WIREDGOV

Following last year’s consultation on proposals to extend the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, Natural England recently released revised boundary details for further public consideration.

Extension proposals for the Yorkshire Dales National Park now include the Orton Fells, the Northern Howgill Fells and Mallerstang to the north, and the fells and River Lune between Firbank Fell and Ireby to the west. Proposals for the Lake District National Park include Birbeck Fells Common to Whinfell Common to the east, and Helsington Barrows to Sizergh Fell including the Lyth Valley to the south.

The previous consultation ran from December 2009 to May 2010 when local authorities, parish councils, interested groups and members of the public were asked for their views on the suitability of areas for consideration as National Park. As a result of this first stage of consultation, Natural England’s proposals were refined to include seven additional areas of land, with one deletion.

David Vose, Natural England’s project manager said: “We were very pleased with the 1365 responses we received to last year’s consultation. We considered all the comments and made some amendments to our proposals to protect, as National Park, some of Northern England’s finest landscapes. We would now like to hear from anyone who has a view about further revisions to the proposed boundaries.”

More information is available from

• The project website,
• Emailing nwdesignationproject@naturalengland.org.uk,
• Telephoning 0300 060 2178
• Or in writing to: Lakes to Dales Landscape Designation Project, Natural England, Bridgewater House, 60 Whitworth Street, Manchester, M1 6LT.

From May, Natural England will run drop-in sessions in villages within or near the proposed extension areas. Visitors to these sessions will be able to view the maps, supporting documents and discuss the proposals with Natural England staff.

The consultation ends on the 1st July. Anyone wishing to respond can do so via the project website, by email or by post. Natural England will then consider all responses and draw up recommendations. Natural England’s Board expects to consider the final proposals in September 2011 and the decision about any extension to either National Park will then be submitted to Defra for confirmation.

Notes to Editors

Drop in dates have been confirmed at the following locations.

• 9 May 2011 - Levens Institute, 10.00am to 9.00pm
• 16 May 2011 - Grayrigg Village Hall, 10.00am to 9.00pm
• 19 May 2011 - Killington Village Hall, 10.00am to 9.00pm
• 23 May 2011 - Crosby Ravensworth Village hall, 10.00am to 9.00pm
• 27 May 2011 - Barbon Village Hall, 10.00am to 9.00pm
• 1 June 2011 - Quaker Meeting House, Kendal, 10.00am to 19.30pm
• 11 June 2011 - Orton Farmers Market, Orton Market Hall where we will have a stall 9.30am to 2.30pm
• 12 May 2011 - Kirkby Lonsdale Library Drop-in Session, 9.30 to 12.30 and 13.30 to 17.00
• 13 June 2011 - Kirkby Stephen Masonic Hall Drop-in session, 10.00am to 8.00 pm

We will also be holding sessions in Newbiggin-on-Lune, Great Asby and Tebay

About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

- We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.

- We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.

- We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.

- We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.

- We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.

For further information contact: Emma Lusby, Senior Press Officer on 0300 060 4231 or 07900 608073, emma.lusby@naturalengland.org.uk out of hours 07970 098005. For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk