THE Yorkshire Dales National Park could be extended to cover an even wider area towards its fellow authority in the Lake District.

The Dales became a National Park in 1954 and currently covers some 680 square miles straddling the central Pennines in North Yorkshire and neighbouring Cumbria.

But in some areas it is only a few miles from the Lakes - England’s biggest National Park, covering an area of 885 square miles.

The boundaries of both could be extended, after the Government’s conservation agency announced it was re-starting work to identify possible new areas for protection.

Natural England said there were large areas between the Dale and the Lakes which were worthy of landscape protection, but which are not currently formally protected at a national level.

The move follows the decision in favour of a new South Downs National Park, where the inspector conducting the public inquiry supported the designation of a park which covered different types of landscape.

Natural England’s acting chairman Poul Christensen said: "It is fitting that as we celebrate 60 years of National Parks - and all that they have achieved for people and wildlife - we now have a unique opportunity to look at a major expansion of two of England’s most cherished protected areas."

The issue of extending the boundaries has been raised before but it brought up legal uncertainties which now appear to have been clarified by the findings of the South Downs inquiry.

Any proposals will be the subject of widespread public consultation - and the news was welcomed by the head of rural policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Tom Oliver.

"There is increasing recognition that our outstanding landscapes are profoundly important for our well-being and for the nation’s success in the future," he said.

"Beautiful places deserve respect from developers and support from Government. Everyone will benefit from this: residents; visitors and businesses alike."

*The areas under consideration are Birkbeck Fells to Whinfell; Helsington Barrows to Sizergh Fell; River Kent and around Levens; Orton Fells; Northern Howgill Fells; Mallerstang and Wild Boar Fell; Middleton, Barbon and Leck Fells; Firbank Fell; Lower Lune Valley and adjacent fells to the west; Kirkby Lonsdale area, and the area around Cold Cotes.