ENPAA welcomes South Downs National Park
Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has announced his decision to create a new South Downs National Park. The news follows a public inquiry and an independent inspector’s report.
Mr Benn said:
“Having considered the inspector's report and recommendations carefully, and agreed that the statutory criteria are met, I have decided that the South Downs including the so-called Western Weald should be confirmed as a National Park.
“It is fitting that in this year, the 60th anniversary of the radical legislation that gave birth to National Parks, we are celebrating an addition to the family. “
The South Downs is the last of the 12 areas identified in the 1947 Hobhouse Report recommendations to receive National Park status.
ENPAA looks forward to welcoming the South Downs to the network of National Parks. The South Downs National Park Authority will come into being in 2010 and is expected to take on its full range of statutory powers in 2011. We recognise the benefit of sharing good practice, and hope that the experience of existing National Park Authorities will be valuable to the new National Park Authority.
Update: Hilary Benn MP signed the confirmation order for the South Downs National Park on 12 November 2009. The formal designation of the new National Park will be on 31 March 2010.
