A Lake District sailing club has launched a petition following the YMCA's announcement it is sellling its Lakeside North Camp.

The 18-acre site on the southwest bank of Windermere has been owned by the organisation for 70 years. Situated three miles north of Newby Bridge, it includes a boat house, landing stages and jetty with 300 metres of lake frontage. 

It is also home to a number of organisations which includes South Windermere Sailing Club (SWSC), Old School Kitchen cafe and Lakes Laser Tag.

The move comes after the YMCA invested £6.5m to build a new facility on the 55-acre South Camp. The North site is likely to attract a number of different investors which has prompted the local community to raise concerns about the lakefront being turned over to private developers.

Commodore at SWSC Sara Speicher has created a petition which she says highlights the need to keep a beautiful area of the Lake District accessible to the community.

The Mail: South Windermere Sailing Club

"The club supports the YMCA however we were disappointed that yet another stretch of the Windermere lakefront may be turned over to private developers," Sara said.

"The club is a training centre and we, along with the organisations here, are family friendly and affordable. We complement the community uses of the YMCA and each other.

"If the site is filled with holiday lodges for example we may have less of a reason to be here.

"It's also a beautiful area and it's important to keep the lake for everyone. Best value does not always equal best price and we encourage the board to consider outdoor education which is sustainable in the long term."

The petition states that investment into South Camp and strengthened community facilities on North Camp is achievable as it already knows of one investor who could fulfil those needs.

The site is for sale through national agents Sanderson Weatherall and it is currently used for residential, education, holiday, commercial, and leisure uses. According to Sanderson Weatherall, it is expected the property will attract a great deal of interest from a wide range of prospective applicants.

As part of YMCA's initial announcement, it said the sale of North Camp will allow continued investment in the south end of the site. We have attempted to contact the YMCA for comment addressing concerns for the site.

To view the petition, visit Change.org.