South Pennines Regional Park facts for kids

The Wessenden Valley south of Marsden in West Yorkshire

The South Pennines Regional Park is a special idea for a new park in the north of England. It would cover a big area called the South Pennines. This area stretches across parts of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and West Yorkshire. It's also close to two famous national parks: the Yorkshire Dales to the north and the Peak District to the south. People first thought about making this area a national park way back in the 1940s. But it never got the same special protection as places like the Peak District or the Yorkshire Dales.

Many groups and charities want to see the South Pennines become a park. A group called Pennine Prospects has been working hard on this. They even got money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help make the park happen. In 2018, a government official named Michael Gove announced a review of all of England's national parks. The South Pennines is the only hilly area in England that doesn't have any special protection yet.

History of the Park Idea

In 1947, a report was given to the UK Government by Sir Arthur Hobhouse. This report suggested creating special places called National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). This led to a law being passed in 1949 called the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. These parks and AONBs were seen as a "gift" for the soldiers and women returning home after the Second World War.

By 2018, Britain had 15 National Parks. England had 10 of these, along with 34 AONBs. The South Pennines area was actually on Sir Hobhouse's first list of places for protection. However, it was decided that because the area had a lot of factories and industry, it wasn't suitable to be a National Park or an AONB at that time.

Rossendale Way Footpath

In May 2018, Michael Gove, who was the Environment Secretary, announced a review of all the National Parks. He wrote in The Telegraph that the goal was to make the parks even stronger. This review could lead to new National Parks or some AONBs getting a higher level of protection.

The South Pennines is a large, hilly area. It stretches from East Lancashire across West Yorkshire and touches Greater Manchester. It's the only upland area in England without National Park status or a special protected plan. However, some parts of it do have protection. For example, the South Pennine Moors is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This area is huge, covering over 65,000 hectares, and has very old peatlands.

The South Pennines also has 15 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). These are places with special wildlife or geology. There are also over 4,190 kilometers of paths and bridleways. This includes two famous national trails: the Pennine Way and the Pennine Bridleway. After Michael Gove's announcement, Pennine Prospects, a group working to improve the countryside, asked the review committee to remember the South Pennines.

In 2018, Pennine Prospects received money to help create a Regional Park. This would be the first of its kind in the country. Pennine Prospects decided they would work to make it a Regional Park themselves, rather than waiting for the government to give it a special status.

Towns and Villages in the Park Area

The South Pennines Regional Park would include many towns, villages, and areas. These are based on information from Pennine Prospects.

Images for kids

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  M62 westbound, with Booth Wood Reservoir, and the summit of the M62 in the distance