Lyme Park: Anger at car park plan in Peak District beauty spot

The National Trust has been urged to drop plans to build a large car park at a historic beauty spot on the edge of The Peak District.

Campaigners opposing the plan at Lyme Park in Cheshire object to the development they say would become the largest car park in the area.

The trust wants to build the 1,065-space plot in the stately home's estate.

It disputes allegations the plan contradicts its net-zero aspirations.

The National Trust said it wanted to avoid incidents such as July 2019 when torrential rain flooded the existing car park and caused £250,000 damage.

It plans to move parking further into the parkland using a surface that can be used all year as many current spaces cannot be used in wet weather.

The trust said it desperately needs to upgrade facilities, adding: "When opening to visitors in 1947, it could never have been anticipated that Lyme would welcome 300,000 people each year."

Opponents claim the plans would urbanise a large section of the park, resulting in a loss of green space and more cars travelling even further through the park.

More than 1,500 people have signed an online petition and about 200 have lodged objections to the planning application.

Petition organiser Anthony Sheridan, author of local cycling website Peaks & Puddles, says: "These plans go against key aims of both the Peak District National Park and National Trust to combat climate change, provide sustainable access to the countryside and reduce the impact of cars on our precious green spaces.

"Thirty-one per cent of households in Greater Manchester have no access to a car, yet the plans do nothing to make visiting Lyme easier for these people."

"The proposed location of this super-sized new car park makes no sense for anyone. It would destroy peaceful walking and cycling routes into the park, be a permanent visual blight from the surrounding moorland, and require all visitors to walk half a mile up steep hills, or use a minibus to access Lyme Hall."

Planning objections received by the Peak District National Park Authority have echoed Mr Sheridan's concerns.

A National Trust spokesman said the project would not increase vehicle numbers, adding: "We'll continue to work with individuals and partners to find more sustainable ways people can visit Lyme now and in the future."

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