South Downs National Park unveils ambitious partnership plan as everyone invited to have their say
June 4, 2025
Increasing tree cover in the National Park by over 1,400 football pitches, cleaning up rivers and delivering 25km of new accessible path are among the goals of an ambitious plan going out to public consultation.
The National Park Authority is launching a major consultation on the draft Partnership Management Plan (PMP) – the most important document for any National Park which lays out key priorities and targets. By law, National Parks must review their PMP every five years.
People from across the region, inside and outside the National Park, are now being invited to have their say on the draft plan, with the consultation going live on 9 June and running until 1 August.
The final plan is being developed and will be delivered in partnership with scores of other organisations and individuals, including farmers, landowners, local authorities, the health sector, water companies, businesses, schools, charities and community groups.
The draft plan sets out seven collective priorities between 2026 and 2031 – nature recovery, climate action, clean water, young people, welcome and access, arts and heritage and a thriving, greener place.
Within the draft plan are some new targets including:
- Increasing tree canopy and woodland cover across the National Park by 888 hectares by 2031.
- Delivering 25 kilometres of accessible path, ensuring 50 gates/stiles have been made more accessible by 2031 and delivering five new easy access routes.
- Ensuring that the Authority is on track to reaching 60% of the National Park being managed for nature by 2060.
- Ensuring that 300 affordable homes are built and completed by 2031 and there is extant permission granted for 500 affordable homes by 2031.
- Achieving a 10% improvement in Water Framework Directive status (aimed at reducing pollution and improving water quality) for watercourses, including rivers and streams, across the National Park by 2031.
- Ensuring that 115 scheduled monuments have improved records around monitoring by 2031.
- By 2031, community groups from each parish in the National Park have signed up to a nature and climate pledge.
- Reduce net greenhouse gas emissions in South Downs National Park to net zero by 2040 relative to 1990 levels.
- By 2031, 100 farms in the National Park have carbon literacy and climate resilience plans, covering soil health and flood management.
- Bringing 80% of Sites of Scientific Interest within the National Park into “favourable condition” by 2042.
- Ensuring that more people have a chance to enjoy and engage with dark night skies, with 1m people reached online and 10,000 reached through in-person events by 2031.
- Supporting tourism activity that helps reduce carbon emissions and increases nature recovery.
Siôn McGeever, Chief Executive of the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “At a time when the world is facing unprecedented climate, nature, and economic crises, we need to be innovative and forward-thinking and that’s exactly what the draft Partnership Management Plan is.
“So, there’s one word that sums up this shared plan – ambition. We’re not shying away from aiming high in our shared vision for this amazing place.
“Like Sir David Attenborough recently said, the natural world is changing and we’re totally dependent on it for our food, water and air. It’s the most precious thing we have – and that’s why this draft PMP is so important.
“This National Park is in the busiest part of the UK, with 113,000 residents and millions of people living around it, and it can, and must, play a pivotal role in dealing with all the challenges and opportunities we now face. Ultimately, we want to make the South Downs an even better place with bigger and better wildlife habitats, more accessibility, more affordable homes and cleaner waterways.”
And Siôn added: “None of the objectives can be achieved alone and this plan is all about working together.
“The beauty of this partnership plan is that everyone can play their part, no matter how big or small. This is everyone’s opportunity to shape the future of their National Park and we’d like to hear from as many people as possible.”
To take part in the consultation visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/national-park-authority/our-work/partnership-management/
Following feedback from the public and partners, the new plan will be adopted and begin from January 2026.
- By law, National Parks have two purposes, as well as a social and economic duty to be considered when delivering the two purposes.
- Purpose 1 – To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area.
- Purpose 2 – To promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park by the public.
- Duty – To seek to foster the social and economic well-being of the local communities within the National Park in pursuit of the purposes.
- The draft Partnership Management Plan includes an overarching vision for the National Park for 2060:
The South Downs National Park is a vibrant place with nature everywhere, for everyone,
where wildlife flourishes, clean water flows and stars fill the dark night skies.
The landscape is adapted to climate change and sits at the heart of thriving communities
and a green rural economy. Shaped by stories old and new, this place inspires everyone
to connect, enjoy, care and belong.