Bill Bryson visits areas to be excluded from the South Downs National Park

Bill Bryson, CPRE's president, today (11th September) visited areas in the Western Weald which were recently 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.

CPRE volunteers from East Hampshire took him to a number of vantage points to show him the contrast between the Inspector's report and the reality on the ground and to highlight the intimate connection between the wealden landscape and the chalk ridge.

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. The photos below were taken on the visit.

Photo credits: Tina Bolton Photography Limited This page last updated 20th September 2007