Yorkshire Dales National Park expansion takes a bite out of the North West
THE Yorkshire Dales National Park looks to be expanding, taking swathes of land from Lancashire and Cumbria after Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss announced that the park would be increased by nearly a quarter.
It means the area covered by the National Park will increase from 1,762 sq km to 2,179 sq km.
12% of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is in Cumbria, a figure which will increase to 27% on August 1. For the first time 1% will be in Lancashire too.
The current population of the National Park stands at around 20,000 currently, and this will rise to around 24,000.
The decision was subject to any legal appeal and none was lodged.
National Park Authority chairman Peter Charlesworth said: “The fact there have been no appeals against the Government’s decision is good news.
“It means we can now get on with the job of preparing for the extension of the National Park. We will be working with organisations, communities and individuals to identify their hopes and aspirations so we can find ways of meeting them while conserving the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the new areas.
“In the run-up to the establishment date, we will be inviting people who live and work in the area to a series of meetings so we can explain what we do and ask how best we can help them.
“Being in a national park has many benefits, not least to the conservation of the landscape and the boost to the local economies that national park status can bring with it.
“Some people may have misgivings – often based on inaccurate information they have been given – and we hope to allay their fears.”
The new boundary for the Yorkshire Dales National Park will now include the Orton Fells, the northern Howgill Fells, Wild Boar Fell and Mallerstang to the north and, to the west, Barbon, Middleton, Casterton and Leck Fell, the River Lune, and part of Firbank Fell and other fells to the west of the River Lune.
