More than 200 jobs created in the Lake District

A total of 220 full-time equivalent jobs were made in 2018-19 after businesses were granted planning permission by the Lake District National Park Authority.

It is 100 more jobs across the national park than the previous year 2017-18, according to a report to its resources committee.

The LDNPA rules on planning applications – including new business enterprises in the national park.
Only recently, the park gave planning permission for a major extension at a landmark hotel on the shore of Coniston Water.

Ten jobs will be created at the Waterhead Hotel on Hawkshead Road which has been given permission to expand its 24-beds by 18.

The park authority also exceeded national targets for how quickly it makes decisions on planning applications.

A total of 88 percent of major applications were decided within 13 weeks, and 79 percent of minor applications were determined within eight weeks.

In addition, visitor numbers rose at its flagship Brockhole visitor centre between Ambleside and Windermere, with a jump of 11 percent.

Numbers using its Coniston Boating Centre also increased by 17 percent on the year before.
The park said it also granted planning permission for 88 local needs homes –  almost three times the annual target.

However, the number of staff “satisfied” with working for the Lake District National Park Authority has fallen.
It set a target in 2018-19 of 77 percent being satisfied but it fell to 69 percent. That is seven points lower than the year before.

Staff were allowed to give a range of answers from “totally dissatisfied” to “totally satisfied”.

The report said: “The results of the last staff survey in July 2018 highlighted a downward trend in relation to this question, with seven percent lower satisfaction than when the survey was previously run in January 2018.”

Bosses have attended team meetings to gather “specific feedback” from staff to understand the results and identify key themes, according to the report to its meeting on May 23.