Filmmaker Richard Macer and Mark Weir
Television viewers will be able to see an on-screen confrontation between campaigners and the controversial owner of a Lake District tourist attraction in a fly-on-the-wall documentary next Sunday.
The BBC Four programme follows the travails of Mark Weir, who died when his helicopter crashed on the hillside near the planned site of his zip-wire, which pitted mountaineering campaigners against one of Britain’s best known climbers, Sir Chris Bonington.
Larger-than-life businessman Mr Weir installed the UK’s first via ferrata on the crags above Honister Slate Mine, and wanted to build the northern hemisphere’s longest zip-wire, a 1.2km aerial slide running from Fleetwith Pike to the mine, between Buttermere and Borrowdale.
His partner Jan Wilkinson and the mine company pressed ahead with the plans after his death in March, but Lake District national park planners threw out the plans last month.
Film-maker Richard Macer of Platform Productions and his crew followed the last months of the Cumbrian businessman for a programme called Tales from the National Parks.
The three-part series examines the difficulties of running a business in a national park. Mr Macer said: “I was looking into the idea of conflicts within national parks and found about the plan for the zip-wire and that’s what led me to Mark.
“The series asks what are our national parks for. When they were first established in 1951 what the government of the day was doing was saying the landscape in these areas is highly prized and needs to be protected for everyone to enjoy.
“But today not everyone takes pleasure out of the landscape in the same way so the zip-wire plan for Honister and the via ferrata were good illustrations of those arguments.”
Richard Pearse, front left, and Judith Moore, centre, of the Friends of the Lake District, with Mark Weir and Richard Greenwood of Cumbria Tourism. Photo: Brian Sherwen
The film includes behind-the-scenes negotiations with Natural England, the Government’s advisory body on the outdoors, and also shows an on-screen altercation with environmental campaigners from the Friends Of The Lake District, which opposed the zip wire plan.
It also features interviews with national park figures such as chief executive Richard Leafe, and Jean Johnston, of Natural England based in Kendal.
Mr Macer said: “I think Mark was under pressure and it was a lot to deal with although he didn’t show it a lot.
“He had a lot on the line because he had built Honister up into an extremely well liked local business. Jobs were on the line and the via ferrata was an important source of income.”
Footage of the planning meeting where the proposals for the zip-wire were rejected also can also be seen.
Mr Macer said: “Mark was a unique person and even though people had strong feelings for and against him, I would hope they would look back on him as being a force for the good.
“He brought an ancient mine back to life, provided work for local people and introduced a genuinely different sort of tourism experience for residents and visitors that isn’t available anywhere else.”
A spokesman for Honister Slate Mine, said: “We are pleased that a national audience will get a true insight into what a monumental struggle it can be trying to run a business, provide work for people and come up with new ideas in the Lake District national park.
“We also hope it will prove food for thought for those organisations supposedly safeguarding this special landscape who often seem to have such scant regard for the people whose livelihoods depend on it.”
Sir Chris Bonington, who lives in the North of the Lake District, spoke in favour of the zip-wire but the Friends, of which he is ironically vice-president, opposed the plans.
The Friends’ planning officer Richard Pearse said after the refusal: “Adventurous outdoor pursuits are available all over the Lake District, in the form of rock climbing and mountain biking for example, and are enjoyed by large numbers of young – and not so young – people, in harmony with the environment.
“The scale of this proposal in this location was inappropriate however.”
Members of Lake District National Park Authority’s development control committee took three hours before turning down the plans, by nine votes to five.
After the planning defeat, Honister Slate Mine faced further problems when West Cumbria Magistrates ordered the company to pay a fine of £15,000 and costs of £13,190 costs plus a £15 surcharge.
The court heard the extension to the via ferrata route, modelled on similar installations in the European Alps which allow climbers to use a lanyard as protection as they climb the fixed steps, rungs and bridges across routes that only rock-climbers can usually access, had damaged a site of special scientific interest.
The court warned that continued use of the extension would be unlawful, but did not impose a restoration order, saying the company should work with Natural England and the Lake District National Park Authority to resolve the situation.
The late Mr Weir’s partner Jan Wilkinson described the fine as ‘on the high side’.
The hour-long documentary will be shown on Sunday, 23 October at 9pm on BBC Four. Mr Macer’s previous subjects have included Happy Mondays and Black Grape frontman Shaun Ryder; and glamour model Katie Price.
Mat
17 October 2011Without he benefit of seeing the programme its hard to judge the editorial position but as a long time resident of many protected areas around the Uk and on occasions an employee of them I must say that undue attention is given to those wanting the status quo rather than this who are trying to build successful and sustainable business in them. That applies to all but the farmers who generally PA managers and members bow down too in a manner that is at best misplaced and at worst rural toadyism.
The original NP in yellowstone was founded by business interests wanting to create a reason for people to use the then newly built Pacific North West railway. PAs are a good idea that why more countries have establish NPs and other PAs than have functioning telephone systems or democracies but they have to work for all, that includes being economically viable for all users and residents not the places of privilege from wealth or birth.
Bill Blogg
17 October 2011Can't wait.
Peter R.
23 October 2011I have never seen such a perfect example of bureaucratic blocking! The divide between motivation, dedication, passion and positive-ness with depression, recession, negative-ness, backward thinking and stagnation has never been expressed so clearly. Congratulations to Richard Macer. For goodness sake, has the news of our economic crisis not reached those who sit in judgement of the Lake District? This was a golden chance to enhance both our attitude and innovation to a global audience. Mark and Jan are free ambassadors who should be applauded and supported. We've thrown away the opportunity to turn the tide and gain wealth through tourism and visitors. We've thrown away a chance of becoming the envy of other tourism destinations, and what do we do? I know, let's concentrate on the Olympics and filling the tills of our London counter-parts whilst the Lake District continues to de-employ its loyal servants and stagnate into a derelict place of outstanding natural beauty - which no future generation will see because they won’t have public transport and they won’t be able to afford the fuel to drive there! In the meantime, those who fail to see past the trees around and are funded from the public purse, hang on in there because it'll dry up soon and you might just find yourselves wondering what you did. I hope you are all very proud of yourselves!
Jon
24 October 2011The number of visitors to the Lake District, and the number of jobs in the tourist sector catering for those visitors, have increased very considerably over, say, the past 50 years. It's hardly a story of stagnation and dereliction, far more a story of successful growth.
What the Lake District needs for a sustainable future is to carefully conserve what makes it attractive to the people who visit (mainly scenery and peacefulness, which are in short supply in a large city), so they will continue to come and spend their money on: accommodation, food, drink, walking, cycling and climbing gear, climbing guides, and various tourist attractions which do fit the National Park guidelines. Turn it into Blackpool and you will see some of those visitors choosing to go elsewhere.
The BBC4 programme was quite sympathetic towards Mark Weir, but didn't hide his tendency to ignore the planning process until forced to take it seriously. In my opinion, applying for planning permission retrospectively should be very much frowned upon, and any such application should be doubly scrutinised.
William
29 October 2011After seeing the programme I can say I have no sympathy with the plight of Mr Weir's zip wire plans. It seems that all people are interested in is making money. This can so easily be at the expense of the natural environment. Those that call the shots have gravitated their way to positions of power and influence (for example, the national park's chief executive Richard Leafe seems to have a personal agenda that goes against the preservation of the park for all).
I was also dismayed to see both Sir Chris Bonington (vice-president of the Friends of the Lake District) and Eric Robson (Chairman of Cumbria Tourism) both supported the zip wire.
Mr Weir has made millions with his slate mine and, surely, that should be enough. But his blatant and arrogant, floating of the planning rules regarding his via ferrata (helping to destroy the flora in a designated SSSI area) give the impression that his passion for the environment came very much second to making money.
I thought that the confrontation with the Friends of the Lake District were typical of such a man. His own planning application stated that the zip wire should start at the summit (pity the Friends of the Lake District didn't point this out on camera, at the time, although I'd be backing away at the ferocity of Mr Weir too).
What we need is a sympathetic approach to generating prosperity in the Lakes. We need a balance between environmental empathy and prosperity.
Richy S.
07 November 2011I was dismayed to watch the program on BBC 4 and see the people who call the shots. Where was the input from anyone younger than 45? So much for the National Park being there for all to enjoy, it’s clear it really for the confortable middle classes. A bunch of fossils who want to preserve the park in some rose tinted glasses, chocolate box image of the Lakes from the ‘50s. This country is crying out for people with some vision, some dynamism and an entrepreneurial flair. I didn’t see people queuing up in the 90’s to buy and re-open the slate mine. And as for Natural England, as with most government quangos, it is much easier to do nothing rather than do something, particularly when you’re are not putting your neck on the line and actually doing something, making something happen, and yes, maybe bending the rules now and then. This was a complete opportunity missed to introduce a real unique attraction to an area of the country that has to move with the times and adapt to the changing and growing population.
Andrew
06 April 2012I agree entirely with the views William expressed on this thread.
The attitude of Richard Leafe is frightening. How anyone with his views can reach such a prominent position as National Park Chief executive is of deep concern.
And prior to this issue I was of the opinion that Sir Chris Bonington (vice-president of the Friends of the Lake District) and Eric Robson (Chairman of Cumbria Tourism) understood the need to preserve the environment of the area.
A walker I met on the fells tried to persuade me to join the Wainwright Society. And I was inclined to do so before hearing Eric Robson (Wainwright Society Chairman's) views on the Honister Zip Wire.
Chris Bonington was rightly a strong voice in opposing the proposed Berrier Hill wind farm near Blencathra, and how he can hold that view while supporting a zip wire in the heart of the lakes is baffling.
It is a complete myth, deliberately spread by those who want man made attarctions on the fells, that only the elderly visit the area, and that the Lake District needs to offer high speed thrills.
The Lakes are thriving, and if I have a complaint it is that there are too many visitors. I couldn't get parked in Buttermere Village for a walk to the High Stile range on a Wednesday in March! Hardly the sign of a struggling area.
Roger Lauder
23 December 2012Truly what sort of old mongrels are on that Lake District National Park Authority I have just watched that program in New Zealand.
To turn down something that people can get up to close open air look and feel of the mountains and the way they try to lock it up so nobody can enjoy just what sort of person does that, I bet those people go home in a Car and turn on the light without even thinking what damage they do like that honorable gentleman said they are trying to be so selfish I have both hips an knees replaced in my 60's but still like to enjoy the outdoors when you can get to it.
The NZ Forest service put bush tracks in so people like me could drive into those areas to enjoy the beauty, but we have a Dept of Conservation who have deliberately destroyed the access to those tracks to stop me it about time people and good old UK seems to have managed to have those selfish few people as well.
People should be allowed to enjoy their rightful heritage without out these busy bodies I think they should leave this world as soon as possible and stop wasting earths precious things I am glad they are not my family shame on you people who voted against that.
We have people in our district who don't want a river water way diverted through their property to enable hydro power but they go straight home and turn on someone else's river so they enjoy the comfort of electricity no problem but " not in my back yard".