National Parks extension 'must allow farms and rural businesses to adapt and grow'

Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire will share the largest area of almost continuous National Park land.

The parks will be extended today by 188 square miles today following the decision to extend the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District.

The CLA is calling for national parks to work with farms and rural businesses in their areas allowing them sufficient flexibility to adapt land and buildings to stay profitable, provide jobs and manage the landscapes and environment.

CLA North Director Dorothy Fairburn said: "We share the ambitions of boosting the rural economy and caring for our landscapes.

"Our national parks are a vital asset for us all, those people that from today now live and work in a national park should see the benefits in increased visitors.

"Working together, the National Park and local businesses can harness the economic opportunities national park designation will bring, whilst preserving the unique character of the buildings and landscape that makes a park unique.

"There are risks to getting this wrong, the new designation will mean that planning rules are more stringent and can stop businesses from being able to make the necessary changes to make their businesses sustainable in the longer term.

"Designation should be a catalyst for innovation not a barrier for development.

"We have worked successfully with the national park authorities and with central government to make sure that businesses which have begun the planning process to help their business develop will not see their plans scuppered by the extension."