This week marks a historic occasion for the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks as the Parks have had their boundaries reviewed with some big changes being made.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park has increased in size by 24% and the Lake District National Park by 3%. This means that areas such as Orton Fells and Howgill Fells will now receive National Park status and protection.

LUC helped to prepare important parts of the evidence base under Natural England‘s ‘Lakes to Dales’ project that ultimately led to the government decision to implement the extensions. LUC’s work included a Landscape Assessment to inform the boundary changes and a Strategic Environmental Assessment to determine the effects of the boundary changes on the environment, the local economy and communities.

Kate Ahern, Director of Landscape Planning said: “This is great news for these wonderful landscapes and culmination of much hard work by many individuals and organisations.”

Jeremy Owen, Director of Planning, said: “We are delighted that LUC’s work has made an important contribution to this historic decision.  The Yorkshire Dales and Lake District are some of our finest and treasured landscapes. It is reassuring to know that the wonderful landscapes covered by the new extensions will from now on receive the same protection and careful management enjoyed over many years by the existing two National Parks.”