Stickle Tarn, one of areas put on the market by the Lakes authority

Stickle Tarn, one of areas put on the market by the Lakes authority

A Lake District MP is calling on the national park authority to halt the sale of a mountain tarn and its surrounding area.

Liberal Democrat Tim Farron, who represents Westmorland and Lonsdale, is backing plans to have Stickle Tarn registered as a community asset.

This would effectively put any sale on ice and give locals six months to raise cash to buy the tarn, which the Kendal-based authority is selling as part of a £½m disposal of land as coalition Government cuts to its budget hit hard.

Stickle Tarn, in the shadow of Pavey Ark and Jack’s Rake, is currently for sale by tender with a guide price of £20,000 to £30,000, and a deadline of 12 March.

Mr Farron has tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons urging support for the Langdale Valley Association in trying to have the tarn registered as an asset of community value under the Localism Act. An EDM is a parliamentary process akin to a petition open to MPs to register their support for causes.

A group hoping to buy the Lakeland mountain Blencathra successfully persuaded Eden District Council to have the fell listed as a community asset in July last year.

Tim Farron: 'area is much loved'

Tim Farron: 'area is much loved'

Mr Farron said the Langdale Valley Association has completed and handed in the required forms to begin the process of registering Stickle Tarn as a community asset.

He said: “This campaign is really gathering momentum and I want to pay tribute to Langdale Valley Association for their perseverance. I stand ready to help and support them in any way I can. The area is much loved I am keen to do what I can to help local organisations buy it and keep it for all to enjoy.”

He said Stickle Tarn is widely regarded as one of the Lake District’s best known beauty spots is one of seven areas being sold off by national park bosses.

His campaign is supported by Liberal Democrat Heidi Halliday, an Ambleside councillor on South Lakeland District Council.

She said: “I fully support a community bid. Local community groups should have the opportunity to be custodians of this very special place.”

The Lake District National Park Authority had not responded to Grough’s request for a comment at the time of posting.

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