Introduction

BUWG has long campaigned for National Park status for the South Downs, in order to provide a stronger protective designation.  The South Downs is our local “wilderness”, a place of escape from the daily urban grind.  But, it is under immense pressure from intensive agriculture, development threats and huge recreation demands.  The downland landscape needs to be restored, so appropriate farming must be encouraged.  The drive to develop a “world-class” economy for the SE is driving the region to unsustainable heights that threaten the very qualities of the area that we cherish.  Leisure is ever-growing, and, with more and more local people accessing the Downs, proper recreation management is essential. 

Designation

The highest protection in this country is the National Park and, with a fully resourced Authority in place, the main issues of the Downs can be tackled.  So, with great joy, we welcomed John Prescott’s announcement on the 29th September 1999, to support the designation and fight to ensure the best boundary possible.  This has required some serious study to present the case at the Inquiry, and we have been encouraged by many friends coming out to press their views for the urban fringe downland around the Brighton conurbation.

January and July 2004

The Inquiry is being held at the Chatsworth Hotel in The Steyne, Worthing.  The Planning Inspectorate website (http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk) publishes the timetable if you want to go along and listen in, or you can visit  the Countryside Agency (www.countryside.gov.uk) for updates.  January saw the Inspector taking in the arguments for the Brighton boundary.  July has seen the debate over a marine area for the Park. 

 Much of January was taken up with various supporters making the case for inclusion of significant areas of local downland.  We kicked off with Mile Oak, then moved east, to discuss Foredown Tower, Benfield Valley, Toads Hole and Green Ridge.  Further east, Hollingbury hill, Ladies Mile and Coldean were examined.  Finally, moving down the eastern edge, Woodingdean, Whitehawk Hill and Sheepcote Valley were looked at, culminating in a well-argued plea for the cliffs and foreshore to be in the National Park.  The Inquiry then focused on Ovingdean, Rottingdean, Telscombe and the cliffs of Newhaven.  And we moved into February.

 The Inquiry has been virtually zooming around the boundary from Eastbourne to Winchester, but it has all been about the inclusion or exclusion of LANDscape.  With an iconic coastline, nationally renown, equal consideration needs to be given to the SEAscape.