Our Vision for the Churnet Valley
contact the Churnet Valley Conservation Society at www.churnet-valley-conservation.org
or phone
contact the Churnet Valley Conservation Society at www.churnet-valley-conservation.org
or phone
The Churnet Valley Conservation Society (CVCS) vision for our valley is one which:
· Puts the interests of those who live in the Valley at the centre of all decisions regarding the Valley, and recognises the importance of the living environment, which leads to a Masterplan which protects the environment residents live in.
· Protects the biodiversity of the Valley for this and future generations.
· Provides for visitors who respect and enjoy the natural environment
· Mitigates the detrimental effects of Alton Towers on the natural and living environment of the Valley.
We hope and expect that our representative bodies will work toward the realisation of our Vision and it is with this in mind that we express the views contained in the document.
It is our view that there should be a clear definition of who is targeted by the proposed Tourism Corridor. Our recommendations are:
· That the Tourism Corridor seeks to attract visitors who respect the countryside, are interested in the countryside and want to enjoy and protect its natural beauty
· In addition it should aim to attract people who, as well as the above, have an interest in the biodiversity of the valley and/or the unique combination of natural beauty and industrial heritage.
This would therefore preclude further development at Alton Towers except in relation to possible improvements to access to the site. This cannot be achieved by a railway as this would, as explained in the document, hinder actions directed to satisfying the requirements above.
Large parts of the Churnet Valley have recovered from the despoliation of the old industrial age of factories and quarries; it should not be subjected to the despoliation of the new forms of damage that industrial scale tourism brings. This includes visual damage, damage to the wildlife, litter, noise and, most of all, traffic related pollution and other road problems. The encouragement of such large numbers of cars is most certainly not amenable to a lowering of the area’s carbon footprint!
Conclusions
In respect of the proposal to designate the Churnet Valley as a Tourism Corridor we conclude:
1. SMDC should accept that local residents are the key stakeholders and that all proposals should first be considered in the light of their impact on the living environment as well as the natural environment of the Valley.
2. SMDC should consider the target market definition of visitors it wishes to see in the Valley. Such a definition should complement that of the Peak District and therefore not aim for further increase in the market segment who are attracted to Alton Towers.
3. SMDC should consider ways and means of mitigating the impact of current visitors to the Valley on the Living & Natural Environments before supporting further development.
4. SMDC should lobby SCC to implement the Denstone and Alton Relief Road “so that traffic through these areas associated with Alton Towers can be relieved” however the specific route needs careful consideration as it may involve unacceptable damage to parts of the Lower Churnet Valley.
5. SMDC should support AONB designation for the Churnet Valley. Such a designation would accord with the Peak District’s ideal of dispersing visitors to areas of natural beauty.
