for products.

"The general public have a lot to answer for. I used to be a licensee and publican, and my mantra was always 'use it or lose it'.

"I'm quite proud of Carlisle. I was brought up in the Eden Valley, came back to Carlisle from Liverpool in 1980, and you can see ongoing work in the city centre, such as the upgrade of the station forecourt, the change in the Greenmarket, and Devonshire Street.

"Everybody could be more positive," he said.

Chris Wills, Lib Dem councillor for Upperby, slammed the piece: "Not only is it unfair, it's stupid, and anybody who's spent time in Carlisle will know it has so much good to offer.

"It has a rich cultural heritage, an incredible history, and is a springboard destination for lots of the great areas around us."

He agreed with one aspect of the report - transport - which he said he's working to change.

"The East-West connections are very poor (referencing links to Newcastle), and I would like to see infinitely better road links going to West Cumbria, and I've been an advocate for sustainable travel."

He said greener buses powered by hydrogen which are being trialled in parts of the country should be in Cumbria.

Add to that a newer road to replace the A595, it would open up more economic opportunities, he said.

"I'm in the group trying to pioneer the St Cuthbert's Garden Village, this will add a new dimension to Carlisle, and with 10,000 new homes it could bring more people to the area.

"We're looking at planning an ecosystem in this development, it won't be your average executive-style housing estate.

"I wonder if The Telegraph even knew about it."

News & Star readers gave their thoughts on the matter on social media, with some viewing the analysis as fair, and others dismissing it as ignorance.

Among hundreds of comments, Michelle Johnson said: "I agree with the poor transport and lack of amenities (although fortunately growing).

"But one thing we have is great restaurants.

"Michelin-star restaurants are generally less about the food, and more about artistry and aesthetics. Give me tasty, filling food any day over a few stars."

Gulab Miah added to the defence: "Carlisle is in my opinion one of the best place to live and bring up your family.

"People are great, there's also enough mix of culture and beautiful places to visit within and around the city."

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In defence of Carlisle, after national newspaper names it 'worst' city in the UK

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CARLISLE is a city on the up with an 'unprecedented' amount of investment going into various projects and a rich cultural heritage.

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Use this map to explore the field sites and secondary data. Take notes and answer the questions along the way

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An introduction to Keswick for NEA fieldwork

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proposal for changes to improve the public realm in 2006

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Browse our selection of vintage and retro black and white photographs of Maryport, along with a selection of historic maps, local history books, and fascinating memories that our visitors have contributed. Most of our photos and maps are available to buy in a wide range of product formats, including framed prints, canvas prints and personalised photo gifts including tea towels, mugs, jigsaws, tableware, cushion covers and as customised calendars.

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Maryport photos, maps, books, memories - Francis Frith

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Browse our selection of vintage and retro black & white photographs of Maryport, along with old maps, local history books, and fascinating memories that our visitors have contributed. All our photos and maps are available to buy in a wide range of product formats, including framed prints, canvas prints and photo gifts including tea towels, personalised mugs, jigsaws, tableware, cushion covers and as customised calendars.

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Choose your favorite maryport photographs from 66 available designs. All maryport photographs ship within 48 hours and include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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old maryport docks great pic i think 1950,60, and the old prom

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The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given the green light to Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd (HWHL) to work up plans to transform and excavate Camp Farm at Maryport in west Cumbria.

Development funding was awarded to HWHL to help them progress their plans for Camp Farm, which is one of the most significant but least researched sites along the Roman frontier in the north of England.

The HLF first-round pass means that HWHL can now progress to the second stage of the HLF application process for the £3.75 million of HLF support, including £165,600 development funding, that it is seeking for its £11 million project.

Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd said the award was a solid endorsement of the national and international significance of Roman Maryport.

Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd is the company that was set up in 2006 to help look after, protect and conserve the World Heritage Site and to increase its contribution to the local and regional economy.

The Chief Executive of Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd, Linda Tuttiett, said:

"This first round HLF funding award is great news for Roman Maryport and the rest of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site. This important site now has the potential to be developed as a world class museum throwing more light on the story of Roman life in Britain and the role of Maryport in the frontier system.

"This project is for the people of Maryport and we are committed to making sure everyone in Maryport who wishes to be involved can be.

"We're now a step further in a £11 million scheme that will bring an additional 50,000 visitors to Maryport every year, spending between £3 and £4 million and supporting around 76 full time jobs directly in the Museum and the surrounding town through tourism revenues."

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said:

"The first-round pass is an important step towards the future development of the Roman Maryport site. This project has the potential to transform this internationally recognised heritage site, by making it accessible to the public for the first time.

"Although this announcement does not guarantee that at second-round an award will be made, HLF will offer Hadrian's Wall Heritage full support in taking their application further."
Maryport vicus
The Roman fort at Maryport, was the focus of the Roman's coastal defences in Cumbria.

The Maryport vicus is the biggest and also one of the most complete and best-preserved civil settlements surveyed along the northern Roman frontier. A geophysical survey has confirmed the outline of more than 170 buildings, suggesting that over 500 people lived within the settlement.

Eric Robson, who is a board member of Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd and lives in West Cumbria, said:

"Camp Farm is an exciting historical site for archaeologists and visitors alike, offering a fascinating insight both into the way the Roman's operated in Britain and to the social and cultural life outside the forts.

"It will also show people that there was more to Rome's northern frontier than just the Wall. As we can see from this site, the defences that stretched down the coast from the end of the Wall at Bowness-on-Solway to Ravenglass were a vitally important part of the Roman military infrastructure in the north of England."

Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd hopes to secure the full £11m funding package in time for the work starting on the site in September 2010. The visitor facilities are expected to open to the public by 2012.
New museum
The plans for the new museum include galleries examining the purpose of the northern frontier, Maryport's role in the western sea defences, life at the fort and vicus, and themes such as religion, ethnic diversity, migration and career paths.

There will also be viewing galleries to enable people to view the parts of the dig that are underway and a Roman farm attraction.

The new museum will be home to the collection of Roman military altar stones and Romano-British religious sculpture that can currently be seen at Senhouse Roman Museum, which is next to Camp Farm.

The fort and settlement at Maryport provided most of the contents of Senhouse Roman Museum, one of the most important collections of Roman altars and sculptures from Britain, and indeed the Roman Empire.

The excavation of the site will enable this collection to be better understood.
Archaeological excavation
This key heritage development involves the restoration and conversion of historic farm buildings into galleries, where there will be rich, varied, and complementary interpretation emphasising the relevance of the story of Roman Maryport.

The project will create a continuous programme of live archaeological excavation and provide access to the archaeology of the site, creating learning opportunities for local volunteers and students and bringing together the collection and site so that they can be managed and safeguarded together.

Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd also expresses its thanks to the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Britain's Energy Coast West Cumbria, European Regional Development Fund, Cumbria County Council and the Senhouse Museum Trust with whom it is working to make the investment in Roman Maryport possible.
Further information
Options for the Development of Roman Maryport - Nov 2004 - Allerdale Council

Research document about Maryport by Durham University

The Senhouse Museum Trust Registered Charity No 516491 - Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2007

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Maryport 'Camp Farm' to be developed - Heritage and History

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The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given the green light to Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd (HWHL) to work up plans to transform and excavate Camp Farm at Maryport in west Cumbria. Development funding was awarded to HWHL to help them progress their plans for Camp Farm, which is one of the most significant but least researched sites along the Roman frontier in the north of England.

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Plans to build artistic £500,000 bridge at Maryport's dock

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Three sites have been earmarked as the preferred options in Allerdale council's draft local plan to build homes.

The plan identifies areas suitable for housing development, new retail units, business development and travellers' sites.

Allerdale planning officers said a 0.7-hectare parcel of land near Ritson Wharf could accommodate up to 30 homes and would help regenerate the harbourside.

The preferred development is for blocks of flats, but townhouses may be considered.

A parcel of greenfield at Elizabeth Dock is the second preferred option, with space for 50 homes, and a third option identifies land at Maryport marina for up to 30 homes.

Linda Radcliffe, town mayor, said: "This has been on the cards for quite some years when people said they were going to build on the harbourside but then plans were being shelved. This has happened on more than one occasion.

"If the development is conducive to what's already there I'm very much for it. The housing development that has recently been built there has been an asset to the area and for the people who wanted to live in that particular part of the town.

"It will bring local jobs for local people during the construction stage and the bigger the town, the more likely we are to attract businesses to set up in the area."

Allerdale council has also identified space for a bigger development of up to 365 homes near Whitecroft.

It said the area was suitable because of the location on the edge of the built up area and access to the A597.

The proposals, which are due to be discussed by the council's executive on Wednesday, will be followed by a public consultation.

A 9.3-hectare parcel of land at the rear of Ellenfoot Drive was discounted as a potential housing development site due to visual impact, poor road access and lack of public transport.

In Aspatria, the land at the rear of the rugby club has been identified as a potential site for 60 homes and land at Harriston Road has been earmarked for up to 100 homes.

Land adjacent to Flimby Brow and land off Elm Avenue in Flimby are also earmarked as potential housing developments site, with a capacity for 15 homes on the first site and 40 on the latter.

In its 2011 local plan, Allerdale council said Maryport would see 656 new homes built by 2029, of which 55 have already gone up and 213 are in the process of being built.

The authority said the town had limited space for new retail and business units due to the building of the new Lidl store in the town and it wanted to extend the town centre boundaries to include the supermarket.

The main area for future development is Glasson industrial estate.

Workington has been identified as the main centre for housing and business development.

The authority says the town could accommodate a medium size supermarket or discount food store, other retail units and new leisure developments. Main areas identified for the developments are Lillyhall, the Port of Workington and Oldside.

Allerdale council also has a duty to assess the accommodation needs of gypsy and travellers communities and travelling showmen.

It currently has no sites for gypsies and travellers but it has identified the former caravan park at Oldside, which it owns, as suitable. There are already yards in Maryport, Silloth and Wigton for travelling showmen.

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Three sites have been earmarked as the preferred options in Allerdale council's draft local plan to build homes. The plan identifies areas suitable for housing development, new retail units, business development and travellers' sites. Allerdale planning officers said a 0.7-hectare parcel of land near Ritson Wharf could accommodate up to 30 homes and would help regenerate the harbourside.

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Almost 400 homes in Maryport will benefit from a £3 million windfall from a housing association.

Home Group will spend to make the houses warmer and more energy efficient.

The majority of the 370 houses are in the town's Ewanrigg ward.

Mitie Property Services has been appointed to install external wall insulation on some of Home's older properties and some houses will benefit from improved windows and roofing.

A Home spokesman said the company has previously worked with Mitie elsewhere in Cumbria to install external wall insulation to its properties.

He added: "Customers who have had work completed have reported warmer homes and lower heating bills."

Louise Barkes, Home Group lead maintenance contract manager, said: "As a responsible not-for-profit landlord it's important to Home Group that we provide our customers with homes which are energy efficient.

"Some of our customers are economically vulnerable and this scheme will ensure they can get greater value for money when heating their homes and make them more comfortable to live in.

"This multi-million pound investment in Maryport is just one of the many schemes we've carried out in West Cumbria with Mitie recently."

The external wall insulation is mainly carried out on older properties which do not have cavity walls. In addition to helping homes retain heat more efficiently the properties are also rendered improving their appearance and improving the neighbourhood.

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Almost 400 homes in Maryport will benefit from a £3 million windfall from a housing association. Home Group will spend to make the houses warmer and more energy efficient. The majority of the 370 houses are in the town's Ewanrigg ward.

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These widespread dolphins are active and very acrobatic.

Life span - unknown.

Statistics - Bottlenose dolphins have a body length of 1.9-3.9m and weigh 150-650kg.

Physical description - Bottlenose dolphins appear uniform grey, but their colouring can be very variable. They have a prominent dorsal fin, and have a short, well-developed snout which resembles an old style gin bottle (hence its name.)

Distribution - They are mainly found in the temperate and tropical waters of Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

Diet - Bottlenose dolphins feed on squid, shrimp, eels and a wide variety of fish. They often hunt in teams.

Behaviour - Like most dolphins, they are extremely social and remain in groups of 1-10 individuals in coastal regions, and groups of 1-25 offshore.

Conservation status - Bottlenose dolphins are classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List. Global threats include hunting, human disturbance, habitat loss, prey depletion, pollution, entanglement in nets and collisions with vessels.

Dolphins are considered to be one of the most intelligent mammals. About 0.94 per cent of a bottlenose dolphin's weight is made up of its brain.

Marra's story

The Bottlenose dolphin was first spotted in Maryport marina around Christmas. News of its arrival attracted large crowds, and initial thoughts were of the impact it could have on the town's tourism.

Like most dolphins, Bottlenoses are considered social animals, living in groups of up to 25. However experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue say it's not uncommon for male Bottlenoses to live alone.

Experts from across the UK travelled to the marina to watch the dolphin's behaviour. All night observations were carried out while the marina's lock gates were open, but the dolphin has refused to leave.

Specialist underwater speakers were used to try and coax the dolphin back out to sea, and experts at one stage considered building a piece of equipment called a Bubble Curtain, which uses jets of air to stop the dolphins entering the marina.

So why did the dolphin refuse to leave?

Trevor Weeks, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, told us it's difficult to know why the animal wouldn't go back out to sea. "Dolphins are as individual as human beings are. We've had to look at the entire environment, the lock gates, the design of the outer harbour. We feel the the way the gate lies on the bed of the lock may make the dolphin feel unsafe about passing through it."

The Dolphin in Maryport Harbour

There were fears the dolphin would become sick or even die if it stayed in the marina. Risks like petrol leaking from boats or litter being thrown into the water could have had a serious impact on the animal's health.

It's thought there were three other Bottlenose dolphins in the area, out at sea, possibly waiting for their friend, Marra.

The rescue of Marra - an eye witness account from BBC Radio Cumbria's Anthony Baxter

"Everyone down at the Marina yesterday afternoon will remember what they saw for a very long time - I don't think I'll ever forget it. Such effort to save this creature. The Marina was drained, just enough water to cover the dolphin's dorsal fin. There was a massive crane brought in to hoist the animal off the mud flats. The coast guard was involved, the police, the fire service, the RSPCA, the Whale and Dolphin Society, several lifeguard crews, the list goes on, and although the operation was kept quiet, there were over a hundred people standing in almost silence throughout captivated by what they were seeing.

"A team of experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue entered the water at about half three and they slowly circled the animal with a net. They eventually captured it, around five men holding the animal still while transferring it to a special dolphin stretcher.

"It was then lifted by the huge crane onto the quayside and into a trailer which was carrying the Maryport Inshore Lifeboat. On board, a vet who began to check the animal's condition while it was rushed out to sea.

"The dolphin went into what's called captive shock, it started to hold its breath, and I'm told they do this when they're put under a lot of stress. However a vet confirmed that the dolphin didn't need to be medicated, it was revived and returned to sea safely and swam off immediately.

"The dolphin's condition began to deteriorate over the weekend. Its skin was breaking down because of low salt levels and it was showing some signs of being distressed, repetitive behaviour. The team of experts observing the animal had tried almost everything they could think of to coax the dolphin back out to sea without capturing it, but it was just too frightened to swim over the Marina gates while they were down in the water.

"This is a truly amazing story that has captivated so many people who've visited Maryport Marina over the last few weeks. There will be some people sad to see Marra leave, but I think everyone will agree, it's fantastic that the animal has been returned to sea safe and relatively unharmed after its stay in Maryport."

Photos

If you've taken any photos of Marra you would like to share, send them to cumbria@bbc.co.uk and we'll add them to our dolphin gallery.

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BBC - Cumbria - Features - Marra the Dolphin

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Read the full story about Marra, culminating in the dramatic rescue from Maryport Marina ...

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David Amphlett a drones view the town of Maryport Cumbria uk.

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I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

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We have great plans for the redevelopment of Maryport to make it an even better place to live and visit. That's why we have set up a team specifically to work on regeneration projects in the town.

The best way to keep in touch with the latest developments is to sign up to our special email newsletter.

Meet The Team

These are the people shaping the future of Maryport. They are making it an even better place to work and live.

Graeme Wilson
Chief Officer (Maryport Programme & Covid)
Graeme Wilson is the Council's Chief Officer (Maryport Programme). He has been with the council since 2013 and was initially in charge of the housing and environmental health services. He has been actively involved with the council's response to the coronavirus pandemic as well as managing the implementation of the Council's regeneration projects in Maryport. This is for around £15m worth of projects funded through the government Future High Street's Fund and Heritage England's HAZ scheme.

Joe Broomfield
Senior Specialist Capital Projects Manager
Joe is no stranger to Maryport as he previously managed Maryport Townscape Heritage Initiative (MTHI). The scheme brought several empty buildings back into use including the Golden Lion Hotel

He now manages the following projects in the Regeneration Programme:

Maryport Town Hall. Reconfiguration of the ground floor and external improvement works to the whole of the building.

Maryport Residential Conversion grant Scheme (MRCS) - working with property owners to bring vacant first-floor or above properties back into use for residential purposes.

Working in partnership with Cumbria County Council to oversee £1 million public realm enhancement scheme across various sites in Maryport.

1 Senhouse Street capital works - the Maritime Museum will move to Christ Church with 1 Senhouse Street being turned into an art gallery (this is in partnership with Joanne)

Boardwalk project. Creating a formal, off-road pedestrian link between North Quay and Maryport promenade.

Heritage Action Zone (HAZ)

We were delighted to announce in August 2020 of the success of Maryport's High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) bid which will see an investment of £1.2m into the town centre.

The High Street HAZ programme will receive about half of its funding from Historic England and is the first of the Council's Maryport regeneration initiatives to have been successful. The rest of the funding will come from the Council itself with other input from Sellafield and local building owners.

Keep an eye out for further project developments. Read more detail about the HAZ programme here.

Shopfront improvement scheme

Applications are invited for a new shopfront grant scheme aimed at enhancing Maryport's historical architecture has been launched as part of the town's High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) programme

The scheme, funded by Historic England and being run by Allerdale Borough Council, aims to replace eligible modern shopfronts which do not complement the historic architectural style of their host building or the conservation area, with shopfronts that will enhance the building and the street as a whole.

Shopfronts which are modern or non-traditional in Senhouse Street, or within the parts of Curzon Street or Crosby Street, may be eligible for a grant and are encouraged to get in touch with the council.

The grant scheme has a defined amount funding and will be available where a change in design is needed, rather than for repairs or decoration to historic or traditional looking shopfronts.

Businesses who believe they are eligible should email Allerdale officer, Helen Brownlie with details of the address in mind and its current use (if it has one). Helen can also provide further details on the main criteria and design guide.

Future High Streets Fund

In August 2019 it was announced that our initial bid to the Future High Streets Fund had been successful and we were through to the next round. Since then we have been working with the government and architects to develop the plans and held our first round of public consultation in February 2020, speaking to members of the public and community groups.

After seeking the views of the public and our partners, our plans were further developed and we opened up the next stage of our consultation on June 3, 2020 and ended the consultation on June 14, 2020. The proposals we consulted on - and a video summarising them - are further down this page.

On July 30, 2020, the final business case was submitted to the Government's Future High Streets Fund team. An announcement about the successful schemes is expected in the autumn.

We heard on 26 December 2020 that our initial bid had been successful and we had been provisionally awarded £11.5m from the government. And then on 26 May it was confirmed we had the money. Thanks to everyone who helped get us this far.

Watch our consultation video (5 mins):

Click on "full screen" to see it in a larger view. You can also see it on our YouTube channel .

Our Future High Street Fund proposals

Click below to read more about a specific part of our plans.

Artist's impression of Senhouse Street

Connecting the route from Maryport Railway Station through to the high street, to the harbour and promenade is a key focus for the public realm proposals. Key pedestrian junctions along Curzon Street are reviewed as part of the overall scheme as well as the parking strategy and requirements for the town centre. Connecting these spaces along the high street by using a cohesive visual style which is easily identifiable to Maryport is a key aspiration for the project.

Due to this many of the interventions are replicated across the scheme, and include;

Widening footpaths and reducing carriageway width to enhance the pedestrian environment.

The creation of two 'gateway' features for visitors entering the town from the north and south along Curzon Street.

The introduction of ornamental and tree planting where possible to soften the hard urban grain of the streetscape.

And the creation of slight 'kinks' and the introduction of raised tables in the road along Senhouse Street to calm traffic.

Matching new finger post traffic junctions along the route from station to the harbour.

And the installation of benches and seating opportunities which are nestled into planting pockets.

To create raised pedestrian crossings at key road junctions.

And to retain on-street parking for existing residents.

The vision looks to address the number of vacant units especially at first floor within the town centre.

A repurpose grant fund is proposed, which works with local building owners to upgrade their first floor accommodation into high quality office or residential units.

The aim is to draw new users to Maryport while increasing footfall and demand along the high street.

A relatively modern building within Maryport, The Wave is an underperforming leisure facility within the town.

The proposal reconfigures the wave and removes the performance space which is then relocated to The Carlton. It introduces a new swimming pool in it's place.

A landmark and well-loved property within Maryport, Christ Church has been vacant for some time.

The proposal looks to bring this building back into public use by converting the church into a museum and gallery space.

The proposal includes the introduction of a mezzanine floor to increase floor area and a viewing platform over the Solway Coast.

A landmark property along the high street, it has been vacant for a number of years.

Bringing this property back into active use is key for the vision for Maryport

The proposal relocates the theatre space from the Wave to The Carlton with the aspiration to drive more evening economy along Senhouse Street.

It also houses accommodation for shared working and small private rentable workshops and or offices. Unlike the event space formed within Empire Yard which is focused at food and drink the rentable space and ground floor event space is focused toward the arts and crafts movement in support of the work by local artist and the Settlement.

Demolition of the neighbouring property is proposed to form level access, a courtyard and new build to accommodate further theatre and event space requirements.

Previous public consultation has identified a local aspiration for a market, and space to hold Maryport events.

Empire Yard creates the space for these activities to take place, both during the day and at night.

Alongside a flexible covered space which can be adapted to house a market, community cinema screening and small music events, it is surrounded by a number of commercial units of various sizes. These are typically focused at food and beverage units but can accommodate both startup businesses and more established businesses.

May 2021 - confirmation that our submission has been successful and £11.5m awarded to the scheme.

December 2020 - our initial bid had been successful and we have been provisionally awarded £11.5m from the government. We're working up a final submission and hope this will be agreed and work can start as soon as possible.

August 2020 - we announce we've been successful in our bid to the Heritage Action Zone funding, bringing £1.2m into Maryport

July 2020 - the final business case was submitted to the government. An announcement on successful schemes is expected in the autumn.

June 2020 - second stage of consultation on the plans took place giving residents, visitors and partners more details about the proposals. This was conducted virutally due to the restrictions in place because of Covid-19.

February 2020 - consultation events in Maryport to get the opinions of local residents, businesses and groups. Thanks to everyone who took the time to come and meet us. Download the Future High Street Fund boards (large file) 14.4 MB

January 2020 - consultants Buttress are working with us on devising exciting new schemes for the town.

September 2019 - Our bid to the Heritage Action Zone pot of money was successful and we'll start working with Heritage England on our plans to improve the heritage assets in the town.

August 2019 - It was announced that our bid to the High Street Fund had been successful and we were through to the next round. We'll be working with the government to develop the plans.

Aspirations for a swimming pool have been widely voiced by the residents of Maryport and the proposal for the Wave looks to build on the existing infrastructure to bring this offer back to the town.

Our plans have developed over a number of months. Below is a record of information previously uploaded to this page.

News updates

Our plans for Maryport

Maryport is an ancient harbour town founded by the Roman Army on the Solway Estuary, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This compact attractive Georgian town went into economic decline in the 1930's and has never fully recovered. The town has some deep seated socio-economic issues that have hardened as competitor locations have become more attractive.

The plan sets out deliverable priority projects to improve the quality of place. It also sets out strategic projects and opportunities that can address underlying issues that must be influenced if the town is to become truly successful.

Priority projects

The Promenade and the local area was also a theme that arose in each session, and indeed was identified in the original spatial analysis of the town. The Solway Coast is seen as one of the benefits for the town's location and attractiveness.

This also links to many of the health and wellbeing issues that are prevalent in Maryport, and is therefore considered to also be a high priority, with different levels of intervention which will help in its delivery and funding.

Projects to influence

Timescales

There is a phased timetable for the projects with many able to begin immediately, whilst others require significant capital investment and preparatory work to get under way. However it is hoped all of the improvements will be in place within the next decade.

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maryport regeneration business growth plan renewal jobs

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We have great plans for the redevelopment of Maryport to make it an even better place to live and visit. That's why we have set up a team specifically to work on regeneration projects in the town. The best way to keep in touch with the latest developments is to sign up to our special email newsletter.

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Fleming Square 07/2011

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Fleming Square 07/2011

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Carlton Cinema 07/2011

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Shop on Senhouse Street 07/2011

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Shipping Brow 07/2011

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Ellenfoot Bridge 07/2011

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Wave centre 07/2011

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This afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron led a debate in Parliament on the housing crisis exacerbated by second home ownership.

During his speech, Mr Farron presented a seven-point plan to limit the number of second homes and make more affordable homes available for local families:

1. Make second homes and holiday lets new and separate categories of planning use. This would mean that councils and national parks would have the power to put a limit on the number of such properties in each town and village, protecting the majority of houses for permanent occupation.

2. Provide targeted, ring-fenced finance so that planning departments have the resources to effectively police this new rule.

3. Give councils the power to increase council tax by up to 100 per cent on second homes in the worst affected communities.

4. Force all holiday let owners to pay council tax, rather than avoiding paying anything at all if they are deemed a small business.

5. Give councils and national parks the power to ensure that 100 per cent of new builds are genuinely affordable.

6. Ban section 21 no-fault evictions.

7. Ensure that platforms like Airbnb are not allowed to cut corners and undermine the traditional holiday let industry, and have to meet the same standards as other rentals.

"I have spoken to MPs from rural communities from across this house - most of whom are currently Conservatives - and they all privately agree that this is a catastrophe," said Mr Farron.

"They see it in their own constituencies. The collapse of affordable, available housing for local communities is killing towns and villages in Cornwall, Northumberland, Shropshire, Devon, Somerset, North Yorkshire, in the Highlands, in rural Wales as well as in Cumbria.

"What our rural communities want from the minister today is two things: a sign that he understands that this catastrophe is actually happening and secondly, a commitment to act and to act right now."

In response the Housing Minister Christopher Pincher said: "We recognise that the large number of second homes and holiday lets can have adverse effects in some areas so I will look closely at the proposals that he has tabled.

"But I'm bound to say to him that making changes to planning law to make second homes and holiday lets separate categories in planning use, though it has some attractions, also has some significant drawbacks."

The minister pledged to start a consultation later this year on a "tourist accommodation registration scheme in England, so we can build our understanding of the evidence and issues that second homes present, particularly driven by the rise of online platforms such as Airbnb".

Responding, Mr Farron said: "I welcome the review that he talks about. That's all good, but it's all we got.

"I was not overwhelmed by a tidal wave of urgency - in fact quite the opposite.

"I want to say to the minister that inaction is action. It's action on behalf of those who have multiple homes, against our communities.

"I want to see an awful lot more than we saw today because in the time it takes for this review to take place, those communities I talked about which are at risk of dying will actually be dead."

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Second homes 'killing our towns and villages' - MP

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This afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron led a debate in Parliament on the housing crisis exacerbated by second home ownership. During his speech, Mr Farron presented a seven-point plan to limit the number of second homes and make more affordable homes available for local families: 1.

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Housing crisis - Homeless for Christmas?

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Housing crisis - Homeless for Christmas?

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Keswick Reminder Article about the effects of rising house prices in Keswick.

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Keswick property prices soar by 20 per cent says expert.

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Property prices in Keswick have soared by 20 per cent in a year, according to an estate agent who said there has been unprecedented demand for homes in the Lake District during the last 12 months.

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Keswick property prices soar by 20 per cent says expert.

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Property prices in Keswick have soared by 20 per cent in a year, according to an estate agent who said there has been unprecedented demand for homes in the Lake District during the last 12 months.

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Can Social Media help?
Article exploring the developing role of social media as a means of engaging community groups in urban regeneration and rebranding

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Is the 10 year census the ultimate research tool?
Looking at the UK census Geography and how to use it.

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'Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words.'
Arthur Brisbane, editor of the New York Evening Journal in 1911

Photos are essential to bring reality into the classroom and are a 'bread and butter' resource for the geography teacher. Look at The promise of geography in education by David Lambert. This provides an excellent example of how a geographer can 'read' and interpret a photograph. You need to be able to do this in order to use a photograph effectively as a teaching resource.

A wide range of visual images are used as a stimulus in geography lessons. Although we focus here on photographs, do not ignore the value of other images, including remote sensing, aerial photographs, diagrams, cartoons, advertisements, sketches and drawings. These are discussed on the webpage Other visual resources.

See The Geographical Association Magazine, Spring 2020, page 32, for a focus on images and some useful hints on how to take, share, edit and use them, whether for use in the classroom or on fieldwork.

What do I need to know about using photographs in geography lessons?

The main uses of photographs in geography lessons are to:

teach photo interpretation skills

to help students to find out about people, places and geographical features

to encourage students to explore their own values and attitudes about people and places

be a stimulus for geographical enquiry.

To use a photograph in your teaching you need to know:

the learning skills that can be developed through photographs and how students learn to 'read' and 'interpret' an image

how visual images help students acquire knowledge, and perceptions, about people and places

different strategies for using photographic material in your lessons.

Good practice in using visual images in teaching

Bear these points in mind when you are planning to use photographs and images in your lessons:

Have the learning objectives clearly in mind when you select the photographs to use

Use good quality images and make sure all students in the class can see them clearly e.g. projected onto a whiteboard

Allow students time to study an image and do not use too many in one lesson

Plan activities that make students look at images carefully and analyse what they see

Check whether students have basic photo interpretation skills before you ask them to use an image.

Use images to challenge (not reinforce) stereotypes.

Read Roberts, M. 'Using slide images to promote active learning', Teaching Geography, January 1998. This is essential reading. The techniques do not need 'slides' but can be used with modern technology!

Read Hoare, C. 'Using visuals to develop independent learning', Teaching Geography, Spring 2019. This article discusses using visuals in the context of using current technology in today's GCSE geography classroom.

Consider how you are going to source and manage all the digital visual materials you use in your lessons. (You must be aware of the copyright issues of using images from the internet.) Most teachers today use software such as PowerPoint to present images to students in lessons. See Jones, M. (ed) (2017) The Handbook of Secondary Geography. Sheffield: Geographical Association pp 155-157 and Figure 3 for a comparison of the advantages and disadvantage of methods of displaying and using images.

The GA resource page Visual Geography provides a set of base resources for PowerPoint or interactive whiteboards. The teacher supplies the images they want to use in their sequence of lessons. You need to download the PowerPoint files to access the links.

Photo interpretation and analysis skills

Students need to learn how to make sense of photographic evidence in geography and their photographic interpretation skills develop gradually. Refer to Biddulph, M., Lambert, D. and Balderstone, D. (2015) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience, 3rd edition. Abingdon: Routledge, p. 193 for a list of learning skills that can be developed using photographic material.

Consider this sequence to develop photo interpretation and analysis skills:

1. Description: Encourage students to look at photographs carefully and describe what they can see before they begin interpretation. To do this consider:

Activities that label geographical features or write descriptions of what students see in images. Bateman and Papper (2007) describe using text boxes.

'Modelling' these techniques with the whole class using a projected image so students understand what is expected before they create labels or describe themselves.

Activities such as 'observations', 'sketching', 'captions', and 'spot the difference' (see 21 photograph activities) to develop observation skills.

2. Explanation: Students develop explanations of what they observe. Consider:

Using prompts such as, 'What does this picture show?' 'Where in the world do you think it is?' 'Why?' (Bateman and Papper 2007).

The development compass rose as a framework to analyse an image from social, economic, environmental and political perspectives.

3. Deduction: A further level of difficulty is for students to deduce the geography from the evidence of this image. Consider:

Harris, M. (2017) Becoming an Outstanding Geography Teacher, Routledge Chapter 4 Figure 4.6 used a question matrix to analyse a photograph of flooding.

Hawley (2014) suggests some strategies and learning activities to help students to engage with an image of a physical landscape and to talk about its past, present and likely future. Students often struggle with this.

Riley's prompt sheet for Reading an image geographically, from the 2016 GA Conference.

Thompson (1999) suggests students are asked, 'Why it is as it is', or 'what might it be like in the future?' using clues from the photograph.

4. Critical analysis; This is the highest skill with respect to studying an image. Consider:

Roberts (1998) argues that students should think about what might have been omitted from an image and why.

The list of questions to use with students to engage them in a critical analysis of an image on p193 in Biddulph et al (2015)

Using ideas in Media literacy and the web.

Discussion: Planning to teach photo interpretation skills

Discuss with your geography mentor different ways to use photographs to develop students' skills of observation and analysis. Review lessons you have taught, or observed and discuss how successful the activities were in developing students' skills. How can the students move on to the next stage using the sequence suggested above? How can you incorporate this in your lesson planning?

Photographs and place

Photographs are particularly important in teaching about the geography of places and analysing students' own and others' perceptions of people and places. Students should understand that we interpret photographs in different ways depending on our own experiences and how the image was selected or created. Bermingham et al (1999) and Halocha (2008) discuss a range of techniques that can be used with photographs of place and how images can convey powerful and, sometimes, controversial messages.

Download This book's rubbish for an example of a stimulating activity where students are asked to 'read' and respond to some unsettling images.

Download Discussions with photographs for a range of ideas that you can use to encourage students to discuss photographs of places.

Teaching and learning strategies that use photographs

A vision frame. A photo is put in the centre of a large piece of sugar paper. Students discuss in groups what they see and write their conclusions in boxes around the 'frame'. They should be given question prompts such as:

Describe exactly what you can see

What do you think the people are feeling/thinking?

What do you think is the relationship between the people and the place?

How do you respond to this image?

What is it about this image that makes you feel this way?

What questions would you like to ask about this image?

[Source: Taylor. E. (2004) Re-Presenting Geography, Chris Kington Publishing]

Thinking activities often use images such as Reading Photographs

Before and after photos - Biddulph et al (2015) pp 194

Landscape bingo - Biddulph et al (2015) pp 194

Relating Transects photos to a sequence e.g. Rawding, C. and Halliwell, D (2004)

Flat Chat. This is a silent open-ended activity that stimulates visible thinking and allows uninhibited, anonymous contributions to discussions from all. See Cannell, J., Hopkin, J. and Kitchen, B. (2018) Critical thinking in practice, Geographical Association page 16 for an outline of how it works and an activity idea.

For more ideas look at:
Reading for trainee teachers and NQTs
Ignore that some of the articles refer to out-of-date technology. The teaching strategies will work equally well, or even better, with modern digital images projected onto a screen or whiteboard.

Bateman, D. and Papper, R. 'Image Sequences for Learning', Teaching Geography Spring 2007. Includes aerial images and a simple use of callouts (textboxes) in PowerPoint.

Bermingham, S., Slater, F., and Yangopoulos, S. 'Multiple texts, alternative texts, multiple readings, alternative readings', Teaching Geography Oct 1999. Interpretation of photos and cartoons (which the authors refer to as texts).

Biddulph, M., Lambert, D. and Balderstone, D. (2015) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience, 3rd edition. Abingdon: Routledge. Pages 193-5.

Halocha, J. 'Geography in the Frame: using photographs', Teaching Geography, Spring 2008. Hawley, D. 'Looking into the physical future', Teaching Geography, Spring 2014.

Rawding, C. and Halliwell, D. 'Accessing land use through digital images', Teaching Geography, October 2004.

Thompson, P. 'Photographic enquiry and the geographical detective', Teaching Geography, July 1999. This discusses progression and an 'incline of tasks' for using photographs. It also provides interesting examples and analyses of different students' responses.

Trainee teacher activities: Using photographs

Plan a series of lessons to develop some of the learning skills using photographic material using ideas from the readings above.

Devise a lesson to engage students in a critical analysis of ONE image. Using questions such as those in Biddulph et al (2015) p 193. Download In the frame. This is a PowerPoint file that includes different frames you can adapt to use in your own lessons with your own images.

Involving students in taking or selecting photographs

The pictures do not always have to be selected by the teacher. Consider these approaches:

Students taking photographs using digital cameras or smartphones. Look at Fox, P. 'Putting you in the picture', Teaching Geography, July 2003.

Students selecting photographs: e.g. from the web to illustrate a geographical topic and write an analysis of them. Refer to Urban landscapes and visual literacy: Imaging places from the GA's KS4 ICT project which outlines a lesson which explicitly teaches some of the skills involved in the selection and analysis of photos.

Photo resources and linked activities

There is a wealth of photographs and images available for use in geography classrooms.

For easily available sources of hundreds of photos, see Jones (2017) p 157 Figure 6 Sources of photos.

Photos for enquiry Free photographs for GA members.

Photo enquiries from Staffordshire Learning Net. These have a mystery start, they then tell a geographical story to explain the mystery. The teacher pauses at different stages in the story and the students hypothesize, react, discuss and predict.

<<< Return to main page

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'Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words.' Arthur Brisbane, editor of the New York Evening Journal in 1911 Photos are essential to bring reality into the classroom and are a 'bread and butter' resource for the geography teacher. Look at The promise of geography in education by David Lambert.

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A £106,000 rescue package is being proposed for a regeneration project.

Allerdale Council executives will meet today to discuss a proposal for a fitness centre in Maryport's Wave Centre, which was faced with closure just three years ago.

The move is the latest attempt to reduce the subsidy the council has paid for the Wave, which was opened in 2008 as part of a regeneration programme for the town.

It opened as a museum and visitor centre but the council ended up propping it up to the tune of £250,000 a year.

Three years ago the country's second Clip 'n' Climb attraction was brought to Maryport.

Its popularity helped reduce the council subsidy.

About a year later Cave in the Wave, an indoor caving experience, was introduced.

Now a report suggests that the proposed fitness centre would reduce the subsidy.

It is proposed that the fitness centre would be funded by £87,000 of council money and £19,200 from leisure company GLL Ltd.

Part of the process would see the GLL management contract to run the Wave extended to 2024.

Officers have acknowledged a "risk" factor which would depend on enrolling 280 members at just under £20 a month within the first 12 to 18 months.

The proposal would see the creation of a 30-station "Better" gym and additional children's facilities including inflatables.

The front of the Wave Centre would be remodelled with the fitness centre being largely confined to the present cafe area.

The report says catering would still be available for Clip 'n' Climb parties, users of the facilities and special events.

The new venture would also not encroach on the small performance space used mainly for dance festivals.

Local councillor Angela Kendall said she welcomed "anything that would help".

"Gyms and fitness centres seem to be the in-things and I support anything that brings employment and prosperity to the town," she added.

Bill Barnes, who is known in the town as a community champion, said he was doubtful the health centre would do much to change the situation.

He said: "Allerdale needs to rethink what it could be used for - maybe even a cinema or community centre - and it needs to promote it a lot more."

Even before it was opened, it caused controversy in the town coming at the same time as Maryport's only theatre space, the Civic Hall, was demolished.

After pressure from the town, a small theatre was included in the Wave Centre, which was first to be known as Destination Maryport.

The executive report says the fitness centre will enhance the Wave Centre further and will support a greater awareness of the facility.

It will also contribute to the council plan of improving health and wellbeing in a town with above average health needs.

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Lifeline worth £106,000 proposed for Wave Centre in Maryport to fund fitness centre

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A £106,000 rescue package is being proposed for a regeneration project. Allerdale Council executives will meet today to discuss a proposal for a fitness centre in Maryport's Wave Centre, which was faced with closure just three years ago.

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Keswick's local newspaper

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A series of temporary local road closures and traffic regulations are in place in Keswick today for the Lakesman triathlon.

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Keswick's local newspaper

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A series of temporary local road closures and traffic regulations are in place in Keswick today for the Lakesman triathlon.

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Marketing

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The Lake District and Cumbria is one of the most popular and well-loved tourism destinations in the UK. However, popularity alone isn't enough in a highly competitive market place, and effective marketing is one of Cumbria Tourism's highest priorities.

We provide a range of marketing services and are passionate about generating business for members. In a world of rapidly multiplying marketing opportunities it is more important than ever to be clear on our target markets and use the most effective channels to reach those markets.

Cumbria Tourism is constantly gathering and reviewing market intelligence conducted locally and nationally and adopts new activities in consultation with the Executive Board.

As a membership organisation, a business would need to join us to benefit from our marketing channels at cost-effective prices, and we are proud to have fantastic support from the tourism industry to collectively promote this wonderful destination.

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Marketing Opportunities - Cumbria Tourism

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The Lake District and Cumbria is one of the most popular and well-loved tourism destinations in the UK. However, popularity alone isn't enough in a highly competitive market place, and effective marketing is one of Cumbria Tourism's highest priorities. We provide a range of marketing services and are passionate about generating business for members.

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#theplacetobe marketing campaign

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Posters and short films also appeared in key railway stations such as Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow using the campaign imagery.

In 2015 #theplacetobe was developed using new adverts which featured in The Guardian and The Telegraph, in addition to a high profile social media campaign displaying the imagery and encouraging local businesses and visitors to create their own images using the campaign taglines. A competition was launched online to win a two night bed and breakfast stay for 8 people at The Threshing Barn, near Carlisle.

Underpinning this campaign are hundreds of journalist press trips that Cumbria Tourism hosts, and the distribution of over half a million leaflets and guides to encourage visits in 2015.

In December 2015 Cumbria along with much of the north of England was hit by devastating floods which meant CT needed to turn around a recovery campaign quickly and efficiently. #theplacetobe campaign was ideally placed to be rolled out further with new images, video and advertising getting positive messages out about why people should visit in the early part of 2016. This campaign alone reached 34 million people over a matter of a few weeks

Since then the membership felt strongly that the campaign was relevant so it continued with the Winter Campaign running from November 2016 to March 2017. The focus of this campaign was to help give an extra boost throughout the winter season showcasing the Lake District, Cumbria as an all-year-round destination and encourage visitors to book and extend breaks at this traditionally quieter time of the year. The campaign included a new visitor rewards card, the Love Cumbria card, giving access to a range of offers throughout the county between November and March. Again the campaign has proved a huge success, gaining a staggering reach of over 25 million in just five months, a fantastic success for our first Winter Campaign we have undertaken without public funding.

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#theplacetobe Campaign - Cumbria Tourism

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Posters and short films also appeared in key railway stations such as Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow using the campaign imagery. In 2015 #theplacetobe was developed using new adverts which featured in The Guardian and The Telegraph, in addition to a high profile social media campaign displaying the imagery and encouraging local businesses and visitors to create their own images using the campaign taglines.

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It is home to hills once owned by Beatrix Potter and to some of Britain's finest scenery, but the peace of the Lake District has been shattered by a row involving allegations that its managing authority is trying to silence a critic who said the area was at risk of becoming a theme park.

The Lake District National Park Authority, which runs the Unesco-listed site in Cumbria, wants to attract groups other than the white, middle class and able-bodied who make up most park users. However, plans for a 6.4km strip of tarmac on a rural path from Keswick to Threlkeld and the use of off-road 4x4s in Little Langdale have prompted a backlash from communities within the park.

Tony Lywood, a board member of

It is home to hills once owned by Beatrix Potter and to some of Britain's finest scenery, but the peace of the Lake District has been shattered by a row involving allegations that its managing authority is trying to silence a critic who said the area was at risk of becoming a theme park.

The Lake District National Park Authority, which runs the Unesco-listed site in Cumbria, wants to attract groups other than the white, middle class and able-bodied who make up most park users. However, plans for a 6.4km strip of tarmac on a rural path from Keswick to Threlkeld and the use of off-road 4x4s in Little Langdale have prompted a backlash from communities within the park.

Tony Lywood, a board member of

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Park bosses accused of using Lake District diversity plans as cover for commercialisation

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It is home to hills once owned by Beatrix Potter and to some of Britain's finest scenery, but the peace of the Lake District has been shattered by a row involving allegations that its managing authority is trying to silence a critic who said the area was at risk of becoming a theme park.The Lake D

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Thousands of protesters are expected to descend on the Lake District next month to demonstrate over what they say is the increasing push to develop the national park for commercial gain.

Protesters are planning a day of activism on 1 February following a series of public outcries over the threat of commercialisation of the national park.

The move has echoes of the Kinder Scout mass trespass of 1932. Then, hundreds of radical ramblers walked across hills and moorland which had previously been the preserve of landed gentry, eventually resulting in the creation of Britain's national parks.

Earlier this month, more than 200 people gathered in the village of Grasmere to protest against plans to moor holiday boats on the shores of the local lake. Lowther Estate, which owns the lake, wants to moor 10 motor yachts measuring 40ft by 12ft on the lake.

Proposals include allowing holidaymakers to stay on the boats overnight, accommodating up to six people for a week, allowing them to freely navigate the waterway.

But locals say this commercialisation will eventually destroy the beauty and tranquility of the national park for future generations. The lake is overlooked by Dove Cottage - the home of William Wordsworth - who described the village of Grasmere as "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found".

Andy Astle, 62, a retired Royal Mail manager who has lived in Grasmere for almost five decades and Joe Nichols, also a local resident, said they had been forced to take action to protect the national park as a public space and save its heritage for future generations.

"My main motivation has never been nimbyism. Its not my backyard, it's our backyard. Any visitor or resident, regardless of gender, creed or colour, must have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Grasmere free from the desecration that these boats would cause," said Astle.

Nichols, who lives close to the lake with his wife and eight-month-old son, said he expected thousands of people to join the protest. A group named Houseboats Off Grasmere has attracted more than 2,700 signatures on its petition in just a few days.

"This will be the biggest protest at the protection of our public spaces the Lake District has ever seen. Over the last two years, Lowther Estates have desperately tried to exploit the land for which they are hereditary custodians for commercial gain at the expense of the environment," said Nichols.

He added: "We can no longer tolerate the constant attempted abuse of areas which should be protected by those who own them."

There were also concerns earlier this month when the head of the Lake District national park authority (LDNPA) was accused of putting the area's Unesco world heritage status at risk.

The accusations were made following a long-running dispute to ban 4x4s and motorbikes from some fell trails in the area. The LDNPA is facing a judicial review in the high court supported by a £30,000 crowdfunding effort over its refusal to ban four-wheel-drive vehicles from the trails, which campaigners say is ruining the peacefulness of the area.

Keswick town council has previously condemned an £8m project to create an accessible multi-user trail with a tarmac surface between Keswick and Threlkeld and passed a vote of no confidence in the LDNPA. In November, the Lake District received a highly critical letter from advisers to Unesco, which granted it world heritage status in 2017 after a 20-year campaign.

On the day of action, protesters will converge on Moss Parrock - a green in the centre of Grasmere - where activists and campaigners will make speeches alongside Tim Farron MP before marching across to Penny Rock beach on the shores of the lake.

The Lowther Estate has asked the LDNPA to determine whether it needs planning permission to go ahead with the scheme.

The future of the scheme depends on whether it is considered to be a change of land use. If it is not, the estate will be free to allow guests on to the moored yachts. However, if the LDNPA decides it does constitute a change, the estate will have to apply for planning permission.

David Bliss, the chief executive of the estate, has argued that the yachts are not "houseboats" and therefore do not constitute a new development.

"The first thing is that they are definitely not houseboats and they already exist on Windermere, Ullswater and Derwentwater and the second is that they are not detrimental to the area. They will compliment other boats already used in Grasmere by locals and tourists," he said.

But legal advice given to campaigners from the planning and environmental barrister Robert McCracken QC has concluded that the application should be refused on the grounds that it is unlawful unless proper planning permission is granted. This legal advice has been presented to the LDNPA, along with 200 letters of representation.

Chris Newton, a solicitor, said: "It is critically important that we beat this application in order to hold back unnecessary commercialisation of Grasmere, which would destroy the beauty and tranquillity of what we've got not only for now but for future generations."

In a statement, the LDNPA said: "In this lawful development certificate application the applicant and their advisers put forward a case that an application for planning permission is not required for what they propose. As the local planning authority we must decide whether this is the case or not as a matter of law."

A decision is expected next month.

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Mass protest planned over Lake District 'commercialisation'

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Thousands of protesters are expected to descend on the Lake District next month to demonstrate over what they say is the increasing push to develop the national park for commercial gain. Protesters are planning a day of activism on 1 February following a series of public outcries over the threat of commercialisation of the national park.

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campaign against

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A group of businesses is trying to stop a new 71-bedroom hotel from being built in the Lake District.

A petition against the plans for the hotel by Premier Inn has received more than 2,000 signatures online.

Those opposed to the plans say the new building, which is due to be built on the site of a former care home, won't fit in with the charm of the town.

The planned site for the new hotel Credit: ITV Border

But Premier Inn says it will bring many benefits, including 30 new jobs.

The plans, which are in the consultation phase, are due to be submitted to the Lake District National Park Planning Authority, Keswick Town Council and Cumbria County Council on the 24th of October.

Changing the heritage of Keswick - a town built on tourism over centuries by hard-working, independent business owners including shops, B&Bs, hotels, hospitality suppliers and other professionals.

Pushing the town's infrastructure to the limits - causing unnecessary congestion through the town, putting strains on the access road and the town's utilities in particular the sewage system.

Lack of car parking spaces - constructing a new building with not enough on-site parking spaces to cover the requirements of hotel and restaurant guests and staff.

Over-development of the site - a construction, which towers above neighbouring buildings and blocking the view of Skiddaw from the famous Cumbrian Way/Howrah's footpath.

Using "30 more jobs" - as an incentive to obtain planning permission, when Keswick has no unemployment and has a problem filling existing jobs.

CGIs of the proposed hotel design. Credit: Premier Inn

But people who oppose the plans state the following concerns on their petition website:

There was similar debates in 2014 when plans were put forward for a Premier Inn in Penrith.

In a statement, Premier Inn said:

"Bringing a new Premier Inn to Keswick will provide a different style of accommodation to what is currently available, increase choice for visitors and complement the many excellent independent guest houses, B&Bs and holiday lets in the town. As a business we recruit locally, offer industry leading training programmes to our team members, and find our 'light touch' style of accommodation supports established businesses as our customers go out to eat, drink, visit attractions, do activities and generally enjoy the local area."

Kevin Murray, Head of Acquisitions at Premier Inn for the north of England and Ireland

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Locals fight new Keswick Premier Inn plans | ITV News

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A group of businesses is trying to stop a new 71-bedroom hotel from being built in the Lake District. A petition against the plans for the hotel by Premier Inn has received more than 2,000 signatures online.

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Drone operators ‘ruining the tranquillity of the Lake District’

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Drone pilots are ruining the tranquillity of Wordsworth’s Lake District, it is claimed, by flying their machines from the mountain tops.

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The protest

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A patch of land in the Lake District once owned by Beatrix Potter and described by Alfred Wainwright as "the loveliest in Lakeland" is being ruined by 4x4 drivers who are threatening the world heritage site status of the national park, according to campaigners.

They say cars and motorbikes have devastated farm tracks, churning up soil and exposing the bedrock beneath, leaving them impassable to farm traffic.

The problem is acute in a one-mile square of land just north of Coniston Water. World Heritage Watch (WHW), a global non-governmental organisation that advises Unesco, passed a resolution to try to protect the site because it said the world heritage status of the Lake District as a whole was being "violated".

At the 5th International Civil Society Forum on World Heritage, in Bahrain in June, the minutes of which were recently made public, delegates were told that the "harmonious beauty of the landscape" must be protected.

WHW asked Unesco to make the Lake District's continued inscription as a world heritage site dependent on the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) acting to prevent further damage caused by the vehicles.

"The disturbance and destruction unquestionably caused by 4x4 vehicles is certainly not in conformity with the values which the Lake District stands for: serenity, harmony, tranquility, nature conservation and traditional rural ways of life," said the WHW chairman, Stephan Dömpke.

"The purpose of world heritage site status is the protection and conservation of sites for which an outstanding universal value (OUV) has been defined."

Dömpke said if action was not taken to preserve the OUV in the Lake District, Unesco could choose to revoke the inscription, awarded in July last year.

The move came after almost 7,000 people signed a petition organised by the campaign group Save the Lake District calling for the national park authority to impose a traffic regulation order closing green lanes to motor vehicles.

Christine Muir, whose family have owned a cottage in the area since the 1950s, said: "We saw a huge increase in bikes and 4x4s a few years ago. Some of us have lived here all our lives, and for the sheep farmers among us this land is our livelihood. Others just love walking in this area between Coniston and Little Langdale, described by Wainwright as 'scenically one of the loveliest in Lakeland'.

"But today your walks are likely to be spoiled by convoys of 4x4s and groups of noisy trail bikes. Tracks have become impassable for farm vehicles, horse riders and off-road wheelchairs."

The complaint focuses on two tracks near High Tilberthwaite farm, which Potter bought in 1929 and was later acquired by the National Trust.

On its website, the campaign group notes an increase in 4x4s in the area from 90 a month in 2008 to an estimated 400 per month in 2017, noting that the routes for these vehicles cut through two National Trust farms: High Tilberthwaite and High Oxenfell.

In April two hill farmers, Glen and Dorothy Wilkinson, left their Tilberthwaite farm because of the damage caused to an unsealed track that runs through the land.

Little Langdale was described by Wainwright as 'scenically one of the loveliest in Lakeland'. Photograph: trevorearthy/GuardianWitness

At the time, Wilkinson said 4x4s passed through the farm on a daily basis, and the park authority should be closing such roads to recreational off-roaders. "They have absolutely wrecked the road," he said. "They have made it impossible for us to carry on with our jobs."

Nick Fieldhouse, whose off-roading company Kankku regularly sent clients through the Wilkinsons' farm, argued that 4x4 users had just as much right to use the Lake District as anybody else, and said world heritage status made them more mindful of respecting the landscape. "Unesco knew about the 4x4s when they awarded the inscription," he said.

However, Lord Clark of Windermere, who was chair of the Lake District Partnership during the world heritage bid, criticised the park authority's lack of action.

"We have all heard about the farmer at Tilberthwaite leaving his farm," he said. "They ought to be banning 4x4 off-roading. Sadly though it is all part of the culture at the moment, where the authority encourage commercial activity.

"The world heritage site status was granted because of the landscape. It is the duty of the LDPNA to protect that and work for the benefit of the people who live here."

Mark Eccles, head of management at the park authority, has previously said there were no plans to restrict the traffic. He said off-roading was legal and there was no breach of the world heritage rules. On his LinkedIn page, Eccles describes himself as a motorbike enthusiast.

A spokesperson for the park authority said they recognised that some of the roads needed repairs. The work is due to be carried out in the autumn.

Unesco has now contacted the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which said it was "working with the Lake District National Park Authority to ensure the continued protection of the world heritage site".

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World heritage status of Lake District is being 'violated', protestors say

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A patch of land in the Lake District once owned by Beatrix Potter and described by Alfred Wainwright as "the loveliest in Lakeland" is being ruined by 4x4 drivers who are threatening the world heritage site status of the national park, according to campaigners.

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The ruling

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Two unclassified roads stretching between Coniston, Langdale and Skelwith in the national park have become a toxic battleground between walkers, horse riders, mountain bikers, 4×4 off-roaders and motorcyclists.

The national park's rights of way committee heard from opposing sides at a two-hour meeting in Kendal on Wednesday, attended by around 50 people.

Nick Thorne, the park's countryside access advisor, called on the six-member panel to base its decision on evidence, not 'emotion and rhetoric'.

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At the centre of the argument was the 1.5-mile stretch of the U5001 Tilberthwaite Road between the A593 at Yewdale and Fell Foot, Little Langdale. Also debated was the third-of-a-mile section of the U5004 which runs between the A683 near Colwith and Hodge Close, near Coniston.

Charlie Shepherd, chairman of the Lake District area Ramblers, said 'noise and fumes' spoiled the 'peace and tranquility' of the area, while 'minor' roads were not made for 'rallying'.Objector Diane Mallinson claimed the park's report 'cherry picked, distorted or ignored' evidence and that a management solution would not control 'off-roading'.

However, Steve Stout, for the Cumbria Trail Riders Fellowship, said he had been left 'speechless' by the 'hate, bullying and discrimination' of those campaigning for a traffic regulation order.

Geoff Wilson, of the Motoring Organisations' Land and Access and Recreation Association, also accused the 'expertly-orchestrated lobby group' of 'misrepresentations, exaggeration, half-truths, and fear'. "The Lake District should not and will not be saved from anything, if indeed it needs to be, by reacting hastily to this sort of harassment," he said.

There were calls that conservation of the landscape should come first whenever there was a conflict between users, although the meeting heard the number of vehicles using the two lanes was 'not exactly Piccadilly Circus'.

After a 74-page assessment report into the issues by park officers, the committee voted five to one to agree to a management solution for the U5001 to bring key stakeholders together. The U5004 will be 'monitored'.

Peter Allen MBE, deputy chair of the LDNPA, who proposed the officer's recommendation be agreed, said: "We have conflicting arguments here and I always think when you get conflict the easiest way is to try and manage it."

Ian Wharton said: "It's a park for the enjoyment and pleasure of all people - whether they are walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists or 4×4 drivers." Vicky Hughes said the panel 'struggled' with the decision and had to strike a balance. "There is congestion on those roads at certain times with 4x4s and the overuse of motorcycles," she said.

Louise Waterhouse said 'banning' 4x4s would not solve the problem and the park was for all and not just for some. "We have to respect everybody has a right to use these roads until there is some sort of law on them, and that may be a TRO in the future."

Committee chairman Geoff Davies voted against the officer recommendation and had 'considerable misgivings' about the conflict being solved through a management plan. "It's essential for the various groups of conflicting opinions to try and sort this out, with goodwill on all sides, in a way that brings peace and harmony," he said..

Commenting afterwards, Nick Fieldhouse, of off-road driving company Kankku, said: "It's now for us to deliver. We have to put a management plan in place. We may end up more restricted than we are now, but maybe that's no bad thing. We are trying to keep the activity of an old Landrover rattling down a quarry road alive for future generations."

The Save Langdale Green Lanes Campaign said: "This is not how you preserve the special qualities of the national park and the World Heritage Site for future generations."

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4x4s ruling on Lake District 'green lanes'

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Two unclassified roads stretching between Coniston, Langdale and Skelwith in the national park have become a toxic battleground between walkers, horse riders, mountain bikers, 4×4 off-roaders and motorcyclists. The national park's rights of way committee heard from opposing sides at a two-hour meeting in Kendal on Wednesday, attended by around 50 people.

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The schemes have been drawn up by the Lake District National Park Authority who also want to see a new leisure pool sited next to the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick.

The projects have also been attacked by a Keswick councillor who says the National Park Authority is also planning to site a new hotel in the town as well as a leisure centre.

The proposals are made in the Authority's Local Plan Review, a blueprint to take the National Park upto 2034.

The cable car would run from the village of Thornthwaite up to the Whinlatter visitor centre. The aim is to ease the impact of traffic on Braithwaite village.

The scheme comes in the wake of zip wire plans for the Honister Mine and another stretching across Thirlmere lake.

Other developments include new parking sites at Pooley Bridge where additional boat landings and mooringswould be encouraged, while new and improved jetties would be built around the lake.

There would also be improved parking areas at Seathwaite and Seatoller.

Places such as Keswick would become transpot hubs where people would be encouraged to leave their cars and use "alternative modes of sustainable transport."

Under the plans, Windermere would see a new hotel and commercial development on the Glebe, a new conference centre catering for up to 600 at the Low Wood Bay hotel and increased parking at Braithwaite Fold.

Landscape charity Friends of the Lake District is concerned that the review is focused on increasing tourism numbers with little detail on how the infrastructure of the Park is going to cope.

It also highlights a lack of priority given to the environment and landscape of the Lake District over potentially damaging development and activities.

Douglas Chalmers, chief executive of the charity, said: "Visitor numbers to the park have been increasing steadily. We had 19 million in the park last year and we sometimes struggle to cope with these.

"The plan is prioritising and encouraging provisions for even more visitors. When the park became a World Heritage Site last year, UNESCO actually raised concerns over the impacts of tourism.

"Of course we want to encourage visitors to enjoy the unique benefits of the park, but surely, until we have adopted successful methods of moving people around by sustainable methods, the congestion we experience on our roads at peak times should not be made worse."

Tony Lywood is a Keswick town councillor, Allerdale district councillor, county counicllor and a member of the LDNPA.

Speaking as a Keswick councillor, he attacked the report for being too focussed on visitors and not caring enough about the people who live in the area.

Mr Lywood warned there were also vague plans for a new hotel and leisure centre in the town and said: "We should all support development, but it should be sustainable and should not put the needs of of tourists above the people who live and work in the area.

"I'm not against any of the ideas, as long as the infrastructure is put in place to cope with the increased level of tourism.

"Making Keswick a hub is like trying to pour more than a pint of milk into a pint bottle. We have to sort out the car parking issues, holiday lets and second homes problems in Keswick."

The park authority is urging residents, businesses and anyone interested to comment on its Local Plan review.

The Local Plan Review consultation runs until June 29, with drop in events scheduled across the region throughout the month for people to find out more.

Steve Ratcliffe, director of sustainable development for the authority, said: "Our aim has been to produce a planning framework that delivers the homes, communities and countryside that the Lake District wants and needs.

"We want to deliver our vision for the Lake District to be 'an inspirational example of sustainable development in action".

More information is available on the Park Authorities website at: http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-review

The next public consultation meetings are: Wednesday, Captain Shaw's Primary School, Bootle; Thursday, Moot Hall, Keswick Information Centre, Keswick; June 21, Bassenthwaite Village Hall; June 28 Gosforth Primary School, Gosforth

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Anger over plans to install Swiss-style cable cars in National Park

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The schemes have been drawn up by the Lake District National Park Authority who also want to see a new leisure pool sited next to the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick. The projects have also been attacked by a Keswick councillor who says the National Park Authority is also planning to site a new hotel in the town as well as a leisure centre.

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March against development

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"As the planning authority, we share their aim and have the highest possible controls to ensure development is appropriate to its location, communities and landscape," a spokeswoman added.

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Lake District 'under siege' from development, protesters warn

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"As the planning authority, we share their aim and have the highest possible controls to ensure development is appropriate to its location, communities and landscape," a spokeswoman added.

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The objections

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Plans to moor holiday boats on the shores of Grasmere in the Lake District national park have been withdrawn in a move described as a huge victory for community activism.

Thousands of protesters are still expected to descend on the Lake District next month to demonstrate over what they say is the increasing push to develop the national park for commercial gain.

However, the protesters are now also planning a day of celebration alongside activism on 1 February after Lowther Estates, which owns the lake in the village of Grasmere, announced that it would be shelving plans to moor 10 motor yachts measuring 40ft by 12ft on the waterway.

Earlier this month, more than 200 people gathered in the village to protest against proposals allowing holidaymakers to stay on the boats overnight. Locals argued that this commercialisation would eventually destroy the beauty and tranquility of the national park for future generations.

Following the public outcry Lowther Estates has now confirmed that the plans have been dropped.

The estate had asked the Lake District national park authority (LDNPA) to determine whether it needed planning permission to go ahead with the scheme.

David Bliss, the chief executive of Lowther Estates, had previously argued that the yachts would be a fitting addition to the area. However, before the LDNPA made its decision the estate announced it would not be proceeding with the application for "recreational craft" on Grasmere as it had caused "considerable concern".

"The estate is a responsible landowner within the Lake District. They have therefore listened to these concerns and withdrawn the application," said Bliss.

Andy Astle, 62, a retired Royal Mail manager who has lived in Grasmere for almost five decades, and Joe Nichols, also a local resident, said they were overjoyed with the decision. A group started by Astle - Houseboats Off Grasmere - has attracted more than 4,600 signatures on its petition and just under 300 objection letters were also sent to the LDNPA.

"It's absolutely fantastic news, it's all we could have hoped for, finally Lowther Estates have dropped their obscene plans to desecrate Grasmere. I have been truly humbled by the level of support both within the village but more importantly across the country and even abroad," said Astle.

Nichols, who said campaigners would continue to protest, added: "We feel joy and relief. This is a huge victory for community activism and a step towards making lasting positive change in the way the Lake District national park is protected."

Local residents and campaigners have been on a collision course with authorities and developers in the area, who they claim are increasingly pushing to develop the park for commercial gain.

Criticisms have been levelled at the head of the LDNPA, who has been accused of putting the area's Unesco world heritage status at risk.

They were made following a long-running dispute to ban 4x4s and motorbikes from some fell trails in the area. The LDNPA is facing a judicial review in the high court supported by a £30,000 crowdfunding effort over its refusal to ban four-wheel drive vehicles from the trails.

Keswick town council passed a vote of no confidence in the LDNPA last year and condemned an £8m project to create an accessible multi-user trail with a tarmac surface between Keswick and Threlkeld.

Chris Newton, a solicitor who is supporting the residents, said: "It was warming to experience the positive response from thousands of people to protect a place that we all love."

Tim Farron, the Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, welcomed the decision and said it was a significant success for community campaigning but warned residents not to become too complacent following the victory.

"The decision to drop these completely inappropriate plans would not have happened if it hadn't been for the tireless campaigning of local people.

"Despite this great news we must not take our eye off the ball. The estate may well try again at some point in the future, so we need to continue to send out a loud and clear message that people in Grasmere and across our area say no to these plans," he added.

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Lake District plan to moor holiday boats on Grasmere withdrawn

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Plans to moor holiday boats on the shores of Grasmere in the Lake District national park have been withdrawn in a move described as a huge victory for community activism. Thousands of protesters are still expected to descend on the Lake District next month to demonstrate over what they say is the increasing push to develop the national park for commercial gain.

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The proposal

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The Lowther Estate Trust is seeking consent to locate the "gentleman's yachts" in the south-east part of Grasmere.

Described as boats, not houseboats, each 40-feet-long vessel would feature a deck and cabin with kitchen, toilet and sleeping quarters large enough for six people.

According to plans lodged with the Lake District National Park Authority, holidaymakers would board the yachts by rowing boat and stay overnight for up to one week.

"The boats are capable of cruising at a moment's notice and anchorage anywhere on Grasmere overnight," state the plans by the Lowther Estate Trust.

The plans add: "Each boat is capable of sustaining itself for about one week before needing new food supplies. All waste will be collected on-board. No sewerage or grey water will be discharged into the lake."

Guests would park their cars at one of three car parks located at nearby White Moss Common and owned by the Lowther Estate Trust. They would then walk to the embarkation point. The closest car park is 750 metres away from the proposed moorings.

No jetties or pontoons are proposed, and the yachts would not be connected to services such as electricity.

The six-berth gentleman's yachts are described as having a single engine with five-horsepower electric motor. They would measure up to 40 feet long (12.2 metres) and 12 feet (3.6 metres) across at their widest point.

The Lowther Estate Trust is seeking a certificate of lawfulness to moor the boats on the Grasmere for recreational use and overnight holiday accommodation.

It says the character and appearance of the 61-hectare freshwater lake, which is entirely owned by the Lowther Estate, would not be materially changed by the plans.

The lake is primarily used for sailing, rowing and fishing, it adds, and boats huts are scattered around the edge of the water.

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Lowther Estate plans boating holidays on Grasmere

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The Lowther Estate Trust is seeking consent to locate the "gentleman's yachts" in the south-east part of Grasmere. Described as boats, not houseboats, each 40-feet-long vessel would feature a deck and cabin with kitchen, toilet and sleeping quarters large enough for six people.

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Against

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On a forest hillside leading down to the reservoir at Thirlmere, the only sounds are from the trickle of a nearby stream and water dripping off a mossy stone bothy, or summer house, used in the 1800s by Countess Ossalinsky - the hero of one of Britain's earliest conservation struggles.

To the consternation of many who value this corner of the Lake District, it is a silence that may be shattered in years to come by the cries of people flying across the beauty spot on what would be one of the highest and longest zip wires in Britain. Then there is the impact of an associated cycle track, and of shuttle buses ferrying tens of thousands of passengers along narrow roads each year.

"We're calling this the second battle of Thirlmere," said Ed Heslam, a local musician and activist with a campaign group called Zip Off, which is opposing the £1.8m plan formulated by businessmen behind an existing adventure course near Windermere and a zip line attraction in north Wales. "It's basically environmental vandalism - it wouldn't just change the scenery here but have a profound ecological impact too."

If there was a first battle, it dates back to the 1870s and the fight against the acquisition of Thirlmere by Manchester city council as a reservoir to quench the thirst of its growing Victorian economy. Although they lost, the foundation of the Thirlmere Defence Association by luminaries such as John Ruskin, the writer and artist, and Thomas Carlyle, the essayist and historian, is widely regarded as marking the birth of the conservation movement. It is also a legacy that is felt keenly in places like the bothy once owned by Ossalinsky, one of the last landowners in the area to capitulate to the Mancunians' resource grab.

Participants at a zip wire attraction in north Wales. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

More than a century later new battle lines are being drawn ahead of the end of the public consultation on the project, which closes this week. Ranged on one side are the zip wire company Treetop Trek, the board of Cumbria Tourism and some local businesses.

Standing with Zip Off and other members of the local community are the actress Caroline Quentin and documentary-maker Terry Abraham, who resigned last month as ambassador of the Lake District Foundation over the neutral stance taken by the conservation charity.

Abraham, whose Life of a Mountain documentaries have been credited with enlightening BBC viewers about the beauty and heritage of the Lake District, said: "Thirlmere stands as a monument to actions of the past and should always act as a reminder to stand up for conservation when under threat, no matter how large or small [that might be].

"The views from the surrounding fells around Thirlmere, let alone from valley level, are sublime, including looking north from the reservoir to Blencathra," he said, referring to one of the Lake District's most famous fell tops, whose snow-capped heights are clearly visible from the car park that is intended to be one of the reception areas for the proposed zip wire.

"Much of my work has been about promoting not only the beauty of the area but the heritage and culture too. Views of fells such as Blencathra and Helvellyn will be interrupted by the possibility of a theme park ride in the utterly wrong location. If, as some say, the zip wires won't be intrusive, then why not go the full hog and install electricity pylons too? There's a long-held view, and now policy, to bury such structures within the Lake District."

Treetop Trek's managing director, Mike Turner, acknowledges with weary resignation that he is up against not only present-day opponents of the scheme, but also the romantic poets associated with the area.

"It's a beautiful body of water. We would not dispute that. What we do challenge is the assertion that [the zip wire] would have a visual impact," said Turner, who emphasises the "manmade" aspect of the reservoir, surrounded by what he described as a managed forest. "I love the fells as much as the next person, but what we are looking at doing would have a minuscule environment impact. It's literally a few cables across the valley and an improved cycle track. This is not about instinct or emotion. We need to look at it objectively. The problem is that when people start using language about the romantic poets it loses that objectivity.

"The Lake District is a tourist destination - with the highest numbers of visitors after London - and its entire economy is built around that."

Turner has the backing of Cumbria Tourism, where he sits on the board as its "small operator representative". Its vice-chairman, Jim Walker, points out that Turner was required to leave the room last year when the board discussed supporting the development.

"While recognising the debate on both sides of issue, the board decision was that the principle of the proposal aligns with Cumbria Tourism's longstanding commitment to promoting the county as the UK's 'adventure capital'," said Walker.

While the impact of the development is contested, what is being proposed is more or less clear. Approximately 50,000 people would be expected to use the zip wire each year, with a similar number coming to use cycle tracks. Arrival would be at car parks - one in particular, but also at a number of others that Treetop Trek says are "under-utilised" - and by Stagecoach buses at stops around the lake. Thirty-six people at a time in overalls and helmets would then be transported along tracks using green "military-style" vehicles that Turner says would be diesel-powered at first but which would become electric within three years.

Aside from the debate over the potential ecological impact of the scheme on local wildlife, which includes the increasingly rare red squirrel, other factors include a request by the Ministry of Defence that the structures be fitted with aviation warning lights. Treetop Trek's response is to point to MoD standard guidance on tall structures - such as buildings or masts - and say that it will not be building anything of that nature.

Cables are not required to be lit, adds Turner, who says they will simply need to be plotted on flight charts.

Then there is the position of Cumbria county council, which is recommending a refusal of the planning application on the basis that it is "likely to increase the risk and danger and inconvenience to the users of the highway" as a result of drivers on roads near the lake being distracted.

Those opposed to the project are steeling themselves for the prospect of direct action. Ambling down a track which he believed would one day be used to ferry thrill-seekers to one of the zip wire's launch platforms, Heslam envisaged how vehicles might be slowed down or impeded: "We have every right to be here, and who knows? We might just decide to take our time and walk up and down here, or even sit down to have a picnic."

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Campaigners fight zip wire plan for Lake District beauty spot

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On a forest hillside leading down to the reservoir at Thirlmere, the only sounds are from the trickle of a nearby stream and water dripping off a mossy stone bothy, or summer house, used in the 1800s by Countess Ossalinsky - the hero of one of Britain's earliest conservation struggles.

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Thousands of Cumbrian businesses are currently benefiting from our services. Is yours one of them? Join online today or call 0845 226 0040. Join today...

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public vote

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A CONTROVERSIAL plan to install four mile-long zip wires in a peaceful Lake District valley has been dropped following a resounding no vote.

In a public meeting, Windermere-based Treetop Trek director Mike Turner said he would not pursue plans for the attraction in Glenridding should a community vote return a no, and said he stands by his "commitment not to pursue this any further".

Only 13 people backed the proposal in a 384-strong poll which drew to a close on Friday (December 12) - with 324 opposing.

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In a statement, Mr Turner said: "While I obviously regret not having been able to develop the concept into a proposal, the local community has made their views very clear and I will stand by our commitment not to pursue this any further in Glenridding.

"I am grateful for having had the opportunity to debate what was always going to be a contentious topic and in doing so have at least demonstrated that the zip wire concept is valid and broadly acceptable in the right location."

A 'noziphere' campaign strongly against the plan for the zip wire, which would have seen visitors travelling across the valley at speeds up to 60mph, said the plan would have forced residents out of the village, as well as bringing traffic and noise to the idyllic setting on Ullswater.

The group had gained backing from local businesses and had a petition with more than 2,000 signatures.

Mr Turner added: "I would like to thank the community again for their time. It is to their complete credit that they have been so unified in their response."

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Community delivers resounding no vote to plans for Glenridding zip wire

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A CONTROVERSIAL plan to install four mile-long zip wires in a peaceful Lake District valley has been dropped following a resounding no vote. In a public meeting, Windermere-based Treetop Trek director Mike Turner said he would not pursue plans for the attraction in Glenridding should a community vote return a no, and said he stands by his "commitment not to pursue this any further".

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public response

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As a born-and-bred Cumbrian, I agree totally with Simon Jenkins ( A zip wire is the last thing the Lakes needs, 30 November). He highlights that the area is part of the national park and is entitled to protection from inappropriate planning and development. The Lake District planning authority is demonstrating a total lack of care.

The proponents of this ridiculous plan claim to want to attract more young people. The park has huge numbers of all ages enjoying the peace and beauty we can offer. This is a national park, not a giant fairground. The new jobs created will be tiny in number. The park only recently achieved world heritage status after years of trying. This will put such status under threat. If passed, this plan will lead to other moneymaking developments such as the reemergence of plans for a Thirlmere zip wire, cable cars and even more inappropriate out-of-town retail outlets blighting our lovely market towns.
Mike Telford
Cockermouth, Cumbria

It is hard to believe that Simon Jenkins has been to Honister Pass recently, if ever. Honister Pass does not back on to either Pillar or Scafell. These hills and Cat Bells are more than three and a half miles away and obscured by the fells in between. It is only from Dale Head that the crag can be seen and the summit of this is almost a mile away.

The pass is a far from tranquil spot. There is a busy car park and visitor centre, an active slate mine and every weekend there is an endless stream of motorbikes racing up and down. Unlike national parks in the US and elsewhere, British national parks are human landscapes and have to support a rural economy and population, otherwise they will just be the preserve of second-home owners from the home counties.
Rigby Jerram
Kendal, Cumbria

I yield to nobody in my own love of the Lake District. Simon Jenkins' heart is in the right place, but he needs a sense of proportion. I am staying only a few miles from Honister this week. I can only suggest that Simon, as I did this morning, stands at the bottom of the proposed zip wire run and looks up. That side of Fleetwith Pike is a desolate wasteland of scree, mining waste and footpaths, which have been rerouted many times to address the erosion caused by thousands of, yes, walkers' boots.

The impact of the new wire will be minimal. There is no "manifest natural beauty" to be affected. Visitors to the glories of Buttermere and Borrowdale will be totally unaffected. And Honister's chief economic asset has, for centuries, been the slate mine, not "its emptiness and tranquillity". Yes it is a "ravine of exquisite ruggedness" but that is partly because of the awe-inspiring work of the miners there.

And I strongly suspect that, while Simon accuses the Lake District planning authorities of caving into private profit, what is actually happening is that a lifeline is being thrown to a business that has to operate very much on the margins, but which has revitalised one of the most striking pieces of our industrial heritage in the north of England.
Anthony Nixon
Waterlooville, Hampshire
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Zip wire for the Lake District hits a snag | Letters

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As a born-and-bred Cumbrian, I agree totally with Simon Jenkins ( A zip wire is the last thing the Lakes needs, 30 November). He highlights that the area is part of the national park and is entitled to protection from inappropriate planning and development. The Lake District planning authority is demonstrating a total lack of care.

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objections

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he Honister Pass, from Borrowdale to Buttermere, links the two loveliest places in England. It is a ravine of exquisite ruggedness, a retreat from the crowds of Windermere and Keswick. In the national gallery of scenery, Honister is the Mona Lisa. To whom does this beauty belong? The answer is supposedly to us all, guarded by the Lake District national park. But it is claimed by a company that, it appears, wishes to exploit the existing slate mine at the pass's summit with a kilometre-long zip wire down one side of it. The structure would be on the slopes of Fleetwith Pike, in the heart of wildest Cumbria, backing on to Pillar and Scafell and looking across to Dale Head and the Cat Bells ridge.

The mine's present owners run it as a successful tourist business, which I admire. Their plan to increase their appeal with a zip wire has been twice rejected by the park authority as harming "the remoteness, tranquillity and wildness" of the pass. The owners, it seems, refused to accept this, and the authority has now caved in and let them go ahead. The only hope lies with the planning minister, James Brokenshire, calling in the decision.

In the 1880s a local vicar, Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, pleaded with parliament not to allow the same mine to drive a railway up from Derwentwater into the same pass. He said that the owners would "damage irretrievably the health, rest and pleasure of their fellow countrymen, in order that they may put a few more shillings ... into their private pockets". Then, parliament got the point and refused the railway. Will it do so now?

In these battles some arguments carry weight and some do not. I love Snowdonia as I do the Lakes, and it too has a sensational 100mph-plus zip wire. But it is at Penrhyn, outside the national park and in an area already devastated by tips and quarries. It does not detract from the surrounding beauty.

This cannot be said of Honister, and the park authority's arguments appear to be meretricious. It would apparently "create jobs", which is an argument for any development anywhere. Indeed, insofar as Honister has an economic asset - as the Lake District's defence groups have all pleaded - it is specifically its emptiness and tranquillity. The owners argue that their attraction would bring "younger people" to the Lakes. But youth should not confer privilege in planning decisions. Today's thrill-seekers are tomorrow's peace-seekers. Nor do I see any lack of young people on Fleetwith Pike. It is crowded with them. I am sorry if they are not spending enough money at the mine shop, but that is not a planning consideration.

The argument over Honister has to be reduced to essentials. It is not about theme parks and Disneyland, any more than it is about preserving something in the famous aspic. The promoters do not want a cafeteria on Hay Stacks, a 4x4 race track round Borrowdale or a casino in Seatoller - or at least not yet. It is specific, whether private profit should override manifest natural beauty. The body specifically set up to guard the latter has switched to the former. Its leaders should surely resign.

The wider challenge is clearly to find a new language by which these debates about beauty can be conducted. Failure to do so is leading to the collapse of countryside protection across Britain, outside and now even within national parks. Any and every development is at the mercy of a Whitehall that has reverted to the values of pre-war laissez-faire. The word beauty is dismissed as "subjective" and no longer carries force in planning circles, which is perhaps why auction houses prefer the words "important", "rare" or "significant".

The beauty of the Lakes, especially the inner lakes around Honister, lies in their seclusion and calm; but these are delicate qualities to champion. Their early defenders - Ruskin, Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and the National Trust - were accused of spoiling them by the mere act of publicising and saving them, and thus drawing visitors. Alfred Wainwright, the Lakes' most ardent eulogist, and Harry Griffin, the Guardian's country diarist, attracted millions to the fells over the years. They brought far more "jobs and young" than any zip wire. But to them, these heights were for people on foot, for climbers, walkers and those who wanted to get away from the zip wires of the world. The Lakes were for those who would respect mountains, not crush them with technology.

If the case for Honister is lost, I cannot see the legal basis for a national park refusing any money-making application, not least the outrageous eight-lane zip wire recently proposed over Thirlmere. Intended for "high-octane tourists", this was stopped only after the RAF claimed it might interfere with its low-flying bombers. The issue was not of beauty, but of one desecration being used to override another.

Those sitting on Fleetwith Pike and gazing down on Wainwright's "gravelly shore and heather blooms, and Pillar and Gable's unfailing watch" are not spoiling the enjoyment of others. Those who would dive screaming down a zip wire are doing just that. Anyone wanting to see something similar should visit Switzerland's Zermatt valley, its summer scenery ruined by zip wire-like ski-lifts everywhere.

The alternative is California's answer to the Lake District, the magnificent Yosemite Valley. Here numbers are controlled, conservation is meticulous and the park authority would rather die than put zip wires down El Capitan. We seem totally philistine. Must we take lessons in landscape beauty from California?

To Brokenshire now falls the awesome responsibility of seizing his brief moment in history. The park wants to slash Mona Lisa. Brokenshire must rescue her.

Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist

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A zip wire for the Lake District is nothing short of vandalism | Simon Jenkins

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he Honister Pass, from Borrowdale to Buttermere, links the two loveliest places in England. It is a ravine of exquisite ruggedness, a retreat from the crowds of Windermere and Keswick. In the national gallery of scenery, Honister is the Mona Lisa. To whom does this beauty belong?

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A kilometre-long zip wire will be erected in the Lake District following a seven-year planning battle.

Conservationists have long opposed the plan by Honister slate mine to erect the aerial runway on the remote mountain pass between Borrowdale and Buttermere.

But in a vote on Tuesday, the Lake District National Park Authority's development committee voted seven to three in favour of the plan - subject to a number of conditions being met.

Those in favour reasoned that the landscape was already industrialised because of its mining heritage and therefore a zip wire would not spoil the environment. They also thought it would provide much-needed jobs.

The Aerial Flight zip wire is expected to carry up to 57 people a day and will also be used to carry slate down to workshops from the mountainside.

The project had previously been refused permission for a zip wire in 2011 and 2012.

Its latest incarnation will involve a wire from high up on Honister Crag running to an "intermediate" landing point further down the mountainside. From there, a shorter run would take users down to the mine car park - to be used by organisations working with disabled people.

Jan Wilkinson, widow of the late Mark Weir, who came up with the original zip wire idea but never saw it come to fruition after he was killed in a helicopter crash, told the local News and Star newspaper: "I am elated, absolutely elated. I am so pleased for the Lake District and Cumbria. It's been a long road, 10 years in the making."

The Cumbria branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the Wainwright Society, and the Open Spaces Society all strongly objected on the grounds of impact on landscape character and loss of tranquillity.

In their objection, the Friends of the Lake District said: "Whilst we recognise that activities at Honister represent and reflect cultural heritage, even if the proposal could be considered to fulfil the requirement for conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, this cannot be at the expense of the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty."

Sir Chris Bonington, a mountaineer, resigned as vice-president of the Friends of the Lake District in 2013 in a dispute over the wire. He told the Times he was delighted it had finally been given the green light. "I am heartily in favour of the zip wire. It will be below the skyline and will encourage the public to enjoy the beauty of the lakes."

Committee member Geoff Davies, of Braithwaite, suggested visitors should go for a hike instead: "I don't buy the idea that young people don't want to climb hills anymore. It's clear that the zip wire infrastructure is significant, and it's the activity I am concerned about," he told the meeting.

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Lake District zip wire given green light after seven-year battle

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A kilometre-long zip wire will be erected in the Lake District following a seven-year planning battle. Conservationists have long opposed the plan by Honister slate mine to erect the aerial runway on the remote mountain pass between Borrowdale and Buttermere.

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Lake District Conflicts in the News - zip wires, cable cars, off-roading, holiday boats and more - protests against development 

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Lake District Conflicts in the News - zip wires, cable cars, off-roading, holiday boats and more - protests against development 

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Urban area profiles

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History of Maryport

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Grasmere Historical records. Population and Heritage

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Keswick Mountain Festival tops Guardian list of adventure/wellness events

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