Natural England

Natural England has deferred the public consultation on the possible extension to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Park boundaries.

Speaking today (Friday 15 February), Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England said: “We want to be sure that we are fully prepared for this consultation. The South Downs National Park Public Inquiry re-opened this week, and it has become clear that the Inspector will be hearing evidence on matters that may impact on any designation work in the North West.”

The South Downs National Park Public Inquiry will hear submissions for the inclusion of the Western Weald in a future South Downs National Park. This will raise key issues that are fundamental to Natural England’s approach to designating National Parks including whether National Parks should contain more than one type of landscape character.

As indicated by the Inspector he will look further into his recommendation from the first part of the Inquiry to exclude non-chalk landscapes from the South Downs National Park (the Western Weald). Natural England therefore believes it is premature to go ahead with its public consultation work in the North West until the Inspector has had a chance to review his findings.

Liz Newton, Natural England's Regional Director for the North West said: “This has been a very difficult decision to reach. The designation work in the North West is a high priority for Natural England and I know how important it is to many people in the region. However, it is useful that the Inspector in the South Downs has agreed to look at these nationally important issues again. When the implications of the South Downs Public Inquiry become clear we can then resume our work in the North West.”

Further information is available from the North West pages at www.naturalengland.org.uk

ends

Notes for editors:

For more information contact Natural England’s National Press Office on 0845 603 9953, out of hours 07970 098005, email press@naturalengland.org.uk. or visit our website at www.naturalengland.org.uk

1. Natural England: works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. Natural England is the Government’s statutory adviser on National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

2. National Parks: National Park must be an extensive tract of countryside, that because of its natural beauty and the opportunities it affords for open air recreation (including its proximity to urban areas), Natural England considers it especially desirable that legal measures are taken to safeguard it under the provisions of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.

3. North West Designation project: Land between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales has for many years been perceived as worthy of designation. In May 2005 the Countryside Agency following a review of land in the north west of England, agreed that at a broad scale certain areas meet the statutory criteria for national landscape designations. Officers have since been working towards proposing extensions to the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks in the area between the two National Parks in Cumbria and Lancashire. The areas under consideration are:

• Birkbeck Fells to Whinfell.
• Helsington Barrows to Sizergh Fell;
• River Kent and around Levens;
• Orton Fells;
• Northern Howgill Fells;
• Mallerstang and Wild Boar Fell;
• Middleton, Barbon and Leck Fells;
• Firbank Fell;
• Lower Lune Valley and adjacent fells to the west;
• Kirkby Lonsdale area; and
• Area around Cold Cotes.

For full details see:
http://www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Regions/northWest/activities/landscape/natparks/index.asp

Q&A's on the North West Designation Project [23.8 kb]

4. South Downs National Park Public Inquiry: In 1999 the Countryside Agency was asked by the Minister for the Environment to consider designating a National Park for the South Downs. Following a public inquiry into the proposed boundary the Inspector's report recommended boundary modifications and proposed a major variation which would exclude the Western Weald from the proposed National Park. His reason for the proposed variation is that the Western Weald is of a different geology to the South Downs, being sandstone not chalk.

Natural England's view is that excluding an area for its differing geology is not consistent with other, already designated, National Parks. The Peak District and the Lake District National Parks both contain more than one type of landscape character derived from differing geology. An alternative boundary has been produced to reflect the Inspectors proposal, and this will be considered at the re-opened inquiry starting 12 February 2008. Natural England will be giving evidence to this inquiry in support of a South Downs National Park that includes the rolling grassland and sandstone forests on the Western Weald. http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/southdowns/index.htm