Lake District draws up World Heritage status bid

The Lake District landscape has been "shaped by farming"

A bid for the Lake District to win World Heritage status has been backed by local councils, tourism chiefs, businesses and charities.

In January 2014, the government confirmed it would be putting the area forward as the UK's next nomination.

The groups have compiled a dossier arguing the Lake District's case for inclusion on the prestigious list.

Once finalised, this will be presented to the government before a formal submission to Unesco in 2016.

Those awarded the status are considered by the World Heritage Committee as having outstanding universal value.

Sites already on the list include the Great Barrier Reef, Taj Mahal and Hadrian's Wall.

The Lake District bid shows how its landscape has been shaped by farming and local industry for thousands of years, which in turn inspired the Romantic poets and subsequent global conservation movement, including the start of the National Trust.

Mike Innerdale, from the National Trust, said: "The strength of this plan is that each partner has contributed not just their expertise, but also their commitment to nourishing this iconic landscape for the long term, both for the communities that live and work here and for those who experience it as a visitor."

Richard Greenwood, from Cumbria tourism, said: "We believe there will be real benefits for the county's visitor economy from World Heritage inscription.

"For example, just a one per cent increase in cultural visitors could boost our economy by about £20m."