The Broads National Amusement Park

[JennyMorgan]

It is a fact that the faux Broads National Park, in the guise of the River Bure, runs through the suburbs of Great Yarmouth thus Norfolk's town of high culture could, if it hasn't done so already, claim to be a part of the BNP. Err, who said parts of it have been BNP for years? I digress, but I really don't like to mention the unmentionable. We mustn't ignore the fact that the Broads runs into the sea at Gt Yarmouth. Will we now see people in green wellies, or sensible walking shoes, clad in Crag Hopper rather than Adidas emblazoned garments, striding down Regent Street with the clatter of hi-carbon walking sticks? Will candy floss stalls and greece burger outlets  be replaced with muesli and yogurt bars? Will chav be replaced by culture? Gt Yarmouth National Amusement Park, the mind boggles but why not, it's only for marketing purposes.

 

[HemsbyPie]

See lots of posts about the broads not actually being a national park, but it says it is on their website. I'm sure I'm missing something, can someone enlighten me without stirring up too much?

[BroadAmbition]

Erm, if your question is a wind up - Well done you got me!

If however it is a serious question - Just where have you been?

I would think you will not stir owt up much it's a straightforward question / answer.  The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads are NOT LEGALLY a national park, never have been and the vast majority of 'Broadlanders' hope it never will be primarily due to the Sandford principle.  Both DEFRA and the government have stated it is not a National park and cannot be changed to be one without government legislation to make it so.  The Ba however managed to spend countless thousands of pounds to successfully have the right to call the Broads 'A Member of the National Parks family' (For marketing / brand name purposes they stated).

So when you see official Ba posters / literature stating something along the lines of 'The Broads National Park' - in simple Tyke speak they are lying.  What they should state is 'The Broads a member of the national parks family but not a bona fide national park'

That's it in a smallish nutshell.  Hope this helps.

Griff

[JennyMorgan]

[Speleologist]

All National Parks in England were created under legislation contained in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. To have the legal status of a National Park it must be set up under the terms of this Act. The Broads is not. It is set up under the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988. This is a vital difference as the duty to protect navigation is contained in this act. A true National Park does not have a mechanism for enshrining navigation duties in law. Furthermore National Parks are subject to the "Sandford Principle" which means that if there is a conflict between conservation and other duties, then conservation must take precedence. This could potentially be used to restrict navigation. Many features of how the Broads Authority is structured have similarities to a National Park and the Authority tried to incorporate becoming a National Park within the Broads Authority Act 2009. This element was rejected by Parliament.However they have recently been given the go ahead to use the term National Park for marketing purposes. The Broads is still not legally a National Park. There are, in the minds of many of us, two major problems with this marketing strategy.

1. It is not true. George Orwell had a term for this. He called it Doublespeak.

21 minutes ago, HemsbyPie said:

See lots of posts about the broads not actually being a national park, but it says it is on their website

All National Parks in England were created under legislation contained in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. To have the legal status of a National Park it must be set up under the terms of this Act. The Broads is not. It is set up under the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988. This is a vital difference as the duty to protect navigation is contained in this act. A true National Park does not have a mechanism for enshrining navigation duties in law. Furthermore National Parks are subject to the "Sandford Principle" which means that if there is a conflict between conservation and other duties, then conservation must take precedence. This could potentially be used to restrict navigation. Many features of how the Broads Authority is structured have similarities to a National Park and the Authority tried to incorporate becoming a National Park within the Broads Authority Act 2009. This element was rejected by Parliament.However they have recently been given the go ahead to use the term National Park for marketing purposes. The Broads is still not legally a National Park. There are, in the minds of many of us, two major problems with this marketing strategy.

1. It is not true. George Orwell had a term for this. He called it Doublespeak.

2. If the public believe it is a National Park, there is a risk that it will wear down resistance in any future attempt to change the legal status.

[JennyMorgan]

Thank you, Robin, a very fair comment on your part.

[JennyMorgan]

Hi Hemsby, its a battle that has been going on for several years now, regretfully.

[Broads01]

I know discussions on here have been going on some time but I appreciate the explanations on this thread.  I can now fully understand and agree why its so wrong to call the Broads a National Park.  Navigation issues do indeed matter a teensy bit,  the Broads being the best boating playground in the world. 

[JennyMorgan]

Simon, Robin has explained things admirably. Several of us petitioned Parliament which meant actually going to the Houses of Parliament. Had we not then I am confident that the Authority would now have the power to exclude anglers and boaters from any water that they considered vulnerable. All this is detailed in Hansard, the official record of Parliamentary goings on. The Authority tried it on twice, in the Broads National Park Act as well as The Broads Act. Despite it being thrown out in The Lords the Authority still tried to invoke European legislation in order to close Horsey Mere with threats of £20,000.00 fines. Despite all this there are still folk who insist that there is nothing to be concerned about! 

[HemsbyPie]

Genuinely wasn't on the wind up - I tent to keep away from political hot potatoes so hadn't bothered asking in the past, but many thanks for the great explanation!!

I can see the plus and minus points of being part of the national park family, it's a bit of a double edged sword as they say!!

[JennyMorgan]

The reality!

[HemsbyPie]

Totally agree.

but surely additional marketing through the National Park network provides more holiday makers? Which brings more investment and in turn more jobs? Or should I take off my rose tinted glasses?

[JennyMorgan]

I do agree that people who enjoy National Parks will have more choice by including the Broads within the NP portfolio. I do think that NP people could thus be attracted to the Broads. On the other hand traditional Broads holiday makers might be put off coming here because it is a national park. My honest feeling is that the BNP tag is going to prove to be a deterant. We shall have to wait and see.

On the one hand I would love the Broads to be a national park, it might discourage the stag & hen parties that we all love so dearly. On the other hand I would object to the Broads Authority having the powers that National Parks legislation brings. I don't suppose we can have it both ways.

Have no doubts about it, the present BNP branding won't end there, it is only a means to an end, an end that many of us won't like, of that I am sure.

[Bound2Please]

BNP oh dear I think that abbreviation in its self, will deter many from visiting the Broads.

Charlie

[smellyloo]

Maybe we should encourage that chap Pete Diggings to dust off his spade and restart his dirt shovelling ..... me thinks we need to expand ................. could he bring about the norfolk, suffolk &Lincolnshire Broads. May we dream of expanding into Essex?

Of course we would need to invest in a bridge building exercise and maybe apply for an EU subsidy?

[MauriceMynah]

13 minutes ago, smellyloo said:

May we dream of expanding into Essex?

You have a weird concept as to just what constitutes a "Dream".

[Timbo]

2 hours ago, smellyloo said:

could he bring about the norfolk, suffolk &Lincolnshire Broads.

We in Lincolnshire have had our own Peat Diggings and marshlands just as long as Norfolk and noticed that the bloke in charge of the Broads Authority already fits nicely in Scunthorpe! 

[JennyMorgan]

Scunny is welcome to him! Perhaps he should be awarded the freedom of the town.

[unclemike]

OI. we dont want im in scunny thanks

[MauriceMynah]

Should I start singing...

... Scunny Scunny Scunny Scunny Scunny Chameleon... You come and go,,, You come and go..

 

 

As they say, I'll get my hat!

[JennyMorgan]

Please, no!

[quo vadis]

4 hours ago, Timbo said:

We in Lincolnshire have had our own Peat Diggings and marshlands just as long as Norfolk and noticed that the bloke in charge of the Broads Authority already fits nicely in Scunthorpe! 

Tut tut Timbo

[Timbo]

What?  All I was saying was that he'd fit in well in Scunny. At one time it was marketed as 'Steel Town'. Now all the signs say 'The Garden Town' even though they've taken out all the flower beds and gone for a sort of avant garde concrete grass and cig butt theme. 

[JennyMorgan]

On 2/10/2017 at 1:30 AM, Timbo said:

What?  All I was saying was that he'd fit in well in Scunny. At one time it was marketed as 'Steel Town'. Now all the signs say 'The Garden Town' even though they've taken out all the flower beds and gone for a sort of avant garde concrete grass and cig butt theme. 

Agreed, a town planner is not what the Broads needs but one is most definitely required in Scunny.