The Partnership's Plan - Lake District National Park

• English Heritage’s Scheduled Monuments at Risk Survey, assisted by the National
Park Authority, has identified 65 Lake District Scheduled Monuments at High Risk, the
highest number in the North West Region. Thirty-seven are at Medium Risk and 170 at
Low Risk.
• Conservation issues include:
o Damage to archaeological sites through bracken and scrub growth and other
natural agencies such as animal burrowing
o Inappropriate agricultural management
o The results of extreme weather events, including flooding and storms leading to
erosion
o Lack of archaeological information for some areas (only 20 per cent of the
National Park has been surveyed)
o Development proposals
o Deterioration of industrial remains through lack of maintenance
o Deterioration of walls and agricultural buildings through lack of investment.
• Issues affecting local cultural heritage and traditions include:
o Loss of knowledge and continuity of practice through reduction in local farming
communities and commons management
o Loss of local traditional skills
o Need to record information from older generations (oral history for example)
o Recognition of lesser-known or appreciated aspects of cultural heritage such as
local tradition of wooden boats.
• Many archaeological conservation problems are avoided through the early provision of
advice and information. This includes pre-application advice through the development
control process and the provision of information through outreach projects such as the
recently completed Access to Archaeology and Ring Cairns to Reservoirs projects.
These often rely on Heritage Lottery funding for implementation.
3.16.2 Recent activities and successes
The management of change in the built environment is primarily dealt with through the
National Park Authority’s Development Management Service. The Authority handles
approximately 1,200 planning applications and 150 planning consultations (usually for
agricultural developments) in a typical year. The Local Development Framework core strategy
sets out policy for the built environment and heritage assets. Other guiding documents are the
Historic Landscape Characterisation for Cumbria and Landscape Character Assessment for
Cumbria. Key partners take a proactive lead on public realm improvements within the Park.
Various funding streams exist (for example the Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme and its
replacement the Environmental Stewardship Scheme) which support the conservation of
landscape features and buildings. Funding for buildings in towns and settlements is also
available through English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund support.
Nationally, English Heritage maintains a register of scheduled monuments and buildings at
risk. In addition the National Park Authority is undertaking a survey of the condition of listed
buildings in the National Park, to maintain an active register. It also has a continuing
programme which surveys the condition of scheduled monuments and other sites. This is
maintained by volunteer support. Conservation Area Appraisals and associated management
programmes for those areas are also being prepared.
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