2009 press releases

13th Jan: Lewes demands inclusion in South Downs National Park

A petition was presented at the headquarters of DEFRA in London today calling on the government to include Lewes in the South Downs National Park. Local MP Norman Baker, Mayor of Lewes Cllr. Mike Chartier and the Chairman of Friends of Lewes, Robert Cheesman joined forces as the 'South Downs Campaign' to call on the Secretary of State to stick to the original boundaries that were proposed for the park in 2002. Around 3,000 concerned citizens signed the main petition, which followed a successful poster campaign mounted in windows and noticeboards across the town.

Accompanying the main documents was a further petition from the citizens of Hamsey, Offham and Cooksbridge. This also calls for the 2002 boundary set by the Countryside Agency to be respected and for the South Downs National Park to cover the Ouse valley north of Lewes.

A final decision on the boundaries of the Park is expected in early summer from the Secretary of State.

Norman Baker, MP for Lewes said:

"This petition represents the clear majority view of my constituents who wish the government to include Lewes and the Ouse Valley to the north in the South Downs National Park. There is a real fear that without the protection that National Park status brings, Lewes will be more vulnerable to inappropriate development."

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