The Friends of the Lake District are among a coalition of organisations calling on the Government to ensure any finance raised as a result of the introduction of overnight accommodation levies is invested in protected landscapes.
The Campaign for National Parks, National Parks England, National Landscapes Association, RSPB, The National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Wildlife & Countryside Link, Rewilding Britain, The Broads Society, Dartmoor Preservation Association, The Exmoor Society, The New Forest Association, North York Moors Association, Friends of the South Downs, Friends of the Yorkshire Dales and Friends of the Lake District have jointly signed a letter to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
In it they insist that the proceeds of any visitor levy are reinvested locally ‘with a clear focus on nature recovery and environmental protection.’
The letter also calls for national park authorities and National Landscapes Partnerships to have a significant role in allocating funds, warning that without proper ring-fencing, money raised from visitors could be diverted elsewhere rather than supporting the landscapes that attract them in the first place..
The Government announced plans in November 2025 to bring forward an overnight accommodation levy for mayoral authorities.
