Second try for Lake District quarry zip-wire

Burlington Stone and Zip World have added more details regarding travel plans for the Elterwater Quarry attraction in an attempt to win over the national park’s development control committee – which rejected the project last year.

Up to 50,000 people a year are projected to visit the proposed Elterwater Quarry Experience in Ambleside. The attraction would let visitors explore the historic mine via zip wires.

Designed by Dewis Architecture, the proposals also include recladding former saw sheds to craft a visitor building, creating an outdoor heritage interpretation area, and instituting parking for 36 cars and three buses. The project also features a route within the quarry to a specific viewpoint.

The number of visitors proved to be the downfall for the application last year, with Lake District National Park’s development control committee citing traffic issues as a prime reason for refusal. Councillors expressed concern over having so many private vehicles driving to the attraction, saying that the application had not done enough to encourage sustainable travel.

This decision was contrary to officer recommendation. The project had also not raised any objections from the Local Highway Authority.

This new application seeks to set councillors’ minds at ease. Like its predecessor, it is recommended for approval. Unlike the former application, this version includes a travel plan commitment statement, an accessibility statement, and revised visitor management plan. Otherwise, it is unchanged.

Measures proposed in this new application include improving the 516 bus service, adding a shuttle bus between Zip World Brockhole and Elterwater, and enhancing the quarry access road.

A designated travel plan coordinator would also be appointed. Their role would be focused on implementing the travel plan, evaluating its performance, and making changes if necessary.

“We listened carefully to the feedback from the Lake District National Park Authority development committee in September and have used it to adapt our plans,” said Andrew Hudson, chief executive of Zip World.

“Responding directly to the thoughts of the committee, we have submitted an enhanced travel plan, which encourages the use of walking, cycling, public or shared transport, and low-emission vehicles to reach our site,” Hudson continued.

“We have also developed a ticketing strategy that ensures visitor numbers are well-managed, do not exceed the on-site parking allocation, and that we can offer financial incentives for those who use methods other than their car to visit the experience.”

Hudson also stressed that Zip World has a history of running similar attractions.

“Everything we’re proposing in terms of visitor management is based on our experiences of operating our existing sites that sit within national parks,” he said.

“Real data allows us to predict relatively accurately how our customers will behave, from visitor numbers to their choice of transport.”

Stephenson Halliday is the planning consultant for the scheme. The project team also includes Curtins and BSG. You can learn more about the project by searching application reference number 7/2023/5767 on the Lake District National Park’s planning portal.