Our vision
Westmorland and Furness Council have committed to ensure that the council is carbon net zero as soon as possible and that the area it serves is carbon net zero by 2037.
Our response to the climate and biodiversity emergencies
Our climate change action plan part one shows the commitment and direction of travel Westmorland and Furness are taking in responding to the climate emergency. We are creating a climate change action plan part two which will have the actions the council is and will take to transition to net zero.
We are:
- Retrofitting 1600 homes, funded by the Home Upgrade Grant 2 and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund;
- Constructing a new 2MW solar farm in Barrow;
- Committing £1 million for local sustainable transport schemes from our Priority Investment Fund;
- Developing an electric vehicle infrastructure strategy to install more charging points across Westmorland and Furness, with £4 million funding from the Government LEVI scheme;
- A bronze accredited Carbon Literate organisation and working towards silver accreditation;
- Building on the recommendations of the two Citizens Juries, held in Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal and working on ways to engage more with our communities;
- Drafting the climate action plan part two, following engagement, which will set out our road map to net zero;
- Working with the Cumbria Local Resilience Forum to identify risks and prepare for the impacts caused by our changing climate;
- Developing a nature and biodiversity policy and action plan and leading on the Cumbria-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Coronation Community Orchard Fund
This £50,000 fund will support community groups, schools, charities and other organisations to establish community orchards in their local area in celebration of the King’s coronation.
The fund aims to support the planting of accessible community orchards across Westmorland and Furness.
The Coronation Community Orchard Fund will award grants up to £10,000 per group.
Grants will be awarded for orchards of a minimum of five fruit and/or nut trees planted until 31 March 2025.
This grant will provide capital funding for establishing a community orchard, including:
- ground preparation
- planting trees and tree costs
- protection and irrigation
You can now apply for the second round of funding. The closing date for applications is Friday 19 July at 12pm.
Coronation Community Orchard Fund Application Form (PDF , 237KB)
Coronation Community Orchard Fund Guidance (PDF , 177KB)
s.37(2) Subsidy Control Act Notification (PDF , 88KB)
Subsidy Control Due Diligence Submission Plan (PDF , 110KB)
Please send completed forms to: futuretrees@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Rural Net Zero Project
Westmorland and Furness Council, alongside Cumbria Action for Sustainability, Cumbria Tourism, Fell Brewery, Holker Estate and Playdale received £150,000 in follow-up funding from Innovate UK to build capacity and capability to help address our net zero transition. The follow-up funding from Innovate UK will build on the Phase 1 Feasibility Study led by the former South Lakeland District Council, which identified non-technical barriers to net zero.
The funding allows us to maintain the relationships, interest and momentum of Phase 1, enabling us to deepen our understanding of non-technical barriers associated with decarbonisation of food systems and business processes, and to progress the options for addressing them.
Our project objectives include:
- recognising the potential of circular economy to overcome non-technical barriers to net zero
- recognising the gaps in green finance expertise by exploring innovative methods to finance low carbon projects
- building on existing initiatives of our project team to reduce carbon emissions from food systems
- continuing to work collaboratively, to advocate for co-design processes in net zero project and policy developments
Climate and Nature Partnership Fund
The fund aims to support collaborative partnership working to tackle climate change, support nature recovery and ensure a fair transition to a low carbon future for our communities in Westmorland and Furness.
Applications are now closed, this page will be updated once grant funding has been allocated.
Reducing your carbon footprint
- Cumbria Action for Sustainability have calculators you can use to see how much carbon you use personally, or as a small to medium business: CAfS carbon footprint calculators - CAfS
- To get involved in climate action with your local community, Zero Carbon Cumbria can help you find a group in your area: Find your local group - Zero Carbon Cumbria - Carbon reduction action across the county.
- Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has guidance for businesses: Net Zero | Cumbria LEP (CLEP) (thecumbrialep.co.uk)
Climate and nature newsletter
For stories tips and information about how we can work together to tackle climate change, including:
- steps we’re taking to reduce our carbon emissions and protect our local environment
- ways we can work together to make sustainable choices
- saving money and energy at home
Get our climate and nature newsletter
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Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Cumbria is one of 48 strategy areas that are required by the Environment Act to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for their area by March 2025. A ‘Responsible Authority’ has been appointed for each strategy area to lead on the preparation of their LNRS; Westmorland and Furness Council are the responsible authority for the Cumbria LNRS.
Find out what an LNRS is and to get involved in the development process:
visit the Cumbria LNRS website
Contact us
Select your local area for more information:
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As a new council we are in the process of adding information to this website. To give you the information you need some pages will link back to the old council websites.