A BOLD bid to secure World Heritage Status for the Lake District took a major step forward this week, reports Andy Bloxham.

The Lake District National Park Authority agreed to invest £350,000 over two years to make the case for securing a World Heritage Site Inscription for the area.

But there were warnings that the investment would not guarantee the respected heritage status although LDNPA officer Paul Tiplady said the inscription would attract investment to Cumbria.

And, if successful, it will mean England’s biggest national park being added to a list of famous attractions that will also include the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon.

“The benefits of World Heritage Status cannot be under-estimated,” said Mr Tiplady. “It will put the international spotlight on the Lake District and that, in turn, will bring economic and social benefits through special interest tourism and employment opportunities for this unique landscape.” The authority will now join other interested bodies in putting the case to the Government for inclusion on the World Heritage Site list. If that is successful then the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will make the final decision following a visit to the area.

Mr Tiplady said the park was the site of patterns of farming unchanged for 1,000 years, the birthplace of the National Trust and the start of the Romantic movement.

He said that World Heritage Status would not bring in draconian planning restrictions and business would benefit from the kudos of the status.

A full meeting of the LDNPA was told that the boundary of the heritage park had not been decided and could cover the whole of Cumbria, the national park, or just the central fells.

Peter Phizacklea was very keen to pursue the scheme: “Without doubt we are the most beautiful, the biggest and the best part of Britain and we want to be telling the world that.” However, Robbie Bridson said the sticking point might be living up to article one of the World Heritage Site Convention that says: “Each property nominated should… bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or has disappeared.” Mr Bridson said there were basic problems as to how the bid could be sold on this cultural basis: “We’ve heard people talk about the Dorset coast (a current World Heritage Site). We’ve heard people talk about Stonehenge and the Taj Mahal (also sites). But what is the Lake District?

“You could talk about the monastic settlements, you could talk about the mining and quarries. We need to clarify what it means. We cannot sell this fuzziness.” At the meeting members agreed to support a group that will secure a working budget plus national and local support; employ or direct a project team; prepare a prospectus and timetable; identify and confirm a boundary; and prepare and promote a management plan.

n Letter, P14