South Downs Park Confirmed

Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, today took part in a celebration of the confirmation of the South Downs as a National Park in Ditchling along with representatives of various campaigning organisations.


The announcement that the South Downs would become a National Park was made in March this year, but it wasn’t until today that he signed the order confirming the designation order which makes the South Downs National Park a reality in law.

The delay in confirmation was due to his desire to include additional areas within the National Park boundaries, and today he announced that Alice Holt, Castle Goring, the Green Ridge and Patcham Recreation Ground, all areas considered at the reopened inquiry in August, are part of the National Park, as are small additional areas of land at Plumpton, Roedean Crescent and the A27 embankments.  The park will come into being on 1 April, 2010 and will be operational a year later on 1 April 2011.

John Songhurst, Chairman of the South Downs Society, said: “This is a proud day for the Society and all those who have campaigned for the protection of the South Downs.  The National Park means more can be done to protect our precious wildlife, and enable it to thrive.  Landscape features such as prehistoric earthworks and the dewponds will be properly conserved.  Villages will benefit too because National Parks create jobs and additional income.”

The park stretches from Beachy Head in East Sussex to Winchester in Hampshire and covers  632 square miles. It was first earmarked for National Park status back in 1947 as part of the Hobhouse Report and is the last of the 12 areas suggested to actually become a National Park.