UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => get involved: access, environment, BMC => Topic started by: Johnny Brown on March 19, 2012, 04:11:57 pm
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As I'm sure many of you are aware, Stanage, or more correctly the North Lees estate, is next on the Peak National Park's 'asset review' plan. This covers the southern half of the edge and the land below down to, and including, the campsite. In short, the Park can't afford the current arrangement and will be looking to sell or lease the land.
With the Eastern Moors estate (Froggatt, Curbar, Birchens) this was done at a peppercorn rent to the NT/RSPB - in return for taking on the management costs. With the Roaches, a large sum of money (reportedly 250K) changed hands as well.
We were expecting the tender process to begin shortly with an invitation for expressions of interest. However the Park have just announced they are exploring a third option - retaining management whilst seeking to turn the estate into profit, and a net earner for the Park. Those of you familiar with the estate will realise options for doing this are limited - particularly with the uncertain future of agri-environmental subsidies the estate currently enjoys. The combination of a hugely popular piece of landscape with a SSSI and working farm are not easy to balance, let alone with profit the goal.
Its a tricky one - when the asset review first reared its ugly head the BMC said firmly that they would prefer these estates to stay in public ownership. However given the process so far, the dwindling funding the park receives, and the encouraging start made by the Eastern Moors partnership, things have come full circle.
What would be good would be to see a secure future for North Lees. I'm not sure this third way is likely to deliver that. It is more likely to delay the inevitable with a few years of diminished investment and increasing visitor pressure.
Good piece by John Horscroft here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=66976 (http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=66976)
Ed Douglas on the BMC site here: http://thebmc.co.uk/stanage-on-the-auction-block (http://thebmc.co.uk/stanage-on-the-auction-block)
The Papers (7.2 is the relevant one): http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index/committee-meeting-papers?com=audit120323 (http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index/committee-meeting-papers?com=audit120323)
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In a similar, wider vein (albeit not BMC specific)...
Peoples views sought on the governance of National Parks (http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/news/current-news/peoples-views-sought-on-future-governance-of-national-parks)
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The replies/read stats on this thread are interesting compared to the peak lime bolting one. This thread read 109 times now, that one 944, and with considerably more replies (one reason for the higher reading stats I'm sure).
I do hope people take some time to read up on the Stanage situation. It's massive.
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I do hope people take some time to read up on the Stanage situation. It's massive.
About 4 miles long isn't it? :clown:
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I've been following it on the other channel. (Heresy I know!)
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Dun't really matter where you follow it really - as long as you follow it that's the main thing innit?
Si
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The replies/read stats on this thread are interesting compared to the peak lime bolting one. This thread read 109 times now, that one 944, and with considerably more replies (one reason for the higher reading stats I'm sure).
I do hope people take some time to read up on the Stanage situation. It's massive.
True but I suspect it is as you say mostly because the other thread has more replies/revisits.
Also whilst with the bolt policy thing people probably feel their contribution to a thread may have some impact, with these sell offs it's hard not to feel the whole thing is an unstoppable monster unaffected by any individual comment/action. That's not to say I'm not eager to support the BMC line in any way possible on the sell off issue.