RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on the possible extension of St Bees Head Heritage Coast.
A consultation proposing an extension to the current St Bees Head Heritage Coast designation has been launched.
St Bees Head is the only Heritage Coast between Wales and Scotland, and the only area of high sea cliffs in the north-west.
Currently the designated area for the current St Bees Head Heritage Coast includes St Bees Head. The proposal suggests that the designation could stretch up the coast as far as Whitehaven.
Extending the current Heritage Coast could bring the following benefits:
- Recognition of the quality of the coastal area, and in so doing, generating better opportunities for grant funding and tourism.
- It enables better maintenance and improvements to the health of inshore waters and beaches through appropriate environmental management measures.
- Protection through the planning system. National policy determines that local authorities should ‘maintain the character of the undeveloped coast, protecting and enhancing its distinctive landscapes.’ It can also ensure that development is of a higher quality where it does take place.
To take part in the consultation go to www.copeland.gov.uk and complete the online survey.
Paper questionnaires will also be available at Copeland Borough Council offices in Millom and Whitehaven and all libraries in Copeland.
The consultation will run for a six-week period and will end on February 15. Copeland Borough Council are running the consultation in partnership with National Trust and Natural England.
