The all-important decision over the future of the Roaches has been made, with the announcement that Staffordshire Wildlife Trust will take on a 125 year lease of the estate.

The Roaches, an iconic climbing crag and beauty spot near Leek in Staffordshire, is one of the estates being "disposed of" as part of a wider asset review by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) due to budgetary pressures.

The Roaches Estate comprises a long thin strip of land with a variety of habitats from open moorland to plantation forest, incorporating a number of important crags such as Hen Cloud, The Roaches, The Five Clouds, The Roaches Skyline and Back Forest.

The Park Authority considered proposals from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, The National Trust and The Land Trust before deciding to entrust Staffordshire Wildlife Trust with the estate's future management.

The BMC’s preferred option was The National Trust due to its experience in land management, dealing with moorland fires and management of visitors to popular areas such as the Roaches. However, the BMC is committed to working with the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to ensure climbers and walkers interests are maintained and that the Roaches remains well managed for both wildlife and people.

The BMC leases Rockhall Cottage from the PDNPA and so has a direct interest in the future management of the estate separate to the climbing and walking.

It follows the National Trust and RSPB coming together to form the Eastern Moors Partnership to manage the Eastern Moors estate (including crags such as Froggatt and Curbar) last year, and precedes the next major estate of interest to walkers and climbers – North Lees, which includes Stanage.

This ‘asset disposal’ is a result of the PDNPA, along with many other National Parks and public bodies, having to make budget cuts. Historically the PDNPA has owned considerably more land than other National Park Authorities and as part of its cost saving review, a number of areas of its land were identified to be disposed of, through sale or lease to other organisations or individuals.

Following a yearlong process of consultation and putting the estate up for tender, the PDNPA’s Audit, Resources & Planning Committee met on the 25^th November 2011 to decide which bid should be chosen to manage the site. Out of the three bids from the Land Trust, National Trust and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT), the SWT bid was chosen to take on management of the estate through a 125 year lease.

Local BMC access reps and keen local climbers Andi Turner, Henry Folkard, Adam Long and Neil Foster along with BMC Access & Conservation Officer Rob Dyer attended the public part of the meeting, with Andi and Henry each giving three minute speeches on the importance of the estate for climbers and walkers.