Lakes 'Local Plan' Nearly Finalised

1 March 2019, 09:33 | Updated: 1 March 2019, 09:35

A number of unpopular parts of the Lake District's 'Local Plan' have been removed.

The document outlines what development might be seen in the National Park for the next fifteen years.

Some aspects didn't go down too well with locals - plans to potentially knock down the Royalty Cinema in Bowness; and for a gondola-style cable car system up to Whinlatter Visitor Centre have been scrapped.

But there are still proposals for 1,200 new homes, some on farmland; and new tourism projects, so long as they pay for sustainable travel infrastructure.

The 'Local Plan' could be in place by this summer.

Steve Ratcliffe, Director of Sustainable Development at the Lake District National Park said: “Our draft Local Plan is ambitious and provides some fantastic opportunities for the future of the National Park to become an even better place to live, work and enjoy. It’s important all developments contribute in a positive way to this special place and our local communities. The Plan sets a framework for managing complex challenges, including climate change, community vibrancy, and helping to manage visitor pressures felt in certain areas of the Park. Our innovative new policies on farm diversification, car parking, biodiversity and securing contributions from developers, are just a few new ways to do this and will help us make a positive impact, both now and for the next 15 years.”