Honister Crag, site of the proposed zipwire. Photo: Bob Smith/grough
The operators of Honister Slate Mine in the Lake District have applied for planning permission to install a zipwire.
Last week an unrelated application for controversial zipwires across Thirlmere was withdrawn.
The Lake District National Park Authority says representations from the public on the Honister proposals should be submitted by 12 March.
The slate mine, at Honister Pass between Borrowdale and Buttermere, says the ‘aerial wire’ would be dual purpose, used both for transporting extracted stone and conveying tourists.
Two previous attempts by Honister Slate Mine to gain approval for zipwires, in 2011 and 2013, were turned down by Lake District planners.
At the time, the Friends of the Lake District was one of the leading opponents of the Honister plans. The charity was also among many groups that expressed their opposition to Treetop Trek’s proposals for twin four-line wires across the valley over the Thirlmere reservoir.
The company withdrew its application in the face of planning officials’ recommendation to reject the bid. Treetop Trek said one of its reasons for abandoning the plans was the Ministry of Defence’s objection to the scheme, which it said would pose a danger to pilots who use the area for low-flying exercises.
The MoD said it has no objections to the Honister plans, which have gained support from Borrowdale Parish Council.
The aerial runway would end at the main Honister Slate Mine buildings. Photo: Bob Smith/grough
Honister Slate Mine wants to build the zipwire from a site on Honister Crag on the north-eastern flanks of Fleetwith Pike to its base at Honister Hause. The company already runs tourist attractions such as a via ferrata and rope bridge at the site.
It said the proposed ‘aerial flight’ would enable slate to be mined at a location where it is currently not economically viable, and cites a historic precursor to the modern wire, which was used decades ago to transport stone.
It also says the installation would provide a ‘totally unique outdoor and environmentally sustainable visitor experience in the heart of the Lake District National Park for a wide range of demographics and social backgrounds.’
Honister Slate Mine said it anticipates a maximum of 57 descents on the wire daily by visitors.
Details of the application are on the Lake District National Park Authority website.
Pete R
26 February 2018Leave the lake district alone, enjoy it as it is,, why would anyone want spoil such beauty,, put zip wires in amusement parks where they belong
Jacob Mead
26 February 2018Was against the Thirlmere wire, but the Honister plan for a zip wire is a good idea. It's already an industrial site/landscape and the wire won't make that worse. It will enhance the great tourist experience that the inspirational mine team have developed against difficult odds.
Gerald Rushton
26 February 2018This is a back door to acess to more commercial use of the lake district, this is unfortuately an " industrial " legacy landscape developed at a time when people used to exploit the land.
This should be left to erode back into the natural environment and not be used as an excuse to polute an over populate what is now and is in threat of becoming an area of Sunday drivers, loud phones and fast cars and the and money to spend on cheap thrills.
Please build something in an modern industrial area out of our national park. Go and play loud games, and have your fun somewhere else.
Leave the mountains for contemplation, reflection, and spiritual solace and live in harmony with place
Frank Lee
26 February 2018Very well timed, and cunning application, a dual purpose zip wire. As said by the owner, recently on the Inside Out program, "income of the mine is split 50:50, between the mines production and the public commerce side of things any reduction or the lack of growth of either may lead to the possible closure of the enterprise". As the zip wire will be a working item, primarily, then usage for public enjoyment presumably will be on a limited basis (?) Also, I cross the pass many times, and even when on the fells opposite, I have never heard a sound from the Via Ferreta, and only after my son had pointed out the longer wire bridge, did I actually realise where it was on the crag !!!!
I was totally against the Thirlmere plan, but fully support this one, and the the dual use aspect of the scheme, along with the fact that the punters using it will already be using the exsisting attraction, might help to carry it. T o help matters, can someone alert the MoD earlier in the consultation process, rather than the 11th hour, that there is a big lump of rock, in the immediate area, called Honister Crag, that they might like to point out to their pilots
Ben J
26 February 2018"This is unfortuately an " industrial " legacy landscape developed at a time when people used to exploit the land.
This should be left to erode back into the natural environment"
Really Gerald Rushton? But doesn't that apply to the whole Lake District? Are you also suggesting that we should get rid of the sheep and let the fells return to rheir entirely natural wild state? Just asking for a friend...
john lester
26 February 2018No zip wires please. Leave the lakes as it is.
stigofthenest
26 February 2018Get the zip wires in now. Its not a natural landscape and those nimbys crying about it can bugger off to a quiet corner.. lord knows theres hundreds of spots where you can find peace. A working slate mine is not one of them.
Chris from Cockermouth
26 February 2018No wire at Thirlmere: Zip Zip Hooray,
Honister Slate Mine comes into the fray ...
'I can't decide, I can't decide':
To back away, or take a ride.
John Paterson
26 February 2018The Sandford Principle is the legal framework by which planning applications within National Parks should be assessed - Google it, there is plenty online about it. Basically the Sandford Principle says that where there is a conflict between commercial planning applications and conservation of the natural environment in the National Parks there should be a bias in favour of conservation. The Thirlmere proposals quite clearly in my opinion contravened the Sandfoerd Principle and I am not surprised that the planning officer recommended to the planning committee that the application shold be rejected. The honister proposals, on the other hand do NOT seem to contravene the Sandford Principle. The zip wire would satisfy the following criteria which the Thirlmere proposals did not: a) The zip wire would fly over and existing industrial landscape which is still used for industrial as well as tourist purposes. b) The zip wire would add to an existing business comprising a working slate mine, slate mine tours, 2 via ferrata adventure activities and a cafe. c) There is already ample car parking on site with little or no need for additional land to be used for car parking. I was firmly opposed to the Thirlmere proposals but I will be writing to the planning board expressing my support for the Honister proposal. I don't see how approving Honister would open any flood gates for similar applications. There will be very few if any sites within the National Park which satisfy the same criteria as Honister with a combination of an industrial landscape and a major series of existing business activities.
Clive Hutchby
26 February 2018John Paterson is pretty well spot on, IMO (see above) in his analysis. To 'stigofthenest', while I am not against a zipwire in this location, surely there is no need to be abusive to people who have different opinions to you. How about some tolerance? It seems to me that only supporters of zipwires in the Lake District are lacking in this particular commodity.
Sue
26 February 2018It would be a shame to spoil the natural beauty with zip wires
Lake District Walker
27 February 2018In my opinion, there is little difference between the Thirlmere site and Honister. Thirlmere is a reservoir that has changed the landscape dramatically, albeit over a hundred years ago. Industrial development to provide Manchester with water. The associated forestry planting is not in keeping with the natural fauna/flora of the Lake District. Same can be said for the A591 road passing along the lakeside. Honister is an old industrial mine, with continuing small scale extraction plus cafe, Via Ferrata and associated car parking. The argument does not hold that planning should be granted for commercial development on the basis that historic development exists. The whole of the Lake District is farmed, managed and developed in some way. The granting of World Heritage Site status to the Lake District will possibly be viewed as a mistake in years to come; the Lake District is not a theme park, a brand to be marketed, a myth in our minds of Herdwick sheep, Wainwright and Wordsworth. It is England's only mountainous area, with huge pressures of unsustainable tourism, eroded paths, cars parked in every possible lay-by at weekends. The mountains are places of solitude, breathing spaces away from urban life. Adventurous outdoor activities are becoming commodities that are bought as an experience - tree-top rope courses, mountain biking graded routes, segway tracks, zip wires, via ferrata - rather than seeking our own adventures and quiet enjoyment. The Lake District needs careful management to ensure a sustainable future.
timbo
27 February 2018Honister mine - always pushing for inappropriate development in the National Park.
Ed
27 February 2018Great idea (as it was the previous two times). Visual impact would be minimal. The previous planning assessment discussed experiential impacts associated with noise from users but we’re talking about a limited impact on one hill range in a large national park. Growing up in the park, my dad used to complain about conservation groups loving the park to death but this isn’t just a beauty spot it’s a working landscape. I fully support Honister who produce the green slate we use to make our vernacular buildings beautiful. If this supports the viability of this traditional industry then great - that’s an important part of our industrial heritage. Good luck Honister
Diddy
27 February 2018The older natural environment had a much more diverse flora and fauna than the sheep created fells we have now.
I would take some convincing that the present green desert rolling fells would be so much less beautiful if they were woodland clad; as they once were; or that they would be less visited.
However it is not desirable to return totally to woodland but it could be encouraged more as is happening with stewardship measures. Come in Mr Gove.
ST
27 February 2018People who may oppose the zip wire are not necessarily nimbys, backward, old, opposed to development and other tired accusations. Nor do times need to simply “move on” (as I’ve heard some say) if we just move on in a vacuum and without serious consideration. Otherwise we end up undoing ill-thought out development. As a youth worker I’m aware of the kinds of things young people want and need and it includes things like zip wires and ‘wild’ places. I’d say that ‘wild places’ as a catch all phrase offers far more benefit to people. But I’m not at all opposed to zip wires, although as people generally come solely for the zip wires, it could be argued that the wires could go anywhere and are hardly likely to encourage long term sustainable and responsible tourism. For me the big issues are also around traffic as the roads to Honister are very well used, well worn and already overloaded many times. Maybe a pre booked ticket system to limit numbers may help with this. With these considerations then for sure Honister is a better place for this.
stigofthenest
27 February 2018Abusive? - no.
Not me, sorry Clive.
You could argue those proclaiming the Lake District should remain as it is are being insular and holding back those who are scratching to make a living off the land. That to me is far more abusive and offensive than what I suggested.
Even the notion that folk would want to go sit amongst the Honister slate wastes for a spot of solitude when there is an almost infinite number of more tranquil and unspoilt spots smacks of nothing more than moronic. Tell me it's not nimbyism?
Do we think the whirr of the ziplines and the occasional yelp from those using a zipwire is going to carry all the way down to Buttermere and Keswick?
I'm not an avid user of zip lines. I have done the via ferrata and I've used Honister for the start point of numerous walks. But in reality there are few routes which start at Honister that can't be bettered from elsewhere - so it's not even a walkers hub in my mind.
Get the zipwires in, add to the diversity of the national park and give the youngsters something to get excited about. It's everyones park after all.
Rod Hepplewhite
01 March 2018I've read through some interesting comments above for and against the Honister zip-wire proposal and have to say that I support the Honister proposal and did so regarding the previous proposals. I should add that I opposed in very strong terms the ridiculous Thirlmere proposals, however.
As a chartered town planner myself, I appreciate the delicate balancing act that the LDNPA have to perform with planning applications and can understand, although I professionally disagree with, the conclusions they arrived at with the two previous proposals. That said, the current proposal addresses concerns previously raised, IMHO. Moreover, as John Paterson correctly point outs 'The Sandford Principle' is the legal framework by which planning applications within National Parks should be assessed. Moreover, I agree entirely with John's assessment of the proposed development in this regard. Like him, I will writing to the LDNPA to express my support for the planning application and the proposed dual-purpose zip-wire development.
P Wallen
02 March 2018I support this application. It will support more employment in the area.
Hands Off
03 March 2018No thanks.
Keith Purvis
20 September 2018The lake district is a victim of its own success. I am a regular visitor to the area and a keen fell walker, as an observer to the argument what I would say is that when you look at the lakes and how it's managed some places are deliberately allowed to be developed and some not, for example Windermere and buttermere. The people who live in the area have to earn a living one way or another. This may be farming, bed and breakfast, camp sites, cafes and restaurants, shops and so on. But they all rely on people coming, and they come for all sorts of reasons wether
it be yachting hiking rock climbing or just to see the sites and find a little solitude. I personally don't think a zip wire at a place like honister would be a great intrusion.