WALKERS HIGHLIGHT
MIDHURST AREA
by
Dr Owen Plunkett, P.O. Hampshire Area Council
Rambler's Association

 

Twenty-eight people took part in the latest  South Downs Walk, organised by the Ramblers Association and the South Downs Campaign to highlight areas that should be in the future South Downs National Park. In addition to a number of local people there were others from all over Sussex.and  Hampshire.and the newly appointed Countryside Campaigns Manager for Ramblers' Association,  Patrick Grady, travelled down from London specially for the occasion.

 

The eight mile walk included some beautiful countryside with a mixture of riverside, woodland and downland., with sections along the river Rother and in Cowdray Park.

 

Midhurst is one of a number of very attractive market towns that are in the Designated National Park  boundary proposed by the Countryside Agency .Campaigners are very keen that these market towns that also include Arundel, Petworth,  Lewes, Steyning and Petersfield should remain within the boundary when the final decision is made.

 

The leader of the walk, Owen Plunkett, who is a Vice Chairman on the South Downs Campaign,summed up the latest position on the designation process. He expressed the frustration felt by campaigners at the latest delay caused by a High Court ruling to remove land from the New Forest National Park, This had implications for the South Downs, the existing National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Beauty (AONB's) but has been resolved by the introduction by the government of two amendments that clarified the definition of natural beauty.

 

However, this still left the problem of the land removed from the New Forest  N P. DEFRA had objected to this and the case was heard in London on November 1st.. Early reports from our supporters suggest that the hearing went well and that the objection will be upheld which will clear the way for the designation process  for the S D to go ahead. Owen Plunkett reminded the walkers that " Back in 1947 the South Downs were first chosen by the Hobhouse Commission as one of twelve  areas suitable for National Park Designation. Next year (2007) will be the 60th anniversary.of that Hobhouse recommendation and it would be fitting if the Park could be created in that year. Although we are hoping for a government announcement then, it is more likely that the park will be set up in 2008.".

 

The next walk in this series will be an eight mile walk from Winchester on Saturday December 30th taking in parts of the River Itchen and St Catherine's Hill. For  information on this and future walks and on the South Downs Campaign, contact Owen Plunkett on (023)92254958 or Email- owen.plunkett@tiscali.co.uk

 

'Walkers Highlight Midhurst Page " is sponsored by Violet Designs, Midhurst, West Sussex Tel: 01730 810059. We just try harder to give exceptional service and prices.

.