THE director general of the National Trust has said that the organisation made the "right decision" when it voted to split up High Yewdale farm this week, reports Ruth Lythe.

Fiona Reynolds told The Westmorland Gazette that changes in farm payments meant that there was no other option but to split the Coniston farm, which was once owned by Beatrix Potter and visited by the Queen.

And she added that other Lake District hill farms battling to keep afloat in the face of the Common Agricultural Policy reforms could await a similar fate if they were to be vacated by their tenants.

The Trust announced on Wednesday that High Yewdale Farm, near Coniston, would definitely be amalgamated with three other neighbouring farms.

The decision was made at a closed doors meeting of the Trust's highest body, the board of trustees, and follows months of protest from those opposed to the move.

In an interview following the meeting Mrs Reynolds said that the figures to keep High Yewdale as a working farm simply did not stack up in the face of the farm payment reforms.

The reforms mean that farmers are now given subsidies in line with the area of land they farm rather in accordance to the number of stock.

This means that many livestock enterprises, like hill farms, are simply not profitable and most will make significant losses.

Mrs Reynolds said that while the Trust had decided to re-let two other Lake District farms which had recently become vacant, it would be unviable to do so with High Yewdale.

This was partly because a large proportion of the farm consisted of open fell and moorland which would now receive lower subsidies.

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