Peakland Guardian Spring 2014
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For everyone who loves the Peak District Peakland guardian Spring 2014 Also protecting the landscapes of South Yorkshire Peaklandguardian 1 This issue… Precious protection under threat 3 Road threats re-emerge 4 Precious protection A future for Stanage? 5 The final battle for Backdale? 6 Help us fight 7 under threat Off-roading: stepping up a gear 8 Restoring the River Lathkill 9 2014 photo competition 10 On being a Friend – Sue Prince 11 Events calendar 12-13 Buxton Festival 14 A magnificent walk 15 Grindleford Loop 16 Recording Britain 17 Green belt review 18 Local plans – more trouble ahead 19 HS2 20 Isabella Stone – outgoing Chair 20 Ancient woodland vs motorway services 21 New Chair 21 The coalition government’s attack on the planning The gift of Friendship 22 system continues apace with national parks and Friends of the Peak District is an independent charity working to protect and enhance the unique areas of outstanding natural beauty now feeling landscapes of the Peak District for future generations. the heat. Friends of the Peak District represents the Campaign to Protect Rural England in the Peak District, and is the national park society for the Peak District. Leading the charge is planning minister, Nick landscape. Sympathetic conversion of barns is CPRE South Yorkshire - Our aim is to promote Boles, no doubt egged on by his bulldog-like, not a problem and is often needed to save them the beauty, tranquility and diversity of South ‘take no prisoners’ boss, Mr Pickles. At the end from dereliction but the Government’s proposal Yorkshire’s countryside for everyone to enjoy now of last year, Mr Boles’ pledge to start a ‘national would risk mass conversion to unsustainable and in the future. We campaign for green spaces conversation’ about the need to roll back what levels of open market housing. unspoilt by development, environmentally friendly he viewed as overly restrictive planning in our Strong pressure by national bodies, such as farming and forestry, and thriving villages and attractive finest landscapes, which was limiting economic the Campaign for National Parks, National Parks towns, connected by excellent public transport. development and causing harm to rural England, and local campaigning by national parks communities and livelihoods. societies, including the Friends, was significant Registered charity number: 1094975 This was then brought into focus by the in causing much backbench unease, especially Registered company number: 4496754 government proposal, early in 2014, to remove with ‘shire Tories’. Happily, in March, the Cover picture: Crocusses ©R Egglestone the need for planning permission to convert government accepted that the proposal was Back page picture: Monsal Head ©Chris Maguire redundant agricultural buildings into new uses, unacceptable and exempted national parks and Designed and produced by TMgraphics including housing. This would be a significant areas of outstanding natural beauty from the [email protected] change in policy and would undoubtedly lead change in policy. This is a significant victory and A: Victoria Hall, 37 Stafford Road, Sheffield, S2 2SF to damaging, uncontrolled development, hopefully will act as a warning shot across the T: 0114 279 2655 especially in national parks such as the Peak bows of the government’s deregulatory agenda E: [email protected] District and the Yorkshire Dales, where isolated and an end to Mr Boles’ ill-considered national W: www.friendsofthepeak.org.uk Field barn, near Monyash field barns are such an iconic part of their parks’ conversation. 2 Peaklandguardian Peaklandguardian 3 future. However at its recent annual open meeting, which we attended, there was much disquiet as to Road threats A future for the ability of the NPA to deliver a coherent vision. The ‘gold standard’ that the NPA must now strive re-emerge Stanage? for is the newly-invigorated Eastern Moors estate which was leased to the RSPB and the National Two years ago, in the face of uncertainty over the Trust some years ago – a move strongly supported This is a tough time for transport future of the North Lees Estate, we issued our by the Friends and the BMC. Here a dynamic Charter for Stanage. It emphasised the special campaigners. The government has approach to stakeholder engagement, both in qualities of Stanage and its surroundings and that it launched a massive road programme planning and delivery, is seeing immediate and must be properly protected both now and in the positive changes for a range of user groups and hidden behind strategies and studies. future. better conservation on the ground. Since we issued our Charter, which drew support Its draft National Policy Statement It is not clear that the NPA is taking these adjacent from many Friends and supporters, the National on National Networks is concerned developments to heart. Its agenda appears to be set Park Authority took the decision to retain their more narrowly, simply looking for opportunities for with strategic networks – motorways, ownership of the estate, despite declining resources. cost recovery. If this is so, it will fail to harness the The British Mountaineering Council (BMC), which trunk roads and rail. It adopts the huge love for Stanage from residents, users and represents UK climbers, walker and mountaineers, unsustainable ‘predict and provide’ visitors alike. also rallied huge support for their recent ‘Stand up The Friends have an important historic stake in approach, based on unrealistic for Stanage’ campaign, with over 15,000 signatures. the estate too. Our founders, Ethel and Gerald No-one can be in any doubt that Stanage has a assumptions that bus and cycle use state and identifying interventions that will solve Haythornthwaite, suggested the estate be taken into hugely important place in peoples’ hearts! will fall and traffic will increase by over the problems. This may sound like a measured public ownership to protect it for everyone, for Now the Authority, through the auspices of the approach but it is being rushed through in order ever. Happily, Sir Hugh Beach, the former owner 40% over the next 30 years. Stanage Forum, are consulting with local people and to inform the Roads Investment Strategy, which agreed! In our 90th anniversary year, we are still users about its future management. The forum Although a welcome programme of maintenance will provide the budget for all the road schemes pledged to maintain their vision. and management of motorways is proposed there identified and must be complete before next year’s initially came into being when the last management is no attempt to make best use of the existing general election. plan was being debated and it acts as a channel for road network through measures such has high Unfortunately for us there is an additional public views on the estate’s management and occupancy vehicle lanes or smarter choices and study looking at the A628 trunk road between active travel. It is assumed that in order to meet the M1 and M67, which will also be assessed in the over-riding goal of economic growth and jobs the context of this national policy. There have FRIENDS OF THE PEAK DISTRICT’S road capacity must be increased with a massive been numerous studies of trans-Pennine travel CHARTER FOR STANAGE road building programme. Rail gets a better deal since the 1970s when the proposed motorway The North Lees Estate has a special place in the hearts of but re-opening local railways, which could provide through Longdendale was rejected but we are those who love the Peak District. now going through the cycle again. Worryingly end-to-end journeys without use of the car, are The North Lees Estate was sold to the Peak District National not considered. Amazingly HS2 is also not part of the study prejudges the solution to all the Park Authority at a knocknation. down price for the benefit of the the policy’! route’s complex problems of adverse weather, The environmental impacts of the policy could congestion in Mottram and collisions in the Peak It is a national asset and treasure. be profound. No attempt is made through the Park as more road space, and takes little account Public access and enjoyment of the North Lees Estate must be policy to reduce carbon emissions – outrageously of the overriding importance of the National safeguarded for now and the future. the government will be relying on improvements Park. In our view there is no need for further The beautiful landscapes of the North Lees Estate must be protected for now and the future. to cars and fuels, and on other sectors to keep us study. Instead, small scale, low cost measures on track for our climate change targets. The policy repeatedly recommended by previous work The decision about the future of the North Lees Estate must will also have a negative impact on landscape and by ourselves, should now be implemented. give primacy to ensuring excellent management that will protect access and the environment – and must not be simply quality and heritage assets, wildlife and water If these prove ineffective then a comprehensive on fi nancial considerations. resources, and encourage development of green multimodal study of the South Pennines should The North Lees Estate must not be split up. fields and use of natural resources. be undertaken. However, with national policy The decisions about the future of the North Lees Estate must In order to implement this policy the Highways favouring road building, it looks as though once involve local people and those who enjoy it and farm it. Agency is preparing route based strategies for all again the ghosts of motorways and bypasses in the The new managers of the North Lees Estate must help fi Stanage Edge ©Chris Maguire its roads, building an evidence base of their current Peak District will be resurrected.