Welcome to the South Downs Joint Committee
Welcome to www.southdowns.gov.uk
the official website of the South Downs Joint Committee. Established in July 2005, the South Downs Joint Committee aims to provide one clear voice on issues across the South Downs.
The South Downs National Park
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced on 31st March 2009 that a new National Park will be created for the South Downs. A National Park Authority will also be established. For more information visit our Q&A page or go to the Defra website for indepth background and mapping.
Sustainable Development Fund Grants Now Available!
New Sustainable Development Fund funding has been confirmed for the current financial year. The SDJC now has £87,000 to award to projects that meet the Fund's criteria. If you are involved in or know of a project that needs funding - the South Downs Sustainable Development Fund may be the grant scheme for you!
South Downs Management Plan
The consultation period for the South Downs Management Plan ran from June until 31 October 2006. We have analysed the responses received and the final Management Plan has been published. You can view the Management Plan and other supporting documents in our Management Planning section.
Collabor8 - building a sustainable future for the South Downs
The South Downs Joint Committee has secured just over €1 million to help develop sustainable tourism and business partnerships in the region. The Collabor8 project taps into funding available from the EU’s Interreg 4B programme and is set to benefit the landscape a great deal. Please use this link to find out more.
Landshapers - Voices from the South Downs Landscape
‘Landshapers’ is an oral history of the South Downs through the people who live and work there. A series of audio visual presentations help you understand how this landscape has been, and continues to be, shaped by man. Themes include ‘War and Conflict’, ‘Flint and Man’, ‘Chalk and Water’ and ‘Agriculture and farming’, all presented by a variety of local experts. Click here to get to the page.
Working for the South Downs
Do you enjoy getting actively involved in environmental and conservation issues? Would you like to work for an organisation that works in partnership to protect the South Downs? See our jobs section for more detail.
Overhead power lines to be removed from the South Downs
More than 30 Kilometres of overhead lower voltage power cables will be removed from the South Downs during 2008 and 2009. The work will be carried out by contractors on behalf of EDF Energy and Scottish & Southern Energy and has been funded as the result of an allowance granted by industry regulator Ofgem through their price control review of electricity spending levels for 2005-2010. Read more
South Downs Icons and Eyesores Project
The South Downs Icons and Eyesores Project has been set up to help raise awareness of how cumulative landscape change impacts the South Downs landscape. At present, the pilot project is being run in the Downland parishes of Arun and Horsham districts. With the help of the local community, volunteer rangers and SDJC staff, a large number of icons and eyesores from the participating parishes have now been documented. Find out more about the Icons and Eyesores Project.
Sussex Pathwatch Scheme
‘Sussex Pathwatch’ was formed to combat motorised vehicles using public rights of way illegally in the Sussex countryside. The initiative, which is being piloted in the Chichester District, is essentially a scheme to encourage reporting of incidents. For further information or to attend Sussex Pathwatch meetings, contact Angela Shepherd, Western Area Ranger on 01243 811533 or ashepherd@southdowns-aonb.gov.uk. Find out more about pathwatch.
News & Learning
The South Downs Learning Experience (based at the Sustainability Centre in East Meon)is a residential programme for year six pupils, which provides a range of activities, supporting education for sustainable development within the national curriculum. Activities focus on the wildlife, history, recreational value and sustainable future of an area in the East Hampshire Downs. To find out more, please use the following link:
South Downs Learning Experience (Adobe Acrobat)
Reporting Rights of Way problems
If you have encountered a problem with a footpath or Right of Way, let us know by completing our online report form.
Reporting flytipping problems
To report flytipping you first need to identify the appropriate local authority.
If you have any queries about the website please contact us.
www.southdowns.gov.uk is part of South Downs Online a family of websites designed to provide people with an information portal for the South Downs.
