The English Lake District World Heritage Site

Long Term Challenges: (development, tourism and local communities)

Mairi Lock World Heritage Site Coordinator Location of the English Lake District

The English Lake District is both a World Heritage Site and a National Park The Lake District National Park is England's largest and covers: •2362 square kilometres (912 square miles) •236,234 hectares (583,747 acres) Width (west to east): 58 km or 36 miles Width (north to south): 64 km or 40 miles 5 of the largest lakes 1.Windermere - 14.8 square kilometres 2.Ullswater - 8.9 square kilometres 3.Derwentwater - 5.5 square kilometres 4.Bassenthwaite Lake - 5.3 square kilometres 5.Coniston Water - 4.0 square kilometres

•The deepest lake in England is Four of the highest mountains Wastwater at 74 metres (243 feet) 1.Scafell Pike at 978 metres (3210 feet) 2.Scafell at 964 metres (3162 feet) •England's longest lake is 3.Helvellyn at 950 metres (3114 feet) Windermere which is 10.5 miles 4.Skiddaw at 931 metres(3053 feet) long The English Lake District was inscribed under three criteria

Criterion (ii) -Interchange of ideas

(discovery and appreciation of a rich cultural landscape - Inspiration)

Criterion (v) – human interaction with the Environment

(Continuity of traditional agro pastoralism and local industry in a spectacular mountain landscape - Identity)

Criterion (vi)- ideas of Universal significance

(development of a model for protecting cultural landscape - Conservation) There are many challenges facing the English Lake District (ELD) :

• Climate change,

• managing biodiversity and the 25% of the Lake District under national and international ecological protected designations,

• managing flood resilience,

• Brexit and loss of farming subsidies,

• visitor pressures,

• development and

• sustaining local communities.

This presentation will concentrate on development pressures, tourism/visitor management and local communities. The ELD already had the highest level of National Protection regarding development being a National Park before becoming a WHS. The ELD is under pressure from development for tourism infrastructure, finding sites to provide housing for its local resident population and ensuring a good economic base with employment. Tourism •19.17 million visitors a year

•Visitors spent £1.41 billion

•(Source: STEAM 2017 - Cumbria Tourism)

Annual rainfall: •in Ambleside: 2061mm •in Seathwaite, the wettest inhabited place in England: 3552mm The ELD receives 19.17 million visitors each year giving rise to visitor movement issues in the popular central area. Public transport is limited. The topography of the lakes limits roads to valleys or narrow mountain (fell) passes. . Therefore the Smarter Travel Plan has been produced

Our vision for travel in the Lake District is of a place where visitors and residents can experience new opportunities to travel sustainably, where visitors from around the world are attracted to quality, iconic, travel experiences, to the benefit of the economy. A vision where more visitors will choose to walk, cycle, travel by boat, rail or bus as the best way to discover the spectacular landscape.

This will result in:

• A more enjoyable, relaxing and healthier visitor experience • Reduced impacts of traffic on communities and the landscape

• Reduced carbon emissions

• Increased spend in the visitor economy

As well and informing the delivery of visitor travel actions, this vision will form policy background and evidence to inform our review of the Lake District Local Plan.

Impact of tourist numbers on paths Path erosion is not a new phenomenon. But with 19 million visitors it is something that needs to be managed. The erosion caused is exacerbated by the gradient of the path and the Lake District weather.

There is a need to provide more resilient routes which can withstand high footfall, severe weather incidents and provide better routes for less mobile visitors. Sheep’s Wool – is used in areas where the paths are boggy or peaty. Sheep fleeces are folded and rolled to create a ‘floating path’ that is then layered with stones. The sheep fleece protects the peat and soil but allows water to drain more easily. Windermere is a popular and busy lake enjoyed by many diverse groups of people. The lake is used for a wide variety of pursuits such as powered water sports, sailing, canoeing, wind-surfing, fishing and swimming.

Many bylaws have been passed over the years to deal with the pressure on lake usage by motorized craft as the number of leisure craft and their use became more prolific causing conflict with other users and safety.

The Windermere Navigation Byelaws 2008 were introduced by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) under Section 13 of the Countryside Act 1968 for the control of power driven vessels and of navigation on Windermere. The Windermere Registration Byelaws 2008 were introduced by LDNPA under the same act.

No master of a vessel shall cause or permit it to be navigated at a greater speed than 6 miles per hour (6 knots) through the waters of the Lake in designated areas

No master of a power-driven vessel shall cause or permit it to be navigated at a greater speed than 10 miles per hour (10 knots) through those waters of the lake which fall outside the areas defined Timeline of byelaw process 1976: Authority formed a Windermere Joint Steering Committee to undertake a survey and prepare a Lake Management Plan. 1977: Survey showed that on an average day there were 417 craft on the water of which 115 were fast power-boats. 1978: Boat Registration Scheme introduced. 1981: 'Windermere – A Management Plan for the Lake' adopted after consultation. 1988: Progress report on the Management Plan published. 1989: Seminar held for all users with an interest in the lake. General consensus that the situation was unacceptable. 1991: Survey of lake use. Results confirmed the perception that the lake was now dangerously congested and the increase had exceeded all forecasts. 1992: Members resolved to seek a byelaw and in August a byelaw was submitted to the Home Office for confirmation. 1993: In August 1993 the Home Secretary orders a public inquiry. 1994 - 1995: Public Inquiry running from 10 May 1994 to 27 January 1995 1996: Inspector submits Inquiry Report Government reject byelaw Authority contests decision and seeks Judicial Review 2000: The Government confirmed new byelaws will come into operation on 29 March 2000, taking effect on 29 March 2005 to allow businesses five years to adapt. 2005: Windermere Management Strategy approved by Lake District National Park Authority and South Lakeland District Council. The new speed limit took effect on 29 March 2005. Byelaws A number of byelaws have been introduced over the years to protect the Lake District National Park.

•Access Land Byelaws (PDF) - Established 1980 •Car Parking Byelaws (PDF) - Established 1998 •Coniston Water Byelaws (PDF) - Established in 1978. Revised 2010. •Derwentwater Byelaws (PDF) - Established in 1978. •Drigg Dunes Nature Reserve Byelaws (PDF) - Established in 1998 •Smaller Lakes Byelaws (PDF) - Established in 1973 for Bassenthwaite Lake, Beacon Tarn, Blea Tarn, Blelham Tarn, Brotherswater, Buttermere, Crummock Water, Devokewater, Elterwater, Esthwaite Lake, Grasmere, High Dam Tarn, Little Langdale Tarn, Loughrigg Tarn, Loweswater, Overwater, Rydal Water, Tarn Hows, Wastwater and Yew Tree Tarn. •Ullswater Byelaws (PDF) - Established in 1978. •Ullswater Collision Rules Order 1966 (PDF) - Concerning the lights and signals to be carried, and the steps for avoiding collision to be taken, by vessels navigating Lake Ullswater. •Whitbarrow Scar Byelaws (Word document) - Established 1980 •Windermere Lake Byelaws (PDF) and confirmation letter from Defra about the Windermere Lake Byelaws (PDF) Local population and housing •41,100 people live within the boundaries of the National Park. (Source: 2011 census)

•Population density per square kilometre: 18 (Source 2011 census)

•Total dwellings: 22, 93

•Owner occupied: 67.7 per cent

•Rented: 32.3 per cent •Holiday or second homes: 15 per cent total (2011) but rising to over 50% in some villages We have been a WHS since July 2017 and have recently undertaken a small residents survey to obtain a snap shot of the local communities views on WHS status.

Recent resident survey indicates that whilst there is strong support for WHS status it is causing some anxiety amongst the local population with local housing, tourism management and capacity being high on their concerns.

• 81% of respondents agreed that World Heritage Status provides an opportunity to develop the international visitor profile of the Lake District.

• 76% of respondents either agreed with the following statement; “Parts of the Lake District are full. Our infrastructure cannot cope with more visitors.”

• 75% of respondents agreed that Hill Farming is at the heart of World Heritage Status and is a way of life which must be protected. Residents identified the following issues as high priorities.

• Reducing the impact of second homes in rural communities. (81%)

• Improving transport links for people coming to, and moving around, the Lake District. (80%)

• Investing in rural skills. (79%)

• Protecting Lake District villages from over- development. (76%) • Supporting farming communities. (76%)

• Maintaining traditional boundaries (hedges and drystone walls). (75%)

• Addressing problems associated with a ‘super-aging population’. (62%)

• Developing the luxury tourism offer. (9%) • There were a large number of comments about the pressure of traffic and the weakness of Cumbria’s road and transport infrastructure.

• Some people want the Lake District to remain exactly as it is while others are keen to see more housing (affordable to local workers) and more diverse business opportunities.

• There were comments also about challenges to biodiversity, and concerns about climate change. The ELD has always been popular as a tourist destination starting in the late 18th Century but the volume of visitors has reached proportions which need to be carefully managed.

Second homes and holiday letting properties are reaching unsustainable levels within some communities (over 50% of houses), causing concerns over local services, loss of younger population who cannot compete with the demand for holiday properties

The Housing Provision SPD indicates we will allocate sites for affordable housing and on these sites only people in identified housing need local to the area would qualify.

All other new housing has to meet a local housing need, only available for persons living in the locality. This is to counteract the second home and holiday home market. The management plan is about to be reviewed. The Lake District National Park Partnership plan policies are drawn up by a collaboration of 25 organisations.

The all-encompassing nature of the Partnership, representing all of the main interests in the Lake District, gives this approach credibility and strength.

The Partnership’s existence is a reflection of long established successful management of the Lake District, and the formalised Partnership approach since 2006 is the product of a collective recognition and commitment to work as effectively and efficiently as possible together, in the best interests of the Lake District. The World Heritage inscription in 2017 has added another dimension to decision making and policy making. Future policies will need to address concerns of residents, recommendations made by UNESCO at the time of inscription, balancing nature/culture interests and understanding the implications of Brexit and how farming will be able to respond to these changes. Thank You

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