Council issues two fixed penalty notices for breaches of PSPO aimed at protecting Lake District from effects of wild camping

Cumberland Council has issued two Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 each in response to anti-social behaviour and the breaching of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) aimed at protecting the environment from so-called “fly campers” in the Lake District.

The council said teams had been out over the May bank holiday weekend tackling wild camping that “causes, or is likely to cause, anti-social behaviour”.

Two Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 each were issued in the Lanthwaite and Rannerdale areas by the council’s Environmental Crime Team, as part of a “targeted response” following a hotspot mapping exercise.

PSPOs, introduced under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, are a legal tool used by local authorities to tackle anti-social behaviour that negatively impacts the quality of life in a specific area.

Last month, Cumberland Council said it would use the orders to crackdown on people leaving litter, human waste and lighting fires while camping in the Lake District.

Although wild camping is not permitted in the Lake District without the landowners' permission, the Lake District National Park Authority note it is “normally tolerated” provided that campers only stay one night, and abide by a number of rules – including leaving no litter, and keeping groups very small.

A Cumberland Council spokesperson said: “Two Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 each have been issued in the Lanthwaite and Rannerdale areas in response to anti-social behaviour and breaching of the PSPO. These fines are currently at the investigation stage, meaning we are unable to provide further detail until they are either paid, disputed, or progressed to court.

“All patrols have been carried out by Cumberland Council’s Environmental Crime Team, as part of a targeted response following a hotspot mapping exercise conducted in collaboration with various stakeholders”.

Last year, the Supreme Court heard a landowners’ appeal in a dispute over the lawfulness of wild camping on Dartmoor, which ultimately affirmed the right to wild camp on Dartmoor commons.

Lottie Winson