[T]he future of farming post-Brexit, wildlife crime and ‘community sustainability’ have emerged as three of the biggest issues in the Yorkshire Dales National Park which the public would like to see addressed.
A total of 623 submissions were made during a public consultation – branded ‘Your Dales, Your Views’ – between 22 May and 3 July this year.
People were asked what they loved about the National Park; how it could be improved; and the most important issues for the ‘National Park Management Plan 2018-2023’ to tackle.
A report which summaries the responses has been published today (Ctrl + click, or use this short link: http://bit.ly/2wNVJ8V).
“We’ve had a really good response from the public – just as we did when we consulted on the last plan,” said Carl Lis, chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan steering group, which carried out the consultation.
“We’ve gained a very useful insight into the issues that both residents and visitors care most about. I’d like to thank everyone who took part. All the views and suggestions will be considered and, where possible, built into the next management plan, which in effect will provide a work programme for a whole range of organisations operating in the National Park.”
On the first question – about what people loved about the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one in three respondents cited the landscape and scenery. Wildlife, beauty and open spaces were also often mentioned.
On the second question – about areas for improvement – there was a wide range of views. Among residents – who provided about six out of ten of all responses – local community sustainability was mentioned the most. There was great concern that the communities in the Park were struggling, as young people continued to leave without being replaced. A lack of affordable housing and insufficiently well-paid or secure employment were raised, as well as concern about increasingly distant healthcare services, a lack of public transport and the loss of banks and schools.
The second most cited area for improvement, among both residents and visitors, regarded access to the countryside. Many respondents wanted better access for walking, cycling and horse riding, as well as better access to caves.
On the third question – about the most important issues for the management plan to tackle – residents said maintaining local services should be the top priority. Protecting the viability of upland farming post-Brexit and tackling the shortage of affordable housing were the other suggested top priorities.
For visitors, wildlife protection and enhancement was the most important issue for the plan to tackle, and they frequently raised the issue of birds of prey persecution. Strong views were expressed about land management, particularly grouse moorland management.
Seven ‘drafting groups’ will use the results of the consultation to inform the work they will be doing on preparing specific objectives for a new management plan.
Mr Lis said: “A full draft National Park Management Plan – covering the next five years – will be published early next year. It will be subject to public consultation, which means that people will get a second chance to have their say on what needs to be done to make the Yorkshire Dales National Park a better place.”
The 13 partner organisations on the steering group are:
- Craven District Council
- Dales Farmer Network
- Dales Rural Estates Network
- Dales Tourism Business
- Eden District Council
- Environment Agency
- Forestry Commission
- Lancaster City Council
- Natural England
- Richmondshire District Council
- South Lakeland District Council
- Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
There is a statutory duty to review the Management Plan every five years. The current plan runs until 2018: http://www.yorkshiredalesmanagementplan.org.uk/
