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Good Evening Everyone and thank you all for coming.
For those of you who don’t know me I am Graeme Connacher, I have lived and worked in our dale here for 22 years so I am probably not a real Local!
I normally work on the Lake with Ullswater Steamers.
I have also been able to serve the community. I was chair of Patterdale Parish Council for 3 years and was a volunteer with The Lake District National Park for 10 years.
We are all here tonight to discuss a possible planning application to install zip wires in Greenside valley above Glenridding. At the moment no formal planning application has been submitted to the Lake District National Park however a lot is known about this project and that is what has caused a huge response and culminated in tonight’s meeting.
From what I have been told the proposal consists of the construction of four lines, a mile long from a start point just under Haystacks otherwise known as Stang End at the head of the valley, to a field near the Rakes at the upper edge of the village. The riders, zipping down at 40 to 60 mph in the open countryside would set off at five minute intervals and the operation would run for 365 days per year or as close to that as could be achieved. These customers would be transported by mini-bus or land train from the village car park, to an area near the Youth Hostel. They would then be transferred to 4x4 vehicles and transported up the zig zag footpath above the hostel to the start point just beneath Haystacks. This would involve up to 84 daily return trips on this busy public bridleway and the main walking route to helvellyn. The effect on the tranquillity of Greenside and our village would be most felt as the riders zip back down at 60mph, screaming. All day, every day.
I am frankly appalled at this proposal.
I made some comments at our last open meeting. Let me just re-read a small part of that:
Not in my back yard
You know, I had never heard the word ‘Nimby’ until 2 weeks ago. I was chatting to a neighbour about this zip-wire proposal and he said we must not become NIMBYS. I got to thinking about this. So let me tell you about MY back yard…..
10 square feet of concrete and a front garden that takes 2 minutes to grass cut.
I then realised that actually I share my yard with all the lovely folk who visit each year. I chat to our walkers as they pass my house. I devote all my working days to looking after the visitors to my yard. I do what I can, when I can, to make sure that MY yard, and the folk who live here, stay awhile, or are passing on the day enjoy and share what I hold special. Why? Well….
My real back yard is one of the most amazing and lovely valleys in the country, Ullswater. The Victorians called it the English Lucerne. I have spent the most fulfilling 20 years of my life piloting 100 year old boats full of happy visitors up and down our lake. 10,000 times and climbing.
We have a superb visitor base here in our valley. Folk come from far and wide to enjoy the peace and tranquillity, They take the easy to challenging walks, go sailing, cruising on the Steamers and try there hand at rowing. They know that 10 minutes out from any of our busy villages the lanes, the paths, and the view are as unspoilt as you will find anywhere in the Lake District. This has led to ‘repeat trade’ repeat visitors who come time and time again to explore more and relax more. New visitors also fall in love with Ullswater. We are only two hours from Newcastle and Manchester, folk come to escape the mania of city living. Ullswater is so special and we must not destroy that. This was my holiday story from age 4. We are not Windermere or Keswick and it’s the difference that brings our visitors and our livelihood.
We are always open to new ideas here, but we must be sure that they will benefit our community and be in harmony with what makes us special. Yes we have some great event days here, swimathons, triathlons and fell races occasionally overwhelm us, great fun for a few days. We as a community welcome everyone, but we know that peace will resume.
I am afraid that something as radical as an all year zip-wire will do nothing to enhance our local lives or the visitor experience. It is my belief that many folk who come now will not if this goes ahead.
If we had chronic unemployment, dwindling visitor numbers or a lack of ‘zest’ in our community… maybe. However I know that many businesses have to ‘import’ staff anywhere from Penrith the the EU. Unless anyone tells me otherwise, I know of no businesses that cannot ‘make ends meet’ and many make a good living. Is it greed for more and more money that would drive such a project?
So no, not in my back yard. You see my yard is YOURS to. This is a National Park.
Do we allow the few to kill the golden goose for long standing, hard working and caring businesses?
Who are the few? Well obviously Mike Turner from Tree Top Treks. Well done for being innovative, but please not here, find the right place.
And now we come to the real nub of the matter.
What I have heard since this process began from a large number of villagers and visitors was ‘don’t worry this will never happen here’
Well, after the heartfelt testimony given to us all by the girls from Brockhole, I think we all realised that it could, and probably would if we did nothing.
What an amazing response, many folk have come together in our village to help where they can. A wonderful website, and on-line petition now with more than 2000 signatures. Testimony from many businesses. If anything made me realise this was not just a few annoyed folk it was the informal vote at our last meeting. 60+ against, 3 abstentions (well done Terry and thanks for tonight) and y’know only 1 FOR. Mike Turner, whatever folk feel (and they feel a lot) at least you stood there and took it.
Our community, our businesses and many individual villagers and visitors are frightened and stressed. I know why.
You see, in my view we cannot trust the National Park Authority to look after The lakes anymore. We have seen the desperate need for money, removal the front line services (anyone seen a ranger they can chat to?) our Ranger base is now a retail store for the National Park Information Centre. That’s when it’s open, and the car park has been automated and electronically policed to ensure that as much as £8 per day is extracted from our visitors before they even start to enjoy the valley. Resources seem to be allocated to the bureaucracy at the Kendal offices, which are not even in the National Park.
The core problem here however, is that the national Park Authority stands to make money from this possible planning application. Use of the car park, retail outlet and it’s land and buildings are crucial to the success of the zip wire. So we have a massive conflict of interest. Mr Leafe is head of this organisation and I understand very much in favour of this development. He is in the fantastic position of being head of the planning authority and promoting the applicant.
For decades all of us have had to jump through many hoops to obtain permission just to paint a window or extend the house. It’s a pain, but we understand, because without rules the Lakes would have been ruined. The pre-planning advice given by Mr Leafes own department is exactly what we would expect a project like this to generate. We should be able to sit back and say ‘this will never happen here’ we can’t and we are frightened.
Trust is the basis we must all try and work with. I do not trust the National Park to look after us, and our dale, anymore. There must be no zip-wire here, not even a little one, because we know that once the door is open Ullswater will become Windermere or worse Alton Towers.
Given the testimony from the Brockhole experience, and knowing that planning could be submitted over Christmas as apparently it was at Brockhole. We as a community would have had no time to deal with this. As it is we are way ahead of the game. I thank you all for a massive effort. We have survived foot and mouth, major floods and even the recession. All by helping each other and sticking together. Lets hope we can survive an onslaught from the authority created to protect us.
There are a lot of basic principles to answer here tonight and many questions on detail. Please listen and digest.
I know it’s possible to kill this project stone dead tonight. You will find out how.
I do not relish a long battle of stress and emotion affecting our community over Christmas and the New year. We all need a break before gearing up to handle the thousands of visitors depending on us, and we on them, for next years trade. Ullswater is an amazing adventure of life and beauty. Let’s keep it that way.
Thank you.
Graeme Connacher
3rd December 2014