The role of national parks

Bakewell Cattle Market in the Derbyshire Peak District

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Fourteen national parks have been designated since 1951, and they may be joined by the South Downs, the subject of an interminable planning inquiry.

• Park authorities' formal roles are to conserve the parks' natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and provide opportunities for public access and enjoyment. They exercise planning powers in support of these goals and usually employ their own planners.

• Paul Hamblin, Association of English National Park Authorities director, says: "These are iconic landscapes visited by millions of people each year.

• "The park authorities directly control only about 20-30% of their work so they have to work with local partners and need good relations with them, and for many services that means local authorities."

• NPAs have been alarmed by the sub-national review, he says, as they fear what the priorities of the business-led regional development agencies (RDAs) might be for spatial planning. "We are concerned that RDAs will create significant challenges, being business led, and we want to work with local authorities to ensure we all still have a place at the table," he says.

• NPAs and councils collaborate well to meet the needs of these sparsely populated areas, Mr Hamblin says. In Bakewell, for example, the Peak District NPA and Derbyshire Dales DC started a regeneration project in 2000, which has created a thriving livestock market and agricultural business centre.

• "The town and its surroundings remain attractive to visitors, yet the planning allows town centre living," Mr Hamblin says.

• Lake District NPA is working with Cumbria CC to develop a plan that will deliver 11.5% savings in carbon emissions by 2010-11. This includes the development of a sustainable transport strategy for the park.