Government inspectors are on the way to Kendal next week to run the rule over the Lake District National Park Authority’s local plan.

Three years in the making, it sets out where the next generation of homes and businesses might be allowed in the national park over the next 15 years.

It will be examined at a series of hearings held at Murley Moss from 10am on Tuesday, November 26 – overseen by two planning inspectors.

The examination will run for two weeks – sitting on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – with extra sessions set aside if required.

Local plans can prove highly controversial in protected landscapes and a World Heritage Site.

The plans involve identifying future housing sites, employment space, new tourism, parking, and retail, among others.

As well as providing the park with planning policies to guide planning applications, it also identifies where and how many new homes should be
built, the locations where businesses need more land to expand and which areas should be protected from development.

Among those taking part are national park officials, Cumbria Tourism, the Friends of the Lake District, Lakes Parish Council and the British Mountaineering Council.

NoGo Gondola, set up to oppose a gondola to Whinlatter Forest near Keswick, is also involved, along with the likes of the Home Builders’ Federation, regeneration company Urban Splash and development company Stoford Developments.

Planning barristers, South Lakes Flood Action Partnership and Lake District Mobility are among many others who will be making representations.

The purpose of the examination is to check that it the legal and procedural requirements have been followed so that the plan can be found ‘sound’ and come into effect.

Steve Ratcliffe, head of sustainable development at the LDNPA, said about the plan: “One of our key challenges is to enable growth to provide housing and jobs whilst conserving the landscape and its special qualities and attributes of outstanding universal value.

“We have gathered evidence and listened to our communities, businesses and stakeholders to find out what the key issues are in the Lake District and how we can use this plan to deliver those aspirations.”