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Peak District Rural Action Zone
The Peak Pathfinder area is the Peak District Rural Action Zone (RAZ) which comprises the districts of Derbyshire Dales and High Peak (East Midlands), significant parts of Staffordshire Moorlands and the Weaver ward of East Staffordshire (West Midlands).
Together these districts house 93% of the population of the Peak District National Park. The area has a population of 175,000 and covers 1,750 sqkm.
There are tracts of open countryside, many small and medium sized villages, and market towns, which serve the whole area.
There are significant pressures on these communities; yet through strong working relationships, a willingness to tackle important issues and the ability to adapt quickly to change, the Peak District RAZ partners are confident that the necessary changes can be made.
These issues that face the Peak District include:
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High quality environment, which is attractive and an asset to residents and visitors alike but has high maintenance costs
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Housing affordability for local people due to high house prices/rents, low supply, and second/holiday homes
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Fading market towns and rural deprivation associated with the decline of the traditional industries of agriculture, quarrying and manufacturing, industrial closures, skills shortages, seasonal/casual employment and low wages
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Lack of opportunities and facilities for young people particularly local employment but also leisure and recreation, which are important to the population as a whole for maintaining healthy lifestyles. Raising awareness of opportunities that are already available is also important
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Maintaining safe, healthy, sustainable rural communities when central and regional funding is targeted at urban areas with more visible problems
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Sparse population pattern presenting service access and delivery difficulties.
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