Water and hills Options

[SirWilliam]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-40547691

So some bright spark has decided that our beloved Lake District should be given UNESCO status.

Now I am all for conservation but history shows us that when we place these things in the hands of people who live miles away then it is a recipe for disaster, ( a bit like the pricks in Westminster ). Most people only visit the lakes in summer but it is a landscape forged by millenniums of weather, ( usually VERY wet ), hill farming and a singular lack of human intervention.

I do like the passing reference to Stonehenge and, as anyone who has had the misfortune to drive down that way of late will testify, what a pig's ear they have achieved with that.

[On the edge]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-40547691

So some bright spark has decided that our beloved Lake District should be given UNESCO status.

Now I am all for conservation but history shows us that when we place these things in the hands of people who live miles away then it is a recipe for disaster, ( a bit like the pricks in Westminster ). Most people only visit the lakes in summer but it is a landscape forged by millenniums of weather, ( usually VERY wet ), hill farming and a singular lack of human intervention.

I do like the passing reference to Stonehenge and, as anyone who has had the misfortune to drive down that way of late will testify, what a pig's ear they have achieved with that.

Bit of a circular argument there Sir, a good few would claim that in such places it's the locals wot do the damage. 'Just a few extra square feet in my cafe' and 'desperately needed accommodation for my family' and 'social housing for local poor people'. What's so wrong with market forces here? Let the customers decide.

[blackdog]

Bit of a circular argument there Sir, a good few would claim that in such places it's the locals wot do the damage. 'Just a few extra square feet in my cafe' and 'desperately needed accommodation for my family' and 'social housing for local poor people'. What's so wrong with market forces here? Let the customers decide.

Market forces would ensure that houses were built all over the landscape, richer folk buying a nice view, poorer folk pushed out. Until of course, the views ceased to be nice owing to the encroaching housing estates. Market forces gave us the American suburban landscape - truly hideous; thankfully they came up with the idea of national parks to ensure that a few places would be spared market forces - one of the best US inventions.

[On the edge]

Market forces would ensure that houses were built all over the landscape, richer folk buying a nice view, poorer folk pushed out. Until of course, the views ceased to be nice owing to the encroaching housing estates. Market forces gave us the American suburban landscape - truly hideous; thankfully they came up with the idea of national parks to ensure that a few places would be spared market forces - one of the best US inventions.

Surely our existing legislation deals with the potential for over development. In the case of the Lake District it's reinforced by the National Park rules as well. Arguably, by applying the UNESCO status, the Chairman is insulting our Governance by implying we can't or won't protect this area ourselves, so like some third world republic, we need help.

[blackdog]

Surely our existing legislation deals with the potential for over development. In the case of the Lake District it's reinforced by the National Park rules as well. Arguably, by applying the UNESCO status, the Chairman is insulting our Governance by implying we can't or won't protect this area ourselves, so like some third world republic, we need help.

Yes, thankfully our existing legislation protects against the market forces you were promoting. UNESCO status is an irrelevance in those terms - it's benefits will be a slight increase in the promotion of the area as a tourist destination - in essence defeating its own aims if those aims are the protection of a rural landscape.

Interesting point though, does UNESCO status have any impact in British/European law?

[Simon Kirby]

Interesting point though, does UNESCO status have any impact in British/European law?

It's managed through the usual planning legislation, much like an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The National Park designation already provides good protection and like you say the WHS designation is just kudos.