The South Downs National Park will come into being on 31 March 2010.
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced on 12 November 2009 the creation of a new National Park for the South Downs and confirmed its boundary with Petersfield right in the centre of the Western section.
What does this designation mean?
Designation as a National Park is a formal recognition of the South Down’s special qualities in terms of natural beauty and opportunities for open-air recreation. It means that:
- the area has the highest level of landscape protection under the planning system
- there is a fixed boundary for the area to be protected
- public bodies and others are required to have regard to National Park purposes when operating in the area
- it permits a National Park authority to be established (under the Environment Act 1995) to carry out functions associated with the Park.
National Parks, along with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are considered to be the nation’s finest landscapes. They form part of a worldwide network of protected landscapes established by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature/World Conservation Union).
The formal designation of the South Downs National Park will be on 31 March 2010.