South Downs National Park Campaign

Right now this is a major campaign supported by CPRE as a member of the South Downs Campaign "Working for the best possible National Park". For information on this campaign group read the overview or visit the campaign's (external) website.

One Last Push for the South Downs Petition

John Venning of CPRE Hampshire is urging as many people as possible to sign the petition to include the Western Weald in the South Downs National Park. The target is 5,000 signature by 9th July.

Read the press release

Closing statement (May 2008)

A closing statement from the South Downs Campaign (of which CPRE is a founding member) has been made to the Inquiry. The introduction stresses that we "are campaigning for positive change to happen". It notes that "one cannot think of a comparable campaign that consists of so many national, regional and local supporting organisations - including a number of town and parish councils." The full 44-page statement discusses overarching issues, Lewes, Ditchling and the Western Weald. The final paragraph urges the Inspector "to recommend to the Secretary of State that they [all the areas mentioned] should all be within a South Downs National Park for the 21st Century. In doing so you would be fulfilling the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the local residents and the myriad of national, regional and local organisations that constitute the South Downs Campaign."
Press release - Closing Statement (PDF).

Include the Western Weald! (March 2008)

A mass of detailed evidence to support the inclusion of the Western Weald in the South Downs National Park has been researched, written, printed and collated for delivery to the Inspector of the South Downs National Park inquiry. Read the full press release.

Inquiry Reopens

The Inquiry re-opened on 12th February. Details of the timetable can be found on the South Downs pages of the Planning Inspectorate's website. The current schedule shows it running until 24th April. The Inquiry and the status of the Western Weald was the topic of this week's 'Open Countryside on BBC Radio 4.

Will The Inquiry Process Be Flawed?

Over 150 campaigners from CPRE, other groups and Western Weald residents demonstrated outside a pre-Inquiry meeting at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday 11th December. To coincide with this, CPRE national HQ issued a press release saying that the future of the South Downs could be jeopardised by a flawed Inquiry process. In a press release about this meeting, the South Downs Campaign said that "the inspector has moved some way but concerns continue that inquiry will still not be a level playing field".
Read the national press release (11 Dec)
Read CPRE Hampshire press release (4 Dec)
Latest news from South Downs Campaign (external link; opens in new window)

CPRE's Position

In 2003 we submitted our response to the consultation process for the proposal, strongly supporting the Downs and relevant hinterlands becoming a National Park. We subsequently played an active part in the 18-month long planning inquiry.

However, we object to the Inspector's findings, released at the end of June 2007, that recommended the exclusion of the Western Weald, which has been nationally protected as AONB since the 1960s. See 'nonsensical boundaries' below.

The Future of The South Downs - Book Offer

For any CPRE member interested in the history and the future of the South Downs, a new book being published by a local publisher may be of interest. There is a special offer to CPRE members of £10 off the list price, va;id until 30th April 2008. Please see leaflet (PDF) for further details.

Chris Huhne MP adds his support

On 23rd October Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Environment - Chris Huhne MP - visited Whitehill and Liss today to meet South Downs campaigners and see for himself countryside at the centre of a national debate over its inclusion in the proposed South Downs National Park.

Read the press release of this visit. Also more detailed notes about the exclusion of Longmoor and Woolmer.

Bill Bryson visits the area left out

Bill Bryson, CPRE's president, recently (11th September) visited areas in the Western Weald which were recommended by the government's planning inspector to be excluded from the proposed national park. He was accompanied by John Venning and Margaret Paren of CPRE Hampshire and also people from CPRE Sussex, CPRE national headquarters and the South Downs Campaign.

The new proposed boundaries exclude over a quarter of the land area originally designated for the Park, which according to Bill Bryson is "some of England’s finest and one of the glories of the English landscape is its huge variety." In Hampshire this includes the area around Petersfield.

Visit Report and photos. Bill Bryson saw for himself the Western Weald area which is now proposed to be excluded from the National Park. (Sept 2007)
Bill Bryson steps out for the South Downs. A press release from CPRE Sussex describing the visit. (Sept 2007 - PDF)
"A decision that's hard to understand". Bill Bryson's own words from an article describing his visit. (CPRE national website, Sept 2007).
Notes from a small piece of downland. An article by Bill Bryson. (The Independent, 15th Sept 2007).

Nonsensical Boundaries

CPRE has objected to the boundary changes proposed in the Inspector's report. Compared to the 2002 draft plans whole swathes of beautiful countryside are now earmarked for exclusion from the new national park.

A Nonsensical Boundary. John Venning writes in the Petersfield Herald that the new proposed boundaries are nonsensical and go against earlier recommendations of Natural England. There's also a petition against the current proposals. (July 2007)
Left Out and the door is about to shut. Just as in Hampshire, communities in Sussex like Lewes and Arundel are questioning their exclusion from the National Park. (CPRE Sussex, July 2007 - PDF)
Campaigners join forces to support Council over national park proposals (press release). Countryside campaigners carried banners to show solidarity with the East Hampshire District Council before an emergency Council meeting on 26th July about the proposed redefined boundary of the South Downs National Park. (July 2007)
CPRE's Views on the South Downs Campaign.CPRE believes that a National Park is the best way of conserving and enhancing the beautiful countryside of the South Downs, Hangers and Western Weald. However, it believes the case to exclude the Western Weald is flawed. (July 2007)

Other groups have also commented on the exclusion of their areas. See, for example, the Alice Holt Forest website, lamenting the exclusion of the forest, Binsted and the 'Northern Hangers'.

The Long Journey

The South Downs National Park was proposed over 60 years ago. Below are links to the 60th anniversary walk and some articles about progress over the last few years.

60th Anniversary Walk (PDF). An invitation by the Rambler's Association and the South Downs Campaign to join a 9 mile walk led by actor Brian Blessed. See also photos and report of the walk.
Campaign Update. This update by Chris Todd, Campaign Manager for the South Downs Campaign. It outlines the latest round of consultation and summarises the good news and bad news. (CPRE Sussex, June 2007)
60th Anniversary of National Park Call (PDF). This press release from the South Downs Campaign urges the Government to mark this anniversary with a speedy and positive decision. Why are we waiting ..... (June 2007).
The Process is Back on Track. Last year's delays are behind us but Margaret Paren says there could still be delays as several issues are revisited. (May 2007).
Uncertainties and Delay. Delays in announcing the decision on whether to create this national park are longer than anticipated. (May 2006).
South Downs National Park Public Inquiry. News of the Inquiry that started in October 2003 and finished in March 2005. (May 2005).

Some Other Links