104-404: The South Downs National Park is England's newest national park , designated on 31 March 2010. The park, covering an area of 1,627 square kilometres (628 sq mi) in southern England, stretches for 140 kilometres (87 mi) from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east through the counties of Hampshire , West Sussex and East Sussex . The national park covers the chalk hills of
208-779: A devolved matter, so each of the countries of the United Kingdom has its own policies and arrangements for them. The national parks of Scotland and those of England and Wales are governed by separate laws: the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 in Scotland and the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 for England and Wales. The Environment Act 1995 defines the role of national parks in England and Wales as being: The Broads differs from
312-540: A South Downs National Park originated in the 1920s, when public concern was mounting about increasing threats to the beautiful downland environment, particularly the impact of indiscriminate speculative housing development on the eastern Sussex Downs ( Peacehaven was an example of this). In 1929, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England , led by campaigners including the geographer Vaughan Cornish , submitted
416-634: A cutting). 1961-1980 CPRE worked on the issues of indestructible plastics, loss of hedgerows, energy infrastructure and the UK coastline. When the M4 was built in 1963 CPRE successfully fought to protect the Berkshire Downs . It also began to seek for tighter control on advertising hoardings along roadsides. 1981-1990 This era saw the creation of protected Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, something CPRE had campaigned for along with others. Attention
520-403: A five-year research – 'Mapping Local Food Webs' (2007–2012). Campaigns support farming funding that will stem loss of smaller farms and the diversity they provide (2017). There is campaigning against large-scale fracking operation in the UK, that will destroy large areas of the countryside and exacerbate the global plastic binge (2018). A photography competition was started in 2016 to celebrate
624-710: A large part of the existing East Hampshire and Sussex Downs AONBs. This proved highly controversial, leading to calls from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and others for the inclusion of the so-called western Weald , a region within the two AONBs possessing a geology, ecology and landscape quite different from the chalk hills of the South Downs, within the park boundary to ensure that it remained protected from development. The Secretary of State invited objections and representations on new issues relating to
728-510: A list of "other amenity areas". Sir Arthur Hobhouse 's 1947 Report of the National Parks Committee took a different view, and he included the South Downs in his list of twelve areas recommended for designation as a national park, defined by John Dower as an "extensive area of beautiful and relatively wild country in which, for the nation's benefit...the characteristic landscape beauty is strictly preserved". The South Downs
832-527: A little more restrictive than elsewhere. Within the United Kingdom there are fifteen national parks of which ten are in England, three in Wales , two in Scotland , and none in Northern Ireland. An estimated 110 million people visit the national parks of England and Wales each year. Recreation and tourism bring visitors and funds into the parks, to sustain their conservation efforts, and support
936-488: A memorandum to the Prime Minister urging the case for national parks, including a national park on part of the South Downs. When however, towards the end of World War II , John Dower was asked to report on how a system of national parks in England and Wales might be established, his 1945 report, National Parks in England and Wales , did not identify the South Downs for national park status, but rather included it in
1040-462: A national park in the 1970s but the proposal was thought to be administratively too difficult because the area was administered by five different county councils . The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads was designated through its own Act of Parliament in 1988 , gaining status equivalent to that of a national park. The Broads in East Anglia are not in the strictest sense a national park, being run by
1144-674: A northward-facing chalk escarpment that rises dramatically above the low-lying vales of the Low Weald. The chalk escarpment reaches the English Channel west of Eastbourne , where it forms the dramatic white cliffs of Beachy Head , the Seven Sisters and Seaford Head. These cliffs were formed after the end of the last ice age , when sea levels rose and the English Channel was formed, resulting in under-cutting of
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#17327650810661248-629: A number of boundary revisions, the park incorporates two areas previously designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the East Hampshire AONB and Sussex Downs AONB . The park also includes the Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield. The South Downs National Park's chalk downland sets it apart from other national parks in Britain. However, almost a quarter (23%) of the national park consists of
1352-447: A number of problems. The national funding offered to national park authorities is partly in recognition of the extra difficulties created in dealing with these conflicts. The United Kingdom has a number of other designated landscape areas besides its national parks. Most similar to the parks are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which differ in part because of their more limited opportunities for extensive outdoor recreation. Dartmoor,
1456-598: A pioneering new methodology in 2006. CPRE also published similar maps focusing solely on light pollution in 2003. In 1996, English composer John Rutter wrote the words and music for an anthem entitled "Look at the World" in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the CPRE. In April 2006 CPRE Peak District & South Yorkshire sought to clarify its identity across its vast territory by operating under two distinct identities. Due to its long association with Peak District National Park,
1560-495: A quarterly magazine entitled 'Countryside Voices', and can opt to receive 'Fieldwork' which contains details of campaigns around the UK. The CPRE promotes a large number of rural attractions such as gardens, houses and museums, by means of its annual Members' Guide. The 2012 Members Guide was supported by the National Farmers Union . In 2015, CPRE published the 'Warm and Green' report, which sheds new light on
1664-529: A quite different and strongly contrasting physiographic region, the western Weald , whose densely wooded hills and vales are based on an older Wealden geology of resistant sandstones and softer clays. The highest point in the national park, Blackdown , at 280 m (919 ft) above sea level, is in fact situated in the Weald, on the Greensand Ridge , whereas the highest point on the chalk escarpment of
1768-434: A result of objections and representations received on the proposed Order, a public inquiry was conducted between 10 November 2003 and 23 March 2005, with the aim of recommending to ministers whether a national park should be confirmed and, if so, where its boundaries should be. The results of the inquiry were expected by the end of 2005, but were delayed pending a legal issue arising from a High Court case challenging part of
1872-418: A separately constituted Broads Authority set up by a special Act of Parliament in 1988 and with a structure in which conservation is subordinate to navigational concerns (see Sandford Principle below), but it is generally regarded as being "equivalent to" a national park. Separate legislation was passed in Scotland, namely the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 , and from this two Scottish national parks,
1976-423: Is "a vital but undervalued environmental, economic and social asset to the nation." They aim to "highlight threats and promote positive solutions." They campaign using their own research to lobby the public and all levels of government. CPRE was formed following the publication of "The Preservation of Rural England" by Sir Patrick Abercrombie in 1926. Abercrombie became its Honorary Secretary. The inaugural meeting
2080-471: Is a white sedimentary rock, notably homogeneous and fine-grained, and very permeable. It consists of minute calcite plates ( coccoliths ) shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores . The strata include numerous layers of flint nodules , which have been widely exploited as a material for manufacture of stone tools as well as a building material for dwellings. Similar areas in Britain include
2184-492: Is also a focus on reducing “clutter” in the form of unnecessary road signs and advertising billboards in the countryside and seeking ways to protect quiet rural roads. Tools to map tranquility in the countryside are being developed for use by local and regional planners. Effort is put into reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the fight for farmers to be recognised for the work they do in protecting
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#17327650810662288-456: Is complex, but the full cost of each park authority is funded from central government funds. In the past this was partly paid for by local authorities and refunded to them from the government to varying degrees. In 2003/2004 the park authorities received around £35.5 million of central government funding. The UK's national parks are members of National Parks UK, which works to promote them, and to facilitate training and development for staff of all
2392-555: Is designated under this Act, and must be confirmed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . The 1949 Act came about after a prolonged campaign for public access to the countryside in the United Kingdom with its roots in the Industrial Revolution. The first 'freedom to roam' bill was introduced to Parliament in 1884 by James Bryce but it was not until 1931 that a government inquiry recommended
2496-497: Is given to campaigns against 'surface' or opencast mining . CPRE has challenged the government to modify HS2 rail plans to remove all planned out-of-town interchange ("parkway") stations as well as challenging the potential Oxford–Cambridge Expressway . Suggestions have been offered for a range of practical measures to be adopted by central and local government in order to support local food businesses so that they can provide fair and affordable prices. Preliminary work consisted of
2600-401: Is merit in variety and with the wide diversity of landscape which is available in England and Wales, it would be wrong to confine the selection of National Parks to the more rugged areas of mountain and moorland, and to exclude other districts which, though of less outstanding grandeur and wildness, have their own distinctive beauty and a high recreational value. The National Parks and Access to
2704-614: Is no national park in the southern Midlands . The Cairngorms National Park , at 4,528 km (1,748 sq mi), is the largest of the national parks. Outside the Scottish Highlands the largest is the Lake District National Park , which, at 2,292 square kilometres (885 sq mi), is the largest National Park in England and the second largest in the United Kingdom. Snowdonia National Park , at 2,142 square kilometres (827 sq mi),
2808-568: Is really 'under concrete' (including roads, railways, car parks, etc.). It is nevertheless the case that in 2017/18, 8.9 km of previously undeveloped Green Belt land changed to a developed use, of which 2.9 km turned into residential use. Figures from the British YIMBY movement have criticised the CPRE, accusing it of denying the British housing crisis and significantly underestimating housing need in high-cost areas to justify
2912-432: Is the largest national park in Wales and the fourth largest in the United Kingdom. The smallest national park in England and Wales, and in the United Kingdom, is The Broads , at 303 square kilometres (117 sq mi). The total area of the national parks in England and Wales is about 16,267 square kilometres (6,281 sq mi), for an average of 1,251 square kilometres but a median of 1,344 square kilometres. In
3016-1086: Is thought likely to increase as a result of the creation of the national park. The national park has an area of 1,625 km (627 sq mi), of which 544 km (210 sq mi) is in Hampshire, 807 km (312 sq mi) in West Sussex and 237 km (92 sq mi) in East Sussex. Among the district council areas, Chichester District has the largest area at 544 km (210 sq mi), followed by East Hampshire District with 279 km (108 sq mi), Winchester with 265 km (102 sq mi), Lewes District with 159 km (61 sq mi) and Arun 102 km (39 sq mi). 93 km (36 sq mi) are in Horsham District and 60 km (23 sq mi) in Wealden District. Apart from
3120-455: Is thus to be expected that tensions will arise between and among food producers, residents, planners, builders, industrialists, environmentalists and others. Points of view vary significantly and CPRE thus has its critics. Some critics characterise CPRE as being: CPRE has changed its positions on issues over time. For example, in December 2008 George Monbiot of The Guardian interviewed
3224-417: The 10:10 project in 2010 in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint. One year later they announced that they had reduced their carbon emissions (according to 10:10's criteria) by 12%. In the UK, there are competing demands on the use of land for biodiversity, food production, housing, recreation, health and well-being. Movements of populations and climate change exacerbate the pressure of these demands. It
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3328-657: The Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs , were created. The New Forest , which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and old-growth forest in the heavily populated south east of England, was designated as a national park on 1 March 2005. On 31 March 2009 it was announced that the South Downs would be designated a national park; the South Downs National Park came into effect on 31 March 2010. Of
3432-531: The Council for the Preservation of Rural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England , is a charity in England with over 40,000 members and supporters. Formed in 1926 by Patrick Abercrombie to limit urban sprawl and ribbon development , the CPRE claims to be one of the longest running environmental groups in the UK. CPRE campaigns for a "sustainable future" for the English countryside. They state it
3536-605: The Environment Agency . The national park authorities and the Broads Authority are covered by regulations similar to those that apply to local councils. The national park authority for each park addresses the stated aim in partnership with other organisations, such as the National Trust . In cases where there may be conflict between the two purposes of designation, the first (to conserve and enhance
3640-546: The Lake District were governed by county councils . The Peak District and the Lake District , the first two national parks to be designated, were under the control of planning boards that were independent of county councils. Similar national park authorities have also been established for the Scottish parks under separate legislation. Slightly over half the members of each national park authority are appointees from
3744-518: The Mourne Mountains . If established, it would stretch from Carlingford Lough to Newcastle and Slieve Croob . National park authorities are the strategic and local planning authorities for their areas, so that the local district or unitary councils do not exercise planning control in an area covered by a national park. Consequently, they have to perform all the duties of a local planning authority . They are responsible for maintaining
3848-613: The North Downs and the Chilterns . In its western section, the national park extends north beyond the chalk escarpment of the South Downs into a quite different and strongly contrasting physiographic region, the western Weald , taking in the valley of the western River Rother , incised into Lower Greensand bedrock, and the densely wooded hills and valleys of the Greensand Ridge and Weald Clay south of Haslemere . National parks of England and Wales National parks of
3952-403: The South Downs (which on the English Channel coast form the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head ) and a substantial part of a separate physiographic region, the western Weald , with its heavily wooded sandstone and clay hills and vales. The South Downs Way spans the entire length of the park and is the only National Trail that lies wholly within a national park. The idea of
4056-522: The Stone Age , at least 5,000 years ago and in some cases much earlier. Before the 19th century relatively wild, remote areas were often seen simply as uncivilised and dangerous. In 1725 Daniel Defoe described the High Peak as "the most desolate, wild and abandoned country in all England". However, by the early 19th century, romantic poets such as Byron , Coleridge and Wordsworth wrote about
4160-653: The cities was also considered important. The Peak District , site of the Kinder Scout trespass, was designated the first national park in April 1951 under the Clement Attlee led Labour administration . This was followed in the same year by the designations of three more national parks; the Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor. By the end of the decade the national park family had increased to ten with
4264-519: The local development framework — the spatial planning guide for their area. They also grant planning consent for development, within the constraints of the Framework. This gives them very strong direct control over residential and industrial development, and the design of buildings and other structures; as well as strategic matters such as mineral extraction. The national park authorities' planning powers vary only slightly from other authorities, but
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4368-536: The Countryside Act 1949 was passed with all party support. The first ten national parks were designated as such in the 1950s under the Act in mostly poor-quality agricultural upland . Much of the land was still owned by individual landowners, often private estates, but there was also property owned by public bodies such as the Crown , or charities which allow and encourage access such as the National Trust . Accessibility from
4472-539: The Countryside Act 1949 . The idea for a form of national parks was first proposed in the United States in the 1860s, where national parks were established to protect wilderness areas such as Yosemite . This model has been used in many other countries since, but not in the United Kingdom. After thousands of years of human integration into the landscape, Britain lacks any substantial areas of wilderness. Furthermore, those areas of natural beauty so cherished by
4576-567: The Countryside Act 1949. There were also CPRE campaigns for subsidies for rural housing and for adequate publicity for planning enquiries. This period also saw the 'Best Kept Village' and ' Keep Britain Tidy ' initiatives. When England's first motorway the M1 was proposed in 1957, CPRE successfully campaigned for it to avoid the heart of Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire (the road was put into
4680-604: The Dark Skies heading, in 2013, Star Count was launched. This is a campaign to stop light pollution by involving the public in star-counting in order to map light pollution across the UK and raise awareness. A related idea is reducing the impact of light pollution, reducing carbon budgets and saving money by pushing councils to adjust street lighting. Under the What gets built where heading, CPRE's includes influencing development plans at local , regional and national level. There
4784-750: The English and Welsh national parks that were originally proposed, two remain undesignated: the Cambrian Mountains and Cornish Coast. Of the twelve national parks in England and Wales, four are in the North of England, two in the Southwest, one in the North Midlands, two (the most recently designated) in the South and three in Wales. They cover 10.7 per cent of England and 19.9 per cent of Wales. They touch only sixteen English counties and there
4888-544: The Government announced that it is considering the introduction of a deposit return scheme to increase recycling rates. It is hoped by CPRE that the scheme will include all single use drink-containers, whether plastic, glass or metal. According to the main CPRE website, campaigns in 2022 are now grouped under the broad headlines, Dark Skies, Hedgerows, What gets built where, and the Climate Emergency. Under
4992-406: The Government's first ever Environment White Paper accepted the case for hedgerow protection, 20 years after CPRE's campaign was first launched, and in 1997 laws to protect hedgerows finally came into force. In 1995 CPRE published “tranquillity” maps which show the diminishing areas of the countryside not disturbed by man-made noise , visual intrusion or light pollution . These were updated using
5096-934: The Lake District – is wholly coincident with a national park whilst a part of the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site falls within the Brecon Beacons National Park and parts of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd and of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales fall within Snowdonia National Park. Download coordinates as: Campaign for the Protection of Rural England CPRE, The Countryside Charity , formerly known by names such as
5200-708: The Lake District, North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales all abut AONBs and in addition the coasts of Exmoor and the North York Moors coincide with heritage coasts . All the Parks contain in varying numbers Sites of Special Scientific Interest and national nature reserves . A part of the Brecon Beacons National Park is also designated as one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks . Of the various World Heritage Sites in England and Wales , one –
5304-734: The Order designating the New Forest National Park . Following an appeal on the High Court case and new legislation included in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, the South Downs Inquiry report was published on 31 March 2006. It recommended a 23% reduction in the size of the originally proposed national park, focussing it more narrowly on the chalk downland and excluding from it
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#17327650810665408-497: The Peak District National Park the estimate in 2004 for visitor spending is £185 million, which supports over 3,400 jobs, representing 27% of total employment in the national park. The national park authorities have two roles: to conserve and enhance the park, and to promote its use by visitors. These two objectives cause frequent conflicts between the needs of different groups of people. It is estimated that
5512-577: The Pembrokeshire Coast, North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor, Northumberland and Brecon Beacons national parks all being designated. Other areas were also considered: for example, parts of the coast of Cornwall were considered as a possible national park in the 1950s but were thought to be too disparate to form a single coherent national park and were eventually designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) instead. The north Pennines were also considered for designation as
5616-594: The South Downs, Butser Hill , has an elevation of 271 m (889 ft) above sea level. Within the national park there are two chalk hill figures , the Litlington White Horse and the Long Man of Wilmington . Most of the national park consists of chalk downland , although a significant part consists of the sandstones and clays of the western Weald , a strongly contrasting and distinctive landscape of densely wooded hills and vales. The chalk
5720-421: The United Kingdom ( Welsh : parciau cenedlaethol ; Scottish Gaelic : pàircean nàiseanta ) are 15 areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape across the country. Despite their name, they are quite different from national parks in many other countries, which are usually owned and managed by governments as protected community resources, and which do not usually include permanent human communities. In
5824-476: The United Kingdom the total increases to 22,660 square kilometres (average 1511 km ). The most-visited national park is the Lake District, with 15.8 million visitors in 2009, although by visitor days the South Downs at 39 million compares to 23.1 million for the Lake District. There are currently no national parks in Northern Ireland though there have been controversial moves to establish one in
5928-463: The United Kingdom, an area designated as a national park may include substantial settlements and human land uses that are often integral parts of the landscape. Land within national parks remains largely in private ownership. These parks are therefore not "national parks" according to the internationally accepted standard of the IUCN but they are areas of outstanding landscape where planning controls are
6032-470: The YIMBY movement, this is a distraction from the necessary infill development in and around major urban centres, which is claimed to offer significantly more potential to meet housing need inside urban areas. In October 2020 however, a CPRE report revealed that there is enough brownfield land for 1.3 million new homes and over half a million already have planning permission. In 2024, CPRE Hertfordshire were criticised by one Hertfordshire local authority about
6136-436: The basis of the South Downs National Park. In September 1999 the government, following a review of national parks policy, declared support for a South Downs National Park, and announced a consultation on its creation. In January 2003 the then Countryside Agency (now Natural England ) made an Order to designate the proposed park in 2003 which was submitted to the Secretary of State for the Environment on 27 January 2003. As
6240-488: The beauty of Dorset's countryside (2016). CPRE's national office is at 5–11, Lavington Street, Southwark , London. It also has offices in the eight other regions of England . In addition there are CPRE branches in each of England's counties and groups in over 200 districts. All but two of the 43 CPRE branches are independent charities of their own. CPRE Durham and CPRE Northumberland are subsidiaries of national CPRE. Each CPRE branch has its own website. Members receive
6344-423: The cause of public access in the political arena. In 1931 Christopher Addison (later Lord Addison) chaired a government committee that proposed a 'National Park Authority' to choose areas for designation as national parks. A system of national reserves and nature sanctuaries was proposed: (i) to safeguard areas of exceptional natural interest against (a) disorderly development and (b) spoliation; (ii) to improve
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#17327650810666448-453: The chalk by the sea. The South Downs run linearly west-north-westwards from the Eastbourne area through southern Sussex to the Hampshire downs, separating the south coastal plain from the clays and sandstones of the Weald . Behind the escarpment, on the dip slope, are the characteristic high, smooth, rolling downland hills interrupted by dry valleys and wind gaps, and the major river gaps of the Cuckmere , Ouse , Adur and Arun . The chalk
6552-404: The character of the countryside. Planners are lobbied to ensure that as many new developments as possible are built on Brownfield (rather than Greenfield ) land. In particular CPRE is fighting for the protection of green belts . There is emphasis on reducing litter in rural areas across England via local action and events and lobbying government. Under the Climate emergency heading, support
6656-412: The character of towns and to give town dwellers easy access to the countryside. In the war years, CPRE was identified as a stakeholder that government ministries were required to consult with over proposed use of land in rural areas for airfields, training camps and war industries. 1941-1960 CPRE campaigning helped lead to the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and the National Parks and Access to
6760-459: The countryside. However, perhaps as a result of this pressure, in 2010, campaigning against inappropriate mineral extraction by opencast mining started to be featured under the 'Climate change and natural resources' section of CPRE's website. In 2011, the CPRE argued that not enough public consultation had been done on HS2 though a 5-month public consultation was currently being run at the time. The CPRE has been accused by some of exaggerating
6864-418: The creation of a 'National Park Authority' to select areas for designation as national parks. Despite the recommendation and continued lobbying and demonstrations of public discontent, such as the 1932 Kinder Scout mass trespass in the Peak District, nothing further was done until a 1945 white paper on national parks was produced as part of the Labour Party's planned post-war reconstruction, leading in 1949 to
6968-435: The creation of national parks in especially beautiful areas and used for the recreation of those living in cities, for the reservation of farming belt zones around towns and cities so as to keep fresh produce close to urban markets and against urban sprawl and uncontrolled ribbon development . It also began arguing the case for protecting areas of England's most beautiful countryside, and for setting up green belts to preserve
7072-420: The criteria for designating suitable areas: The essential requirements of a National Park are that it should have great natural beauty, a high value for open-air recreation and substantial continuous extent. Further, the distribution of selected areas should as far as practicable be such that at least one of them is quickly accessible from each of the main centres of population in England and Wales . Lastly there
7176-425: The establishment of national parks as part of the post-war reconstruction of the UK. A report by John Dower , secretary of the Standing Committee on National Parks, to the Minister of Town and Country Planning in 1945 was followed in 1947 by a Government committee, this time chaired by Sir Arthur Hobhouse , which prepared legislation for national parks, and proposed twelve national parks. Sir Arthur had this to say on
7280-482: The extent of intrusion in the early 1960s, early 1990s and 2007. They cannot be reproduced. In July 2024, Mary-Ann Ochota was elected President of the CPRE. She was previously interviewed by CPRE and described time spent in green space as "a wonder drug". In 2013 there was agreement to place electricity transmission lines underground in some National Parks, something CPRE is still campaigning for. In 2018 after CPRE's 10-year campaign against drink-container litter,
7384-427: The fifteen local authorities covering the park area with Adur and Worthing opting to share a place; and six parish council representatives, two for each county. As at June 2024, the chair of SDNPA is Vanessa Rowlands, and the chief executive (interim) is Tim Slaney. The South Downs National Park stretches for 140 km (87 mi) across southern England from St Catherine's Hill near Winchester in Hampshire in
7488-456: The inquiry was published. The Secretary of State , Hilary Benn , announced that the South Downs would be designated a national park, and on 12 November 2009 he signed the order confirming the designation. He confirmed that a number of hotly disputed areas – including the western Weald, the town of Lewes and the village of Ditchling – would be included within the national park. The new national park came into full operation on 1 April 2011 when
7592-536: The inspirational beauty of the "untamed" countryside. Wordsworth described the English Lake District as a "sort of national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy" in 1810. This early vision, based in the Picturesque movement, took over a century, and much controversy, to take legal form in the UK with the National Parks and Access to
7696-612: The interests of the people who live and work within it. The statutory purposes of the SDNPA, as a national park authority, are specified by the Environment Act 1995 ; these are: It must also fulfil the following duty: The SDNPA is a public body, funded by central government, and run by a board of twenty seven members. The board consists of seven national members, appointed by the environment secretary by means of an open recruitment process; fourteen local authority nominees drawn from
7800-606: The inviolability of the Greenbelt. YIMBYs have claimed that this policy denies both rural and urban communities the housing that, if planned correctly, they would want to build. The alleged success of CPRE's campaign to restrict housing on the rural-urban fringe has led John Myers, co-founder of London YIMBY, to describe it as 'the NRA of the UK' (referring to the National Rifle Association of America , rather than
7904-534: The local population through jobs and businesses. However, these visitors also bring problems, such as erosion and traffic congestion , and conflicts over the use of the parks' resources. Access to cultivated land in England and Wales is restricted to public rights of way and permissive paths . (Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 there is a right of access for walkers to most but not all uncultivated areas in England and Wales.) National parks are
8008-479: The means of access for pedestrians to areas of natural beauty; and (iii) to promote measures for the protection of flora and fauna . However, no further action was taken after the intervention of the 1931 General Election . The voluntary Standing Committee on National Parks first met on 26 May 1936 to put the case to the government for national parks in the UK. After World War II, the Labour Party proposed
8112-429: The national park is approximately 108,000. Of these 42,000 live in Hampshire, 40,000 in West Sussex and 25,000 in East Sussex. East Hampshire District Council area and Chichester District each have around 30,000 residents in the area and Lewes District 22,000. Winchester has 11,500 residents in the park, with much smaller numbers for the other districts and boroughs. The area receives about 39 million visits each year, which
8216-652: The national parks of England and Wales receive 110 million visitors each year. Most of the time it is possible to achieve both the original two purposes by good management. Occasionally a situation arises where access for the public is in direct conflict with conservation. Following the ethos of the Sandford Principle , the Environment Act 1995 sets down how a priority may be established between conservation and recreational use. Similar provision has been made for Scottish national parks. Although recreation and tourism bring many benefits to an area, they can also bring
8320-523: The natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park) must take precedence under the Sandford Principle . This principle was given statutory force by section 62 of the Environment Act 1995 , although there are no explicit provisions as to how wildlife is to be preserved. The national park authorities also have a duty to foster the economic and social wellbeing of communities in pursuit of these purposes. Funding for national parks
8424-429: The new South Downs National Park Authority assumed statutory responsibility for it. The occasion was marked by an opening ceremony which took place in the market square of Petersfield , a town situated in the western Weald just 4 km (2.5 mi) north of the chalk escarpment of the South Downs. In 2016 the national park was granted International Dark Sky Reserve status, to restrict artificial light pollution above
8528-550: The organisation operates as the Friends of the Peak District in the Peak District National Park, High Peak Borough and six parishes of North East Derbyshire (Eckington, Unstone, Holmesfield, Killamarsh, Dronfield, Barlow). In 2007 CPRE published a series of intrusion maps which are in development which highlighted areas disturbed by the presence of noise and visual intrusion from major infrastructure. The resulting maps show
8632-400: The park authorities with a single voice when dealing with government and its agencies. The Campaign for National Parks (formerly Council for National Parks) is a charity that works to protect and enhance the national parks of England and Wales. National parks were first designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 , and in England and Wales any new national park
8736-492: The park. It was the second such area in England and the 11th in the world. The national park is administered by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). The SDNPA was established on 1 April 2010, and became fully functioning, including becoming the planning authority for the national park, on 1 April 2011. It is responsible for promoting the statutory purposes of the national park and
8840-583: The parks. Natural England is the statutory body responsible for designating new national parks in England, subject to approval by the Secretary of State; Natural Resources Wales designates new national parks in Wales, subject to approval by the Welsh Ministers. All fifteen United Kingdom national parks are represented by the Association of National Park Authorities , which exists to provide
8944-455: The passing of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act . In England and Wales, as in Scotland, designation as a national park means that the area has been identified as being of importance to the national heritage and as such is worthy of special protection and attention. Unlike the model adopted in many other countries, such as the US and Germany, this does not mean the area is owned by
9048-402: The policies and their interpretation are stricter than elsewhere. This is supported and encouraged by the government who regard: Tourism is an important part of the economy of the regions which contain national parks. Through attractions, shops and accommodation, visitors provide an income and a livelihood to local employers and farmers. This income provides jobs for the park. For example, within
9152-579: The principal local authorities covered by the park; the remainder are appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (in England) or the Welsh Ministers (in Wales), some to represent local parish or community councils, others to represent the national interest. The Broads Authority also has members appointed by Natural England , Great Yarmouth Port Authority and
9256-404: The proposed national park in a consultation that ran from 2 July to 13 August 2007. In the light of the responses received, the Secretary of State decided that it was appropriate to re-open the 2003–05 public inquiry. The inquiry re-opened on 12 February 2008 and was closed on 4 July 2008 after 27 sitting days. The Inspector's report was submitted on 28 November 2008. On 31 March 2009 the result of
9360-466: The romantic poets were often only maintained and managed in their existing state by human activity, usually agriculture. By the early 1930s increasing public interest in the countryside, coupled with the growing and newly mobile urban population, was generating increasing friction between those seeking access to the countryside and landowners. Alongside of direct action trespasses, such as the mass trespass of Kinder Scout , several voluntary bodies took up
9464-608: The scale of the energy problems and the solutions needed to tackle them. During the same year CPRE earned the Bankside Star by contributing significantly to the Together at Christmas gift collection campaign for the homeless, vulnerably housed and elderly people. CPRE has influenced public policy relating to town and country planning in England , most notably in the formation of the National Parks and AONBs in 1949, and of green belts in 1955. It claims some credit for
9568-405: The slow shift of agricultural policies across Europe away from a price-support philosophy to one of environmental stewardship, a policy shift begun in England. Campaigns against noise and light pollution have been pursued over recent years, and CPRE is now focusing on "tranquillity" as a key aspect of the countryside which CPRE wants to see protected in England's planning policies. CPRE joined
9672-399: The state. National parks in the United Kingdom may include substantial settlements and human land uses which are often integral parts of the landscape, and within a national park there are many landowners including public bodies and private individuals. Archaeological evidence from prehistoric Britain shows that the areas now designated as national parks have been occupied by humans since
9776-407: The then CPRE head, Shaun Spiers , about the organisation's opposition to wind farms but not opencast coal mines . George Monbiot asked why he couldn't find any opposition of the CPRE to surface coal mining over the past five years, and pointed out that the negative effects that coal mines cause by removing the soil from large areas are much greater than the negative effects wind energy might have on
9880-587: The threat to rural England and of being alarmist by warning that the Green Belt is in danger of being 'concreted over'. According to a right-wing think tank , the Institute for Economic Affairs , only about one-tenth of the English surface area, (rather than the Green Belt) is 'developed' in the broadest sense; about half of this 'development' consists of domestic gardens, leaving only one-twentieth which
9984-472: The twelve national parks in England & Wales in having a third purpose that carries equal weight, that of: The Scottish national parks have two further statutory purposes: Following the Environment Act 1995 , each English and Welsh national park has been managed by its own national park authority, a special-purpose local authority , since April 1997. Previously, all but the Peak District and
10088-421: The unrelated British NRA ). A CPRE report admits more housing is needed but challenges the government statistics on numbers, stating they are based on aspiration rather than observed need. Criticism has also been targeted at the CPRE's emphasis on the use of brownfield sites over greenfield sites as a first choice for building, accusing it of overstating their ability to meet Britain's housing need. According to
10192-478: The urban areas of Worthing , Brighton and Hove , Newhaven , Seaford and Eastbourne , which had all made substantial encroachments onto the Downs during the 19th and 20th centuries. By contrast, the park includes a number of towns situated in the western Weald , including Petersfield , Liss , Midhurst and Petworth , and the two historic Sussex towns of Arundel and Lewes . The total population living within
10296-474: The value of the South Downs as a potential national park had been reduced by cultivation. It did however recognise the "great natural beauty" of the area, and proposed it be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . In due course two AONBs were designated, split along the county boundary, namely the East Hampshire AONB in 1962 and the Sussex Downs AONB in 1966. These were later to form
10400-507: The west to Beachy Head , near Eastbourne in East Sussex in the east. In its western half, the southern boundary of the park lies up to 10 km (6.2 mi) inland from the south coast; it thus excludes the major coastal towns and cities of Southampton , Portsmouth , Chichester , Bognor Regis and Littlehampton . Further east, where the park's southern boundary lies much closer to the coast, it has been carefully drawn to exclude
10504-621: Was also paid to campaigns for sustainable energy generation and the use of brownfield land for building. In 1985 in a campaign to reform the EC's Agricultural Structures Directive, CPRE stopped funding for many damaging agricultural activities and secured the first “green” farm payments. In 1988 it helped persuade the Chancellor of the Exchequer to scrap tax incentives favouring blanket conifer plantations in upland areas. 1990 onwards In 1990
10608-592: Was formed in the Late Cretaceous epoch , between 100 million and 66 million years ago, when the area was under the sea. During the Cenozoic era the chalk was uplifted as part of the Weald uplift which created the great Weald-Artois Anticline , caused by the same orogenic movements that created the Alps. The relatively resistant chalk rock has, through weathering , resulted in a classic cuesta landform, with
10712-778: Was held in December 1926 at the London offices of the Royal Institute of British Architects and was addressed by Neville Chamberlain , a future prime minister . Various groups were involved in its formation including the National Trust , the Women's Institute and the Commons Preservation Society . Molly Trevelyan was the WI representative and she served on the founding committee. The early years In CPRE's first years, it campaigned for rural planning, for
10816-514: Was the last of the original twelve recommended national parks to be designated. Extensive damage to the chalk downland from 1940 onwards through arable farming, and a resulting decline in sheep grazing, militated at an early stage against further work on designation. When in 1956 the National Parks Commission came to consider the case for the South Downs as a national park, it found designation no longer appropriate, noting that
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