Community meeting

1. Community meeting January 24th 2019

2. Agenda • Welcome & Introductions • Local Plan Update – Steve Ratcliffe, Director, LDNPA • NoGo Gondola Update – Jon Derry • Questions & Answers – Richard Kealey, Chair, ADPC • AOB & Close

3. Steve ratcliffe Sustainable Development Director Lake District National Park Authority

4. Jon derry NoGo Gondola

5. The Proposal England’s only Mountain Centre A large new car park at Crosthwaite A 3 mile bus ride to Thornthwaite base station (bus park, café, toilets) A 1 mile Gondola ride to Whinlatter Up Grisedale Pike and Ullister Hill (cafe and toilets?) Reduced Parking at Whinlatter Lodges / Dark Sky Observatory, New Osprey viewing centre Return to Crosthwaite via Gondola and bus

6. Why is this even happening? • The 1995 Environment Act • The Sandford Principle • The National Planning Policy Framework • The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation • Should a Gondola ever be considered under the provisions of these laws and regulations? • The LDNPA are developing a controversial and aggressively commercial scheme – with no accountability for its actions • How can this be right? Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage Promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of national parks by the public Seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the national parks

7. What we’re being told… • Don’t worry – it’s only a concept • It will solve the traffic problems in the ‘narrows’ • It’s necessary to reduce car usage in the National Park • It won’t be as bad as you think • It’s not about the money

8. Don’t worry – it’s only a concept

9. Don’t worry – it’s only a concept • The Forestry Commission and Julian Handy have declined our invitation to attend or make a statement to this meeting • FC and LDNPA have refused FOI requests to share information about the WDC plans, citing commercial confidentiality • The FC’s own Forest Plan for Whinlatter talks only vaguely about development ‘aspirations’

10. It will solve the traffic problems in the ‘narrows’ Pic of the narrows

11. Analysis: Current Visitors 220,000 visitors to Whinlatter Forest Centre Osprey Viewing will add 30,000 more per annum But how many will pay to go to Whinlatter by Gondola?

12. ‘It will reduce the traffic problem in the narrows’ Current Visitors: Option A Current Visitors: Option B Drive to Whinlatter Park Cycling / walking at Whinlatter Leave Time: 10 minutes each way Cost: £6 per car • Park at car park at Crosthwaite • Take bus to Base Station • Ride to Whinlatter on Gondola • Cycling / walking at Whinlatter • Return via Gondola and bus • Time: 1 hour each way • Cost: £20+ per person? • The WDC cannot stop people using their cars to access Whinlatter • Very few of Whinlatter’s current visitors will use the Gondola • The Gondola will NOT reduce traffic in the narrows

13. It’s necessary to reduce car usage in the National Park The solution already exists! Why travel 3 miles by bus and then 1 mile by Gondola? However… this would require a coherent funding and transport strategy across the Lake District… Car journey reduction can be achieved by a bus service all the way to Whinlatter – at a fraction of the cost and with no damage to the landscape. A gondola is NOT required!

14. It won’t be so bad …It’s not about the money • Julian Handy (an architect) believes clever design can minimise the visual impact of the Base Station, Coach Park and associated facilities (toilets, café etc) and can landscape the pylons and cables • He won’t support a plan which doesn’t encourage people to use a sustainable transport method from Keswick to the base station… • A financial return is not his motivation nor the main reason for his belief in the project… • We asked Mr Handy to tell us what his motivation is – and to suggest one way that the Gondola will benefit the local community…

15. Conclusion • The Gondola is not a transport solution • It will not be used by the existing visitors to Whinlatter and will not reduce traffic in the narrows • Reduced car journeys can be achieved by a ‘park & ride’ bus service all the way to Whinlatter – a Gondola is not even needed • So what is the real motivation for the Gondola?

16. It’s ALL about the money! • The Forestry Commission admit that the Gondola is an ‘experience’ as well as a transport solution • It’s actually the other way round… • The Gondola is a tourist attraction pretending to be a transport solution

17. Disclaimer • Neither the Forestry Commission nor Julian Handy think it’s important to tell you what they are up to and why • So what follows is our unofficial version, which is supposition and unverified

18. A more plausible explanation? • The Forestry Commission lose money each year at Whinlatter • High spending international package tourists don’t visit the Northern Lakes. The tourist lobby in general and the FC in particular, need to convince tour operators to come. • A re-packaged alpine style ‘Mountain Centre’ could work, but a 10 minute coach trip up an ordinary road is no way to arrive – we need a wow factor! • A Gondola ride – Brilliant! And we can expand our mountain bike offer too! • But that’s going to cost millions to build and mean charging high prices? • Prices can be high because they will be built into tourist package prices. The cyclists and walkers won’t pay but who cares? We’ll have a constant stream of package tourists who will pay – and only ever visit once! • The LDNPA are keen on new ‘attractions’ (even if they are artificial); are under constant pressure from the tourist lobby - and are looking for new revenue streams given their reduced Government funding… • Meanwhile a local landowner sees his opportunity…

19. The Problem – and ‘Solution’ The Gondola is central to the ‘pitch’ to the tourist trade, but it’ll never get it through if locals / the media see it as a pleasure ride. So we’ll ‘sell’ the Gondola as a transport solution NOT an attraction • We’ll claim it will reduce traffic in the Braithwaite narrows It won’t • We’ll claim it’s a needed as part of a ‘sustainable transport policy’ to reduce car journeys within the Park A bus service will do this – a Gondola is not necessary

20. Beneficiaries (if it succeeds…)? • The Forestry Commission • Julian Handy and other investors • High end hotel owners? • The LDNPA? • Cyclists and walkers who don’t like exercise… • Not the residents of Braithwaite • Not the residents of Thornthwaite • Not the environment • Not the job market

21. Our Plan Engage & Challenge the LDNPA • How is this scheme compliant with your statutory obligations? • Stop pretending that the Gondola is a transport ‘solution’ Engage & Challenge the FC • Invite to attend next meeting • A real investigation of options for improved access to Whinlatter Engage & Challenge Julian Handy • Invite to attend next meeting or make a statement Alert UNESCO: • Present paper at World Heritage Watch Convention Paris Feb 4th / 5th Build Community support: • Individuals and local councils Prepare campaign activity

22. Alternatives • Low cost bus service • A thorough survey of road usage and the development of options for improved road configurations in Braithwaite • Alternative access to Whinlatter via Peel Wyke

23. Alternatives • A revised business model and / or improved marketing to the Forestry Commission’s existing customer base. • Develop an effective funding strategy for the Lake District so a properly integrated transport strategy can be implemented

25. Questions Richard Kealey Above Derwent Parish Council

26. Next Steps • Present paper to WHW Forum in Paris – seek inclusion on agenda for UNESCO WH Convention, June/July • Prepare expanded campaign Petition Mass community activity Media Legal challenge • Await publication of Final Draft of Local Plan