| 10 Myths and Facts about the Honister Slate Mine Lancaster Aerial Flight application |
| Tuesday, 26 October 2010 14:56 |
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Read our response to the '10 Myths and 10 Facts about the the Honister Slate Mine Lancaster Aerial Flight application' listed on the Honister Slate Mine website, below:
MYTH 1: It's going on the top of Fleetwith Pike and can be seen for miles A test wire was put up for six weeks and the only feedback we had was from a British Telecom engineer! Friends of the Lake District's RESPONSE: We are aware that the upper support pillar will be mounted on Black Star, not Fleetwith Pike. We would stress however, that the references to Fleetwith Pike are drawn from Honister's own planning application, which clearly states 'Proposed installation of 1200m zip wire visitor experience consisting of an upper support pillar at the summit of Fleetwith Pike...' The wire will be clearly visible in the surrounding landscape - particularly from Dale Head, adjacent. One of the issues which has delayed the application has been the need to undertake an objective landscape and visual impact assessment. Controversial applications for large scale development in open countryside areas are often accompanied by such assessments, although none was submitted by Honister. This would have helped significantly to establish common ground. We were not aware that a test wire had been put in place. Were the National Park Authority and Natural England made aware of this? In our view, such development would require planning permission, and an assessment of the potential impacts upon the rare wildlife habitats present. MYTH 2: It could spoil an area of natural beauty Honister Slatemine's FACT The mine site and the mountain is heavily industrialised and has been for years. The proposed zip wire location has always been out of bounds to the public as it is an unsafe cliff-edge and former quarrying area. It's also inaccessible and due to dynamite blasting it would make it unsafe to unsuspecting walkers. You can't walk or rock climb on or near the proposed site, because the area is currently unsafe, pockmarked with derelict rusting Victorian mining infrastructure as well as smashed slate and landslip boulders. The mine is a mountain that was industrialised 800 years ago by the monks from Furness Abbey and has created employment ever since... A derelict abandoned mine looks far worse than, an active vibrant place. OUR RESPONSE: The slate mine is indeed heavily industrialised. We do not feel that this is characteristic of the wider area however. In our assessment of the scheme, we referred to the Lake District National Park Landscape Character Assessment and Guidelines. This document aims to describe in detail the defining characteristics of different landscape types within the Park. The landscape character description for the area within which the slate mine falls highlights tranquillity and naturalness as defining characteristics. We are concerned about the impact of the development upon the local landscape as a whole. A public footpath runs in very close proximity to the proposed upper support pillar site. All of the area in question is designated Open Access. Whilst there may well be areas which are dangerous for the public to access, they would be clearly visible. Again, an objective landscape and visual impact assessment would have helped to establish common ground here. MYTH 3: It'll set a precedent Honister Slatemine's claim: FACT It won't. The Honister application is unique because the Honister Quarry site and mountain (containing the slate) has an industrial classification in planning terms. Mining and industry has been permitted on the site and in and on the mountainsides for hundreds of years dating back to Roman times and the Monks of Furness Abbey first extracted the slate. Therefore it should not be considered the same as any other Lakeland beauty spo summit, ie "unspoilt or OUR RESPONSE: The 'Honister Quarry site and mountain' lies within one of the most outstanding areas of Britain's most celebrated National Park. It cannot be viewed in isolation from this. They are not given 'industrial classification' in the adopted Lake District National Park Local Plan, or emerging Local Development Framework. Rather, they are regarded as part of the open coutryside, where development is carefully managed and restricted. The fells in particular, are precious and unique places, in terms of their landscape character, and wildlife habitats they provide. Since the inception of the National Park in the early 1950s, development upon the fells has been highly restricted, in order to conserve this. Allowing this development would represent a significant shift away from such an approach, which is why we are concerned about precedent. We acknowledge the long history of mining at the site, but would not agree that this should automatically imply that further intensive development is acceptable. We feel that the proposed development would represent a change in character, by introducing a significant, recreational facility, which would involve speed and activity not currently characteristic of the landscape. MYTH 4: It's creating a "theme park" Honister Slatemine's claim FACT It wouldn't. The numbers of people using it would be strictly controlled. You will not be allowed to turn up and just "do" the zipwire, or be "bussed" or transported to the top and slide down. There will be no queue. To do the zipwire, people first have to do the "Via Ferrata" experience, a walk and climb of over 1000ft," escorted by trained mountaineering staff (which takes 3 hours). This will deter a "theme park" audience from wanting to do it. Not every person doing the Via Ferrata has to do the zip wire either, as many won't want to up close. On average, there are only three Via Ferrata tours a day with a maximum of 12 people allowed on each one. Not every tour is sold out or always full, sometimes as few as two people do the Via Ferrata. The tours are reduced during winter due to lack of daylight and inclement weather. Consequently, the estimated number of people doing it per day would be quite small and could not compare to a "theme pars." Also, in the 1950s, a Ski Tow was introduced on the top of Raise in the Lake District, as well as a Members hut and Engine Hut for skiers and more recently snowboarders. These have been respectfully and successfully using ever since for people's enjoyment and adventure. It did not lead to a rash of similar applications on the mountains. http://www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/ Look up the definition of the above and you will clearly see that this does not apply. OUR RESPONSE We acknowledge that visitor numbers will be managed. Our concerns over the impact of the scheme remain however, for the reasons noted above. MYTH 5: Buses are going to run to the top/ it's not environmentally friendly Honister Slatemine's FACT: Buses will not run to the top. Every person wanting to use the Zip Wire would first have to walk the Via Ferrata, as explained in myth four. Also, the mine is working on an eco-friendly "Power Fan," being installed. Its purpose would be to absorb all the power created by the zip wire to slow users down as they reach the end, and then the power generated would be sustainable energy for the slate factory. Honister Slate Mine also makes contributions to environmental charities and Mountain Rescue. People wanting to do the Zip need to climb first the "Via Ferrata" then descend for a well-earned cup of tea via the new zip wire, no buses involved OUR RESPONSE We have never claimed that buses will run to the top. We would note that the section of zip wire which has already been installed as part of the via ferrata without planning permission has done significant damage to very rare wildlife habitats, calling the slate mine's environmentally friendly credentials into question. MYTH 6: The Lake District doesn't need "this kind of tourism" Honister Slatemine's claim: FACT Quite the contrary, there is a high demand for thrilling adventure activities not being met here. Without investment or innovation, the area's tourism economy will eventually shrink and its position as a place to visit will wane, causing jobs and businesses to be lost. The future depends on developing adventure tourism here. The Lake District needs to attract a new generation of younger visitors and to do so it needs to broaden what there is to do here and introduce them to the landscape in a way which appeals to their demographic. This is a market of customers growing up in a highly-stimulated technological world, who want unique exhilarating experiences, which are not satisfied by walking and climbing. The Lake District is a National Park but it's losing its National appeal as its traditional audiences ages. Official statistics from a major Visitor Survey commissioned by Cumbria Tourism in 2009, show that "Elderly affluent couples" dominate visitors today, but the concern is that this market is growing old and will decline in time and disappear with no sign of an equivalent replacement on the horizon. 63% per cent of people who visit the Lakes are between 45 and over 60, and in 10 or 15 years will be older still. There is concern that more needs to be done to attract young people and their families beyond the staple activities like walking, climbing and cycling. In terms of visitors to the Lake District, only 3% are 16 to 24-years-old, and only 12% are aged 25 to 34. The number of families bringing children here is also declining -just 12% - from 20% in 1996. Clearly, the area needs to give modern Mums and Dads a reason to bring their children here and be convinced they'll be entertained. As the area's older visitors inevitably come to the end of their lives, the younger visitors need to be converted now if they are going to be the ones keeping tourism businesses here in the future. The number of 25 to 34 year-olds coming to the area has fallen 8% since 1996, and the 16 to 24-year-olds has fallen to nine per cent. Cumbria Tourism has described the application as "precisely the sort of new and challenging tourism experience which will excite and attract new, existing and lapsed visitors to the Lake District. We believe it is entirely consistent with National Park objectives. The Authority aspires to be: "A National Park for future generations. A prosperous economy, world class visitor experiences and vibrant communities - and all sustaining the spectacular landscape." OUR RESPONSE We are certainly aware of the value of visitors to the local economy. It is important to understand why people come to the Lake District though. The aforementioned Landscape Character Assessment explains what defines the landscape of the National Park. We would argue that it is the outstanding natural environment and tranquillity which make the landscape special, and why luminaries from Worsworth to Wainwright have drawn inspiration from it over the years, and why people continue to do so. There are many opportunities for young (and old) people to enjoy high adrenaline activities such as mountain biking and climbing, which we support and which are fully consistent with National Park purposes. Cumbria Tourism are currently promoting 'Adventure Capital'. 'Tracks' magazine - which promotes 'AdCap', features an introduction by climber Leo Holding which highlights a variety of adverturous means of enjoying the Lake District: "From low level summer strolls to winter climbs in the high fells, from a cooling bathe in a stream to swimming the length of Windermere or from sailing peacefully on the breeze to kite surfing in a gale, there is a bewildering amount of unusual, exciting and daring experiences waiting for everyone". It is interesting to note that these are all means of enjoying the Lake District which exist currently. Our concern is that schemes such as the zip wire may actually serve to harm the tourist economy in the long term, by detracting from the key, characteristic 'selling points' of the National Park. One of our major concerns with the scheme is the impact upon users of the popular route to Haystacks from the slate mine car park, described by Wainwright. MYTH 7: It'll spoil the peace and tranquillity of the area: Honister Slatemine's claim: FACT A source of employment for generations of local people As part of its planning application, Honister has had to commission independent noise impact tests which involved simulated noise measurements being recorded in an attempt to mimic the "noisiest sound possible" that could potentially be generated by the zipwire. These tests are conclusive and have been provided to the National Park. They record there was no "imperceptible change, and an "insignificant response for the average human." Honister is also a noisy industrial mining site and a popular visitor attraction in addition to being a stop on the drive between Keswick and Buttermere. As well as cars, passing buses, visitors and HGVs coming to and from the site, slate is quarried from and brought out of Fleetwith Pike by JCBs and then broken up in the factory workshops using diamond saws and the age-old mining technique of riving which uses hammers and chisels. The mine is also powered by a loud diesel generator and needs to use mechanical saws in order to manufacture everything from roof tiles to gravestones, as well as kitchen worktops. To get the slate, dynamite is regularly blasted inside the mountain and the topography of the surrounding hills makes this part of the Lake District an active flight path for RAF pilots in training, often several times a day. Again, unlike many other summits and beauty spots of the Lake District, this cannot not be considered an area of "peace and tranquillity." OUR RESPONSE As noted in our response to earlier questions: We do not feel that the presence of existing intensive development automatically means further development should be allowed. The slate mine should be viewed as part of the wider, very sensitive, local landscape as a whole, not in isolation. We feel that the proposed development would represent a change in character, by introducing a significant, recreational facility, which would involve speed and activity not currently characteristic of the landscape. MYTH 8: It will increase traffic into the area Honister Slatemine's FACT As already outlined, Honister is a busy working industrial site and has associated traffic, as well as the traffic already driving along the main scenic route between Keswick and Buttermere. The numbers of those taking part in the zipwire is not as large as imagined. Also, the company plans that every ticket sold for the experience will include a free return journey for the ticket holder on the Honister Rambler, a Stagecoach bus service which starts in Keswick and stops outside Honister Slate Mine on its journey. For those who do not use the bus or buy over the counter, a proportion of the cost will be set aside and then awarded to a Lake District carbon offset project. Honister would argue that you shouldn't punish businesses for people using their cars. Sustainable travel and coming up with workable transport schemes is the responsibility of public bodies like Friends Of The Lake District. 84 per cent of visitors to the Lakes come by car and only four per cent by train and 3 per cent by bus. Honister would urge those agencies with sustainable transport as a responsibility to do more to encourage sustainable solutions. Experience has also proven that most people travel to do the Via Ferrata in groups not individually. OUR RESPONSE Friends of the Lake District are not a public body. We are a membership organisation and charity. We are funded by our membership and donations. Sustainable travel, as a key component of addressing climate change, is everyone's responsibility - businesses and individuals included. We do our best as an independent organisation to support sustainable travel where we can. MYTH 9: It's detrimental to the landscape - Wainwright wouldn't like it Honister Slatemine's claim: FACT As already explained, the landscape at and surrounding Honister is dramatic but highly industrialised. Wainwright said Honister was "a scar on the landscape." He told television in 1989 when he visited when it was closed and abandoned: "It seems strange to see Honister quarry so quiet and deserted after centuries of work, I think many regular visitors to the Lakes will be surprised to find it closed as they're used to seeing men working up there like little ants. It is a scar on the landscape but it such an integral part of Lakeland life that no-one really objects and I certainly don't." The Via Ferrata experience is also staffed by trained mountaineers with a natural love of the environment and it offers opportunities for people who have never been so close to the mountains to do so, as well as learning about the flora and fauna of the fells, their weather systems and the mining heritage in the Lake District. The inspiration for the zip wire came after Mr Weir was looking into the history of the site's industrial operations and discovered references to the "Lancaster Aerial Flight." From books and old photos, he discovered that in 1926, a large-scaled aerial ropeway, incorporating a cable car type-operation, was introduced on the side of the mountain. It was brought in to transport heavy slate "clogs" safely down the mountain and into the factory for processing, as a way to increase the mine's turnover and productivity. The "pulley system" made slate extraction far quicker and allowed the mine to prosper. The original "Lancaster Aerial" was installed by White and Son of Widnes. It was successfully at the mine for over a quarter of a century before being dismantled in the 1950s. OUR RESPONSE We have already explained our concerns in landscape terms. Wainwright was commenting upon the mine, not the proposal for a zip wire. Notwithstanding this, we have not commented as to whether he would have liked it or not, only that it would impact upon users of the route he described from the slate mine car park. We are aware of the system in operation during the early 20th century. In our view however, the existence of a development in the past does not automatically mean that it is appropriate now. The zip wire is, in any case, a high speed recreational development, different in nature to the earlier system. MYTH 10: It's being done for profit Honister Slatemine's claim: FACT Honister was dead and derelict 14 years ago and now 30 people have full-time work every year. It has put £750,000 into Central Government since it opened. We need the economy to grow and Central Government needs tax coming in. It helps attract customers to the remote rural valley of Borrowdale which depends on tourism for jobs and livelihoods. Due to the seasonality of tourism, the mine has to lay off staff for around five months at the quieter end of the tourism season, and the start of each New Year. It reduces its workforce by more than half - dropping from 30 full-time and part-time local residents in peak season, to just 10- full-time and three part-time in the off-peak season. If the application wins permission, Honister will be able to employ more young people for longer. OUR RESPONSE We acknowledge the contribution the slate mine makes to the local economy. All businesses must operate within the planning system however, which exists as a democratic means of allowing everyone to have a say upon the changes which occur in the environment. All planning decisions are a balance between socio-economic benefits and environmental impacts. In our view, the environmental impacts outweigh the benefits of the scheme. Please refer back to our earlier response to 3 - specifically the precious and unique nature of the local landscape. Development should not be expected as a given in such a sensitive environment. It is worth highlighting that the Honister mine already involves significantly more development upon a remote fell than any other operation in the Lake District. We have sought to identify the environmental impacts, to ensure that they are given due and fair recognition in the decision making process. We are an environmental charity - this is our raison d'etre - we have a responsibility to our members to do so. It is for the slate mine to highlight the economic benefits, which they have done. The National Park Authority will make the final decision based on an assessment of both arguments. |
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