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Annual report 2007-8 Annual report 2006-7 Annual report 2005-6 Campaigns CPRE response to SE Plan Transport survey

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South East Plan Hampshire Local Transport Plan South Downs information centre CPRE Hampshire is not responsible for the content of external websites

by Christopher Napier, Chairman CPRE Hampshire

Much of our volunteer capacity and publicity effort has been devoted to the South East Plan, which is the first so-called Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East and is being prepared by the South East England Regional Assembly, SEERA. We have been dealing with a plan that will govern until 2026 and will affect the life of every man woman and child in Hampshire. Some of the proposals for economic growth pose a serious threat to our Hampshire countryside.

The South East Plan

We started by holding one of the first public meetings to discuss the Plan after the consultation period opened towards the end of January. There were speakers from SEERA, the County Council and CPRE South East. We were delighted that the subject matter and this line up of speakers attracted an audience of 320 from Parish Councils, amenity societies, members and the public. Even the balconies in the King Alfred Room in the Winchester Guildhall had to be brought into use to give everyone somewhere to sit!

This event showed that planning and the environment do matter to people, and that there is a demand to know what CPRE has to say. CPRE Hampshire's detailed response to the South East Plan went on our website at Easter, and has been drawn on extensively by bodies around the County for their own responses. It has also been submitted to the County Council and District Councils. Several volunteers have given talks on the Plan and CPRE's position to Parish Councils and amenity societies. At the same time CPRE Hampshire has contributed to the response to SEERA from CPRE South East, and this has for the first time in earnest brought about new ways of working needed to ensure a Regional CPRE response reflecting the views of all eight County Branches within the South East Region, and avoiding the conflict which could arise when the proposals affect different parts of the Region in different ways. So, in this vital matter of the South East Plan, we have endeavoured to make our views clearly heard at all levels from Region to Parish, and amongst the wider public.

Transport

Another significant campaign has related to the Review of the Local Transport Plan by the County Council that is taking place during 2005. Our attempts to get the ear of County Transport officials on road clutter, speed limits in villages, quiet lanes and other matters related to transport in rural areas have in the past not been very successful. This time we surveyed by questionnaire 317 parish councils and amenity societies, getting a remarkable 171 responses, giving strong support to our concerns. Forwarding the results to the County Council, with a detailed paper arguing our case and other supporting evidence, brought an invitation to a meeting with the Leader of the Council, the Head of Environment and the Councillor with responsibility for transport matters, and further more detailed meetings with traffic management officers and highway engineers. Our views are now very well known at all levels within the Environment Department of the County Council, and we trust they will be reflected in the reviewed Local Transport Plan when it emerges in July. We will be specifically consulted on the strategic environmental assessment of the Plan.

Working Together

In some of our work we need to join with others for best impact, and the introduction of pilot hedgerow surveys in conjunction with Hampshire Wildlife Trust has been a good example. Lessons were learned as to how to do these surveys, which will be incorporated into this year's surveying. In July, as part of our local foods campaign, we sponsored and judged the farmers' market category of the Hampshire Life Food and Drink Awards.

Hampshire now has the New Forest National Park, the first National Park to be designated in England for many years, and the first lowland National Park. This will result in a new administrative structure for the New Forest, including a national park authority, and we are looking carefully at our role within these new arrangements. Meanwhile, through the South Downs Campaign, we have played a very active part in the South Downs National Park Inquiry, which closed in March. High quality evidence was submitted on boundaries, administration and planning arrangements, and we assisted Parish Councils wishing specific areas to be included in the Park. The Inspector is expected to make his report towards the end of 2005.

Proposed changes to the law, which will be for the better, have prompted a raft of applications for public rights of way in the countryside to be classified as Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATS). After exercising some pressure on the County Council for a change in their approach to these applications, we have written to all Parish Councils advising them how these applications can be tackled.

It has been another very good year for CPRE Hampshire and once again that that would not be the case but for the unstinting hard work, commitment and energy of our volunteers and staff.

April 2005

This page updated 15th May 2007
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