Mixed views over controversial plans for Lake District quarry

Video report by Fiona Marley Paterson

A petition against plans for a controversial new Lake District attraction in Langdale has reached 77,000 signatures.

Campaigners say the plans proposed for the Elterwater Quarry site by owners Holker Estates amount to a “theme park" that has no place in Langdale.

Holker Estates has been working alongside Zip World - an adventure firm with 23 zip wire attractions across the UK. Both organisations say they have no plans to install a zip wire at Elterwater Quarry, instead aiming to develop “an interactive heritage experience” celebrating almost 200 years of local mining history.

In a statement, Zip World said: "We want to create a world-class heritage experience, capturing the unique geology and history of the Elterwater site.

“This will be almost fully enclosed within the hidden caverns using a bespoke system of connected platforms suspended above the floor.

“Visitors will be able to touch, see and feel the site’s rich history from a series of unique vantage points."

The plans submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority have been scaled back from what was originally proposed. They say they do not involve zip wires or roller coasters and the existing buildings would be repurposed as visitor centres, with the main activities taking place below ground.

Campaigners say their main concern now is how to bring up to 50,000 people a year to the site in the heart of the Lake District National Park on a road network already under immense pressure.

Holker Estates and Zip World's transport assessment says bringing up to 300 people a day would not have a significant impact on the road network, and that public transport is a realistic option for those with mobility needs.

Lorayne Wall, Planning Officer at Friends of the Lake District said:  ”We're just concerned about how realistic some of these options are.

"I think they need to be very innovative with how they set out how people are going to make use of these other options other than a car to get to the site."

Lorayne Wall, Planning Officer at Friends of the Lake District has concerns about access to the site.

Campaigners have submitted over 600 objections to the planning application, and the ‘Zip Off Langdale’ group has amassed 77,000 petition signatures opposing the plans.

Carol Boyes, who lives in the nearby village of Elterwater for approximately six months of the year added: “It's absolute chaos for the traffic. I don't think it's necessary. The first application with the roller coaster thing was just a joke, but I think that's what people do: they put in something extreme, hoping they're going to get the next best. But I just don't think the area needs it at all."

Tourists to the area also have mixed views. Terry Hawkins, a regular visitor to the Langdale Valley from the Midlands said: “The Disney of Cumbria would ruin it for me. But you have to have development at some point, don't you?"

Others are more positive. Chris Jenson, who lives and works in the Lake District, said: “I think it's a great idea. I think it's what we need because there's only so many fells or lakes we can walk around.

“We need something different. It's about changing the infrastructure and making sure we can cope. But if we didn't have the tourism, nobody would be able to have businesses. Sometimes you just have to adapt. And I think that's what the Lake District has actually always done.

“We've always adapted. It's just what we're good at."

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