Press Release: 4th March 2009

Government urged to listen:

Nearly 10,000 people call for Western Weald to be included in National Park

The South Downs Campaign (SDC) [1] is thanking nearly 10,000 people who signed its paper petition [2] calling for the Western Weald in Sussex and Hampshire [3] to be included in the South Downs National Park. The SDC is handing over the petition to Michael Mates, MP for East Hampshire with the Mayor of Petersfield by the lake on Petersfield Heath [4]. Michael Mates will then present the petition to Parliament next week.

Michael Mates MP receives 10,000 signature Western Weald petition from the Mayor of Petersfield on behalf of the South Downs Campaign. Left to Right: John Venning, CPRE Hampshire, Cllr Vaughan Clarke, Mayor of Petersfield, Michael Mates MP, Cllr Andrew Shaxson, Chichester District Council, Cllr Mrs Susan Halstead, Liss Parish Council, Margaret Paren, Christopher Napier and Minette Palmer of CPRE Hampshire, and Dr Mairi Rennie.
Photo credit: Petersfield Herald

The SDC believes that this sends a strong message to Government as to the strength of feeling about including the area in the South Downs National Park and reinforces the evidence submitted to the re-opened inquiry last year [5].

John Venning, Executive Committee member of the SDC and CPRE Hampshire chairman said:

"This is further evidence as to how strongly local people believe the Western Weald should be in the National Park. It complements the vast amount of evidence presented to the re-opened inquiry by the Campaign, Hampshire County Council, Natural England and many, many others as to why the area should be included."

Michael Mates MP said:

"The message coming from my constituents loud and clear is that the Western Weald must be included in the South Downs National Park. I would urge the Government to take heed of this powerful voice and do the right thing."

Cllr Vaughan Clarke, Mayor of Petersfield said:

"We've lived with the threat of being left out of the National Park for long enough. Now the Government needs to end this uncertainty and with an early decision which puts Petersfield in its rightful place at the heart of the new National Park."

Cllr Colin Hughes, chairman of Midhurst Town Council said:

"Midhurst wants to share in the opportunities that the National Park will bring. At this time we need those benefits. A National Park which includes the Western Weald will strengthen the town's role as a gateway to the wider countryside and can only help our local economy."

- Ends -

CPRE/H/SD0309

Notes to editors

1. The South Downs Campaign is a network of over 150 organisations. As well as many national conservation, environmental and amenity organisations who are members, the SDC now has over 120 local members, including 28 Parish and Town Councils. A full list of members is available on request. The SDC is generously supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
2. The paper petition is quite separate to the SDC's online petition (although the wording was similar). The online petition was on the Prime Minister's website and ran from 9 July 2007 until 9 July 2008. It received 4,753 votes and was the top environmental 'live' petition for a while. The results can be viewed at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/western-weald/
3. The Western Weald is a 330 sq. km area of Low Weald landscapes closely associated with the South Downs, visually, culturally and historically. It covers the area including Petersfield, Liss, Midhurst and Petworth and the surrounding villages, extending up to the Surrey border to include Black Down. It represents approximately 20% of the total South Downs National Park area.
4. The location is on the corner of Heath Road where the lane up from Sussex Road (also called Heath Road) joins it. There is a grassy area over looking the lake. In case of severe weather, meet at Petersfield Town Hall.
5. The South Downs National Park inquiry was re-opened on 12 February 2008 and ended on 4 July 2008. At the inquiry evidence was presented showing that the public consultation over the summer 2007 on excluding the Western Weald (along with other issues), saw some 1,992 responses. Of this total the SDC estimated that directly or indirectly, around 1,260 (63% of the total) objected to the exclusion of the Western Weald. These are people who stated that they objected to the exclusion of the Western Weald specifically or who objected to a specific part of it being excluded. In stark contrast, only 30 people or organisations (1.5% of the total) supported the exclusion of the Western Weald.

Further information on public opinion can be found in the SDC's proof of evidence submitted to the inquiry at: http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/southdowns/documents/1147-0-2.pdf

For all media enquiries, please contact:
Keren Burney, media & communications officer, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01730 894123   Mobile: 07876 780065
Email: kburney@compege.co.uk

For information on CPRE, please contact:
Anthony McEwen, Director, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01962 779185   Mobile: 07717 296025
Email:anthony.mcewen@cprehampshire.org.uk