I have also concluded that this is not a development which should be allowed in the National Park. I think the plan is less bad than Thirlmere only on the grounds that the only people able to use the wire, or top section of it anyway, are those who have already completed the via ferrata.
On the question of whether this is the type of development which should be set in the fells - I cannot think it is desirable. Lakeland Lorry's link is really interesting, but one thing it does show is that, while this type of development was there in the past, it has been removed - and I think most would agree that the fellside is a better place without it. It seems to me to be a retrograde step to reinstate it. I find it hard to believe that there is no other economic system to move the rock down to the hause, though I accept that my engineering knowledge runs to the easier end of the lego scale.
However, I suspect that this application is more likely to succeed than the Turnip Plantation scheme at Thirlmere - for the reasons that there is already a quarry there, that there is already a via ferrata there and, therefore, the impact of the wire will be argued to be less severe than was the case at Thirlmere. I hope I am wrong - and I have written my email of opposition.
Paul