PLANS to shake-up England’s national parks have been met with mixed feelings.

The Lake District National Park Authority’s Chief Executive Richard Leafe welcomed proposals that will see national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) across the country join forces as part of a new national landscapes partnership - where they can share knowledge and tackle issues such as nature recovery and improved public access.

But MP Tim Farron said he was concerned the changes may dilute local voices from important decision making and said an opportunity has been missed to give national parks enhanced powers to tackle the increasing number of holiday lets in rural communities.

Under the plans, national parks will also be expected to help local leaders work together nationally through schemes including campaigns, organised events and volunteering projects that bring people closer to nature.

The move-put forward by the Government- aims to help nature recover and safeguard England's national parks.

And a 12-week consultation on the scheme is now open.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the plans, created after Julian Glover's Landscapes Review - which looked at whether the protections for national parks AONBs are still worthwhile, represent "a new chapter in the story of our protected landscapes".

“Today’s Landscapes Review announcement signals an ambition to help us deliver more for nature, climate and the nation’s health and wellbeing in the Lake District,” said Mr Leafe.

“We look forward to working in partnership as one of England’s 44 protected landscapes, creating a more joined up nature network to benefit both planet and people. We’ll also work collaboratively with our partners and communities to explore a potential sustainable transport pilot in the Lake District.

“However, for protected landscapes to fully deliver these ambitions and play our vital role in the climate and biodiversity emergency, we quickly need further resources and powers to move into action.”

Mr Farron, although welcoming the renewed focus to protect landscapes and enhance the status of AONBs-such as Arnside and Silverdale, expressed concerns.

“The Glover review that the government is responding to is a mixed bag,” he said.

“The first thing that worries me is democratic accountability, they are looking to reduce the number of people who serve on boards but the people they’re going to get rid of will be the most local ones.

“National parks are for everyone but they’re also living communities for those of us here and it’s important local voices are around the table and part of decision making.

“They’re talking about a national landscape service which would see all the national parks and AONBs locked together in one national organisation.

“I can see some benefits to that, but not if it means that we are seeing decisions being made nationally when they should be made locally.

“The Lake District National Park has around 50,000 people living in it which makes it the most densely populate national park in the county, while Northumberland national park has about 1,500 people living in it and so they’re very different places.

“It’s a missed opportunity, the biggest challenge rural communities face is the housing crisis and nothing in the review talks about giving national parks the enhanced powers to stop every other property becoming a holiday let.”

Covid-19 has seen many people spending more time outside than before the pandemic - but some, particularly those on the lowest incomes, do not have access to greenspaces, according to Natural England.

The Government has previously pledged within the 25-Year Environment Plan to protect 30 per cent of the UK's land by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050.