Major victory in fight to protect South Downs
A major victory has been won in the fight to protect the South Downs for future generations.
Last month more than 200 organisations wrote to the government urging them not to weaken or remove a legal duty to support National Parks and their nature and landscapes.
And, following a meeting with Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the National Park Authority, Winchester MP Danny Chambers presented a petition with over 1,200 signatures to the government.
It came after it was mooted that the government was considering amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that could water down the duty, downgrading consideration for National Parks among partners and developers.
On 13 October, it was confirmed that the government was not pressing ahead with the idea.
Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the National Park Authority, said: “As our very first National Parks look toward a celebration of 75 years since their designation next year, repealing such a hard-fought duty now would have been completely out of step with Government’s ambitions for nature recovery, climate resilience and wider 30by30 targets.
“It is vital that such proposals remain off the table and the duty can continue to enable partnership, collaboration and cross-government working throughout these cherished landscapes.”
And Vanessa added: “This is a galvanising moment – an opportunity to reflect on the purpose of the strengthened duty. In legal terms it should influence how public bodies approach planning applications in Protected Landscapes. But really, the dream is something much more fundamental than that. It should be a catalyst for deeper, more positive partnership working between Protected Landscapes and the public organisations that operate within them.
“We need to keep pushing for these designated areas to be recognised as the vital environmental assets for the nation that they truly are. Places delivering essential ecosystem services and nurturing growth that’s measured not in profit, but in natural capital. A holistic approach that benefits both people and nature.”
The current government has declared the protection and enhancement of National Parks to be vital to its mission to restore nature and boost the nation’s health through access to green spaces.