Time running out to have your say on major plan for National Park

The Partnership Management Plan is the most important document for any National Park, laying out key priorities and targets for the next five years.

The public consultation launched on 9 June and will come to an end on 1 August.

People from across the region, inside and outside the National Park, are being encouraged to have their say on the draft plans before the consultation ends.

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.

Siôn McGeever, Chief Executive of the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “I’d like to thank each and every individual and organisation who has taken the time to look at the plans and submit comments so far.

“This is everybody’s National Park and this is everybody’s chance to shape its future, so please do take a moment to fill in the survey.

“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 we really want to hear what people think of these proposals.”

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.
• Working in partnership to deliver 125 youth action days taking positive action for nature, climate and heritage in the National Park by 2031.
• 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.

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.