All posts by jefftravis

Decision is deferred on Lewes Phoenix application

October 13th, 2023

Statement and update from the South Downs National Park Authority following today’s Planning Committee meeting in Lewes regarding application SDNP/23/00526/OUT:   People and communities are at the heart of the planning process and our role as Planning Authority in placemaking is always done with great responsibility, care and diligence. Our officers have worked hard and […]

Nature success story as volunteers strive to protect nature reserve in South Downs

October 13th, 2023

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Benfield Hill being designated Hove’s first and oldest Local Nature Reserve. Widely recognised as a ‘hidden gem’ in the National Park, it is one of the richest surviving remnants of old chalk grassland in the area. To mark the milestone, the Benfield Wildlife and Conservation Group, which protects […]

Providing a local solution to sustainable meat production in the South Downs

October 12th, 2023

Laura Hockenhull is a development officer for Sussex Grazed, a new scheme launched by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership that is seeking to increase sustainability from the farm to the plate. She introduces the initiative and shares how you can get involved. The great Rudyard Kipling wrote: “The Downs are sheep, the Weald is corn, […]

Brighton golf course is above par for wildlife

October 12th, 2023

Pyecombe Golf Club, which is set within the undulating landscape of the South Downs National Park, is one of the best courses in the UK for butterflies and chalk grassland flowers, new research has found. Consultant ecologist Neil Hulme performed three detailed surveys of the course and found an impressive total of 34 species of […]

South Downs National Park responds to State of Nature report with a strong call to action

September 29th, 2023

“We need more nature everywhere for everyone.” That’s the call to action from the South Downs National Park Authority as it responds to the latest State of Nature report, which lays bare the full extent of the biodiversity crisis. The leading scientific report, based on analysis from 60 organisations, shows that one in six species […]