Lake District: Quarry plans revive theme park fears, says charity

Elterwater Quarry, in the Langdale Valley, has been a site of mining since the mid-19th Century

Plans to turn a Lake District quarry into a tourist attraction have revived fears of the area "being turned into a theme park", a charity has said.

Friends of the Lake District (FOLD) has voiced concerns about a rise in traffic at Elterwater and the possible change in appearance of the quarry.

Burlington Stone wants to create an "immersive" educational attraction at the site in the Langdale Valley.

More than 32,000 people have signed an online petition opposing the plans.

Under the proposals, visitors to the "adventure tourism experience" would move around the site via high-rope courses, zip-lines and what has been referred to as a "cavern coaster" ride.

People would be able to watch on from vantage points and learn about the history of the quarry and Lake District's slate industry.

But Lorayne Wall, FOLD planning officer, said the scheme "reignited" concerns about "the national park being turned into a theme park".

The charity was previously at the forefront of opposition to plans for a kilometre-long zip wire between Borrowdale and Buttermere, which was approved in 2018 after years of wrangling.

The plans involve installing a high ropes course and rollercoaster-style ride in Elterwater Quarry

Ms Wall told the Local Democracy Reporting Service action was needed "to ensure the Lake District is treated in line with the Sandford Principle which requires that, when there is conflict between conservation and public enjoyment in national parks, then conservation should take priority".

She predicted a "huge rise in private cars and, potentially, coaches" navigating through the village of Elterwater to reach the attraction.

"Local businesses in the valley already have to bring in staff from distant towns due to a lack of a local workforce, so this would add further to the traffic," she said.

"We are also concerned about the impact on the landscape character and tranquillity of the area as a result of traffic increases and the nature and level of the activity, not to mention the impact on views from the surrounding fells."

A spokesman for Holker Group, which owns Burlington Stone, previously said the attraction would be informative and "bring out the history of the Lake District stone-quarry industry".

He said: "We are keen to educate people with the history of this business that we have been in for over 200 years."

A planning application for the quarry is currently being developed.