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10 National Park Boundary Review CABINET Paper No. Meeting date: 2 March 2010 From: Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport 10 Corporate Director – Environment NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY REVIEW – CONSULATION RESPONSE PART A - RECOMMENDATION OF CABINET MEMBER 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report considers the implications of Natural England’s consultation on the proposed extensions to the Lake District National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park. The report considers the desirability of designation for 5 areas in Cumbria and the resulting shift in planning and access/rights of way functions from the county council, a change in governance from local authorities to a National Park Board, changes in local planning responsibilities, and possible effects on rural communities. It also makes recommendations on possible boundary changes and provides a series of options for Cumbria County Council to consider for its consultation response. 2.0 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS 2.1 This report relates to the Community Strategy vision for world class environmental quality and a sustainable and prosperous economy. National Parks have a role to play in managing, sustaining and enhancing Cumbria’s unrivalled natural landscape and can support the development of more sustainable tourism linked to the high quality environment. National Parks can assist in meeting performance indicators in the Cumbria Agreement relating to Improved Local Biodiversity. National Parks are relevant to the delivery of the Council Plan Greener Theme – creating and protecting a high quality environment for all. Additional resources could be made available to areas that become part of the National Parks through grants and National Park income to help assist with the above outcomes. 2.2 There is no requirement to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment in response to this consultation. Page 1 of 33 3.0 RECOMMENDATION 3.1 It is recommended to Cabinet that they determine which Option, as set out in Section 5 of this report, should form the basis of the County Council’s response to Natural England’s Consultation on the review of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Park boundaries. Timothy Knowles, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport PART B – ADVICE OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR - ENVIRONMENT 4.0 BACKGROUND Background to consultation 4.1 Natural England (NE) is consulting on proposed extensions to the Lake District National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park. The consultation will run until 17th March 2010. 4.2 Five separate areas are being proposed for designation, see figure 1: • Proposed Eastern Extension to the Lake District National Park. • Proposed Southern Extension to the Lake District National Park. • Proposed Western Extension to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. • Proposed Northern Extension to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. • The Orton Fells is also proposed for inclusion in either the Lake District Eastern Extension or the Yorkshire Dales Northern Extension. The possibility of designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is raised but not favoured. Figure 1 - Proposed National Park Extensions 4.3 Full details of the consultation are available on a dedicated website http://www.lakestodaleslandscapes.org.uk. Details of the methodology used Page 2 of 33 by Natural England to determine the proposed extensions is set out in Appendix 1. 4.4 Designating land as part of a National Park gives it a special status in law that helps protect and manage its natural beauty and opportunities for recreation. These are recognised as having a national significance. Designation does not change the ownership of land. Each National Park has a Management Plan that sets out how they are going to be managed in line with their statutory purposes. National Park Authorities have two statutory purposes: • to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park, and • to promote opportunities for the public to understand and enjoy the National Park. In addition to this National Park Authorities have a duty to seek to foster the economic and social well being of their local communities. 4.5 National Park Authorities are the sole planning authority for the area they cover. They have responsibility for preparing Local Development Frameworks and for development control decisions. National Parks are funded directly from Government and generate income from grants, fees and trading activities. 4.6 AONBs can also be designated for the purpose of conserving and enhancing land with natural beauty that has national significance but do not have a statutory duty to promote enjoyment and understanding. The management of these areas is coordinated by local authorities and they are funded by Natural England and the local authorities in their area. 4.7 For all the proposed areas Natural England concluded that National Park designation was most appropriate. 5.0 Comments from Council and Local Committees 5.1 As the proposed extension effect Eden and South Lakeland area specifically, officers presented reports on the proposals to the 2 local committees. The views of these committees is summarised below based on the draft minutes (see Appendix 2 for full draft minutes), in order to assist Cabinet in its consideration of the proposals. 5.2 At its meeting on 3 February Eden Local Committee expressed the following views: • Recommend to Cabinet that Natural England’s National Park extension proposals be not supported because of the way they are likely to affect local people and their livelihoods and reservations about whether they would have benefits for local communities. 5.3 At its meeting on 3 February South Lakeland Local Committee expressed the following views: Page 3 of 33 • Cabinet be recommended to formally oppose designation of the proposed National Park extensions and advised: • that the informed views of residents affected by the proposals had to be paramount; • of the need for a wider discussion on the role and accountabilities of the National Park. 5.4 In addition a briefing session was held following Full Council on 18 February in order to ensure all members had the opportunity to express their views on the proposals and enabling Cabinet to consider these comments when it comes to its view on the proposals. Fifteen councillors took the opportunity to express their views for consideration by Cabinet at the meeting . The following points summarise the key issues raised during the session: • Five councillors expressed the view that Cabinet should oppose the proposed National Parks extensions. • Three councillors expressed the view that Cabinet should support the extensions. • Any decision to extend the National Parks should be based on the express and informed consent of the local people affected. • National Park designation has led to house prices becoming highly inflated and unaffordable to many local people. • Planning policies can be much more restrictive in National Parks. Development and economic growth has been stifled. National Parks would make it harder to attract good quality jobs into rural areas. • National Park designation deprives local communities of their democratic rights, particularly with regard to planning issues. • The proposed extensions could create extra development pressure on areas that fall between the two National Parks. • National Park designation has in the past caused delays to major infrastructure projects. • Objecting to the extensions could send confused messages to the nation who associate Cumbria with the Lake District National Park. • National Park budgets may be subject to cuts in the future which could limit the amount of resources available for even larger areas of National Park. 5.5 In addition some Members expressed a preference to provide their views in writing to the Cabinet to assist them in their consideration of the issues. Copies of these submissions will be made available at the meeting. Page 4 of 33 6.0 Implications of the proposed National Park extensions 6.1 Set out below is advice from officers in terms of the proposals. Detailed information on these issues is set out in Appendix 1. In general the designation of the proposed additional areas would enable: • Action to support management of the special qualities of the landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage. • Enhancement of the open air recreation opportunities. • Advice to be provided to land owners and businesses in the area to encourage the development of sustainable tourism opportunities. • Different opportunities for farming practices and diversification as farms would be able to more easily access Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Grants from Defra. 6.2 However, designation of the proposed areas would require: • Control and power over some functions to transfer from elected local authorities to appointed National Park boards. The most significant changes would be the shift of our minerals and waste planning function, and authority and duties relating to open access land and a shift of planning functions from Eden and South Lakeland District Councils. • The existing National Park Management Plans to apply to the extension areas. • The transfer of some functions from the County Council to National Park Authorities which may result in some transfer of resources. 6.3 It should be noted that designation would not affect: • Continued partnership working between the National Park Authorities, the County Council, District Councils, and other bodies to ensure successful polices are developed in the National Parks. • Rights of way
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