Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council declines to vote on park extension plan (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council declines to vote on park extension plan

9:59pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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KIRKBY Lonsdale Town Council has decided not to express a view on the controversial proposal to extend the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Members declined to become involved in Natural England's consultation exercise, which formally ends on Wednesday, after hearing that the bid would now go to a public inquiry.

County councillor Kevin Lancaster told tonight's meeting that the formal opposition of both Cumbria County Council and Eden District Council had ensured an inquiry was inevitable.

Town Council members agreed with Coun Lancaster that a public poll would be the best way of determining local feeling about the proposal.

Natural England want to extend both the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks.

The town council heard that the latter western extension as proposed would take the new park boundary to the edge of Kirkby Lonsdale town centre, incorporating the footpath from Devil's Bridge to The Brow, the rugby fields, Kearstwick and Underley School.

At a public meeting last month, many local residents questioned why the whole town could not be included.