Plans for holiday house boats on Grasmere have been sunk.

Campaigners opposed to the plans said they were “elated” but still faced “a big fight ahead” after The Lowther Estate Trust confirmed they had withdrawn their controversial application.

Battle lines were quickly drawn after it emerged the Trust has asked the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) whether it would be lawful to put up to 10 holiday cruisers on Grasmere, which it owns along with parts of the lake’s shoreline.

Protest group Houseboats Off Grasmere led by Grasmere resident Andy Astle launched a Facebook campaign, petition and crowdfunding push to fight the “profit driven” plans which it claimed would damage the character of the lake.

Reacting to the Trust’s decision to abandon its plans, Joe Nichols from the Houseboats-Off-Grasmere campaign group, said: “This is positive news but there is still a long battle ahead. 

“The Lake District doesn’t need development – it needs protection.”

South Lakes MP Tim Farron, who joined a recent mass protest against the plans, added: “This is a massive win for community campaigning.

“The decision to drop these completely inappropriate plans would not have happened if it hadn’t been for the tireless campaigning of local people, particularly Andy Astle.

He added: “Despite this great news we must not take our eye off the ball.

“The estate may well try again at some point in the future, so we need to continue to send out a loud and clear message that people in Grasmere and across our area say no to these plans.”

Opposition to the leisure boats has steadily gathered more support, with the National Trust, Wordsworth Trust and Friends of the Lake District (FoLD), the latest organisations to voice concerns.

The proposals appeared to be the final straw for FoLD, which launched its Save Our Lake District campaign to battle what it believed to be an increasing number of controversial plans and decisions.

The Lowther Estate Trust had argued that leisure boats have been seen on other lakes, such as Coniston Water and Ullswater, for “many years”.

However, in a statement in admitted to bowing to the pressure.

An Estate spokesman said: “Clearly the application for recreational craft on Grasmere has caused considerable concern.

"The Estate is a responsible landowner within the Lake District.

"They have therefore listened to these concerns and withdrawn the application.

“The Estate look forward to continuing working with the local community on ways to improve access and the diversity of use on Grasmere.”

Campaigners against the leisure boats are set to gather once again on February 1 for "a day of activism and celebration".

The Big Day Out event - which will start in Grasmere village centre - is also a protest against the broader "over-commercialisation" of the Lake District, said organiser Mr Astle.